Weren't the cheers only yesterday? (Puckett story)

Pioneer Press ^ | 3-7-06 | Joe Soucheray

[Rakkasan1]

On Saturday night, Oct. 26, 1991, in the sixth game of the World Series, Kirby Puckett made one of the great catches in Series history. It got overshadowed, but not lost, by what followed later in the game, closer to midnight. This was the third inning. Ron Gant of the Atlanta Braves hit the ball, and by the sound of it, he hit it for keeps. Puckett started churning and churning and then leaped in the classic, outstretched pose of an old baseball card from the golden era of life itself. His body went into the air between the retired numbers of Rod Carew and Tony Oliva, and his glove slapped the glass. Smack! And we said, "What a catch, did you see that, what a catch!'' A fellow in the press box got the idea to run out there to Section 102 and see who it was who had seats so close to immortality. They were Lance and Ginny Moberg of Mendota Heights, Jon Perkins of Brooklyn Center, Chuck Novotny of Cottage Grove and a kid named Zach Florenzano, 9. The kid was with his dad, Joe, 44, who was out getting a soda. They all said without fail that they

[OldFriend]

You're right.....but watching your pro football team figure out ways to lose the game is no fun either.

But then I just love sports....always hoping to catch that spectacular athlete doing his thing. I even like soccer.

[Thombo2]

I hadn't heard that.From no money to multi-millionaire.Unlike a lot of professional athletes he handled the fame and the money with class.

[Rakkasan1]

He was a tragic hero as defined in Greek tragedies.