A move from a month-long stay at a local hospital to a rehabilitation center on Thursday marked the first step of Lou Brock's new life.
That step, unfortunately, was made without his left foot because his leg had to be amputated after a dangerous infection seized him last month. "It was a whirlwind. It just came on and it took us places we never had been before," said wife, Jackie, who added that Brock's life "definitely was in danger," before the amputation.
But it was an upbeat, Brock, an El Dorado native, who greeted visitors.
"Today," deadpanned Brock, "is the day you have to make a decision -- to keep the foot -- or throw it away in the dumpster."
The comment is evidence that Brock, 76, who lost his left leg several inches below the left knee Oct. 27, is coping about as well as anyone could with his new life.
He and Jackie are hoping Brock, with the ultimate use of a prosthetic device, will be able to participate in Cardinals' Opening Day ceremonies April 11. Fellow Hall of Famer Red Schoendienst, who missed last Cardinals spring training because of his own illness, plans to be at the next one at age 93 and, when he visited Brock in the hospital, he said the Opening Day goal for Brock was "not acceptable. We'll see you in Florida."
"Red and I are on the same page," Jackie said. "We're shooting for spring training."
Brock, wearing Cardinal red trousers, was able to lift his left leg and was not self-conscious about pulling away a blanket and exposing his stub. He is optimistic, as are doctors, that he eventually can walk without difficulty because he has complete movement and flexibility of his knee.
The all-time National League leader in stolen bases at 938, even joked that he would be able to outrun a certain Cardinals Gold Glove catcher (Yadier Molina) whose speed is not one of his several strong points.
His eyes twinkling, Brock said, "You can print this. I think I can beat him."
Cardinals broadcaster Mike Shannon, one of several of Brock's former teammates who has visited him, jested that he had a solution as to what to do with Brock's foot.
"I think he ought to bronze it," Shannon said. "Then when they have the Lou Brock Award at the [St. Louis Baseball] writers' dinner, they can present [the foot]." Brock laughed heartily when he heard that.
Hall of Famer Bob Gibson was one of the first to have visited and Brock recalled Gibson saying, "Is this [amputation] for real?"
"He came to see it and he wished it were different," Brock related this week. "At the end [of the visit], he said, 'I hope you get better.' And there was a tear in his eye."
Brock had a brief setback last weekend when a minor urinary tract infection crept in, but, though he has lost some weight, he is said to be progressing daily now.
"Maybe it's from the medicine or whatever, but I haven't had any pain," said Brock.
This will be the biggest challenge of Brock's life. "I hope to meet it," he said. "[The medical people] are going to put a schedule together and then I'll be walking around like a sports writer."
That didn't sound all that great, necessarily, but then Brock added, "It's not easy being a sports writer."
As Brock travels the long road back, he has had considerable hands-on care from a nurse whose real name is Allison but who is "Mike Tyson" in Brock's lexicon for her aggressive approach. "I just follow orders, man," he said.
The nurse said Brock had told her, "I've met a lot of important people in my life and it's like 'Mr. Brock this and Mr. Brock that.' The first day I met you, you say, 'Lou, we're going to get you out of bed and you're going to walk.' "
Brock responded, "Wow! Who are you?"
"He was calling me some other names before he finally settled on Mike [Tyson]," said the nurse, laughing.
Hundreds of messages of support and prayer, including one from fellow base thief Maury Wills, have arrived for Brock.
Fans can send messages c/o Sounds of Heaven Ministry, 231 Fox Hill Road, St. Charles, Mo., 63301.
Brock, after spinning a couple of more stories about his career, was ready to move on.
He repeated that he would meet this challenge.
"You can pass that on to my fans," said Brock.
"It's great to be alive -- and meeting a schedule. The schedule is laid out before me."
"He hasn't finished yet," Jackie said. "He has to make it to the finish line."
Lou Brock always has.
Sports on 11/22/2015