ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - John Daly, hours before he threw out the first pitch at the Cardinals-Dodgers game at Busch Stadium, wrapped up a Pro-Am round at Norwood Hills Country Club with a cigarette in one hand and a bobblehead in the other.
“I’m the biggest Cardinals fan you could ever think of,” Daly said.
And he’s not far off.
Daly, the two-time major champion who took the golf world by storm 30 years ago, winning the PGA Championship at Crooked Stick, will compete in the Ascension Charity Classic this weekend. The PGA Tour Champions event is being held for the first time in St. Louis, where Daly has plenty of history.
“Great city,” Daly said. “I’ve always loved it.”
He was raised in Arkansas but attended high school in Jefferson City, Mo., where he played football and lost in state competition to St. Charles.
Related
After tuning up on the golf course, he turned his attention to baseball. Daly estimates he’s thrown out the first pitch 10 or 11 times for the Cardinals. But this time, he tried to get a player on the opposing team to catch the ceremonial toss.
“I’ve been texting (Albert) Pujols today,” Daly said. “I told him: ‘Will you just put the Cardinal uniform on again, please?’”
Pujols told Daly he wanted to catch the first pitch… and Daly also suggested Yadier Molina if Pujols, as a Dodger, couldn’t.
“But unfortunately the players can’t do it,” Daly said.
So Daly summoned his old buddy Ryan Franklin, the former Cardinals reliever, to do the honors.
Pujols, who will be a free agent this offseason following a mid-year release from the Angels and subsequent signing with the Dodgers, will more than likely be recruited by Daly to rejoin his old teammates in St. Louis.
“I’ve kept up with Pujols every since he left the Cardinals (in 2011),” Daly said.
Name a bigger Cardinals fan. We’re waiting…
Related
© 2021 KMOX (Audacy). All rights reserved
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Follow KMOX
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram