Yes, indeed, I do love the Rockies!

Baseball fever was born in my life in the 40's and 50's in St. Louis, Missouri. I was a teenager when the St. Luis Cardinals were winning pennants and World Series and the entire city was alive with baseball excitement. Everywhere you went during the hot, humid St. Louis days, in stores, gas stations and open apartment windows, you could hear a hundred radios all broadcasting the play-by-play with Harry Carey.

The best thing to do for a kid on a sunny afternoon was to attend an afternoon game at Sportsmans's Park. I lived with my mother in a series of apartments not far from the stadium. My father had died when I was very young and so, I developed a relationship from afar with many of the players. I knew every batting average, pitching statistic and all the personal details of their lives. The Cardinals fielded some fantastic teams-players like Stan Musial, Red Schoendinst, Marty Marion, Enos Slaughter, Joe Garragiola, Harry Walker and others who became idols of mine. I later realized that baseball, in many ways, became the "father" that I never had. I saw history in the making and heard both the boos and cheers for Jackie Robinson who remains for me the ultimate symbol of courage in his breaking of baseball's color barrier. There was even a second team to follow: the St. Louis Browns with an impressive player named Pete Gray who batted with only one arm.

Today, those memories still stir my heart through the Colorado Rockies and their players. It all stared with the amazing announcement that, at last, Denver would have it's own professional team. The baseball world re-opened for me. Televised games became a priority and attending a few games each season was a bonus. Baseball was once again running through my veins and what once was red had become purple. Last year's World Series run was akin to those overwhelming World Series experiences of those many years ago in St. Louis. I am the mother of 9 children and the grandmother of 20 and July is my 74 th birthday. What a birthday gift to attend the July 2 nd game with some of my family members! GO ROCKIES and thanks for the memories.