OPENING DAY

I always get sentimental about Opening Day. It's just such an important day. This year is no different. Well, a little. Because the St. Louis Cardinals are reigning World Champions.

All the glitz, hype, ceremony were displayed in St. Lou last evening. They trotted out Gibson and Sutter and Wainwright for the ceremonious first pitch(es). What a coup! What marketing agent came up with the idea of having the pitchers who threw the final pitch in the last three worlds championships for the team was a near genius.

They brought out The Man, Mr. Musial. Ruth in New York, Banks in Chicago, Musial in St. Louis. There simply are no others that represent their cities like those three. At age 86, Stanley Frank is revered in that town as he should be.

They brought out Javier, McCarver, the ubiquitous Mike Shannon, Whitey, Red, Andujar, Hernandez. Almost all but Ozzie who had a scheduling conflict. Yeah, right. As long as Tony is around, Ozzie won't be.That's the conflict. In one of the longest running grudges I've seen.

And, oh yeah, the Clydesdales. And the World Series banner. Along with a stadium--scratch that--ballpark (it is a ballpark now) display of the 10 World Series won by the Cardinals.

Oh yeah, and then they played the nationally televised game. One team showed up. It wasn't the Cardinals. But Winter's over. There are 161 more games. And then the playoffs. Lots of baseball, lots of hot Summer days and nights. And hopefully, because all teams have hope at this time of the year, another world championship.