Once again, the best assignment of the year turned out to be the Musial Awards, given annually to the year’s most shining moments of sportsmanship. Thanks to the St. Louis Sports Commission, I get to share the stories of the honorees with the world. Each is so warm and humble. None of them thinks they deserve recognition for doing the right thing.
They are so wrong. Not because their act is rare. They are correct in their assertion that “anybody would do what I did.” They lose sight of the fact that common decency is so easily drowned out by boorish behavior. And it should be just the opposite.
Special highlights of this year include:
The sweet story of Henry Frasca, a huge, little fan of the Boston Red Sox, who insisted on giving a note of encouragement to slumping Orioles slugger Chris Davis. The security guard told Henry no five times. Henry persisted. Chris got the note and broke out of a 54-at-bat slump with three hits in a victory over Henry’s beloved Sox.
Laila Anderson, whose victory over a rare immune disorder paralleled the St. Louis Blues’ rise from last to Stanley Cup champions. Rather than shrink from the spotlight, Laila glowed, sharing her juju with the team, its fans, the entire hockey world. She has moved on to help marrow donor programs and children’s charities.
Best of all, the event is growing and will garner the national attention is has deserved for so long, when an hour special airs nationally on CBS (KMOV in St. Louis) at 1 p.m. December 21.
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