The 1968 Cardinals were stocked with players known for producing high drama. Bob Gibson. Lou Brock. Roger Maris. Orlando Cepeda. It was a supporting cast member, though, who delivered a storybook home run.
On May, 15, 1968, second baseman Julian Javier visited Mark Sandusky, 6, of McKeesport, Pa., at Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh. The youngster’s legs had been crushed in a car accident. Javier often visited children in hospitals, The Sporting News reported.
Javier presented the boy with an autographed ball. “I want you to get better,” Javier told him, according to The Sporting News. “When you do, let me know and I’ll send you a bat to go along with the ball.”
Javier’s visit impressed the boy, who asked the Cardinals’ second baseman to hit a home run for him that night against the Pirates, the Associated Press reported.
“I’ll try,” Javier told the boy, according to The Sporting News, “but wouldn’t you settle for a couple of singles?”
“You’d better use a heavier bat,” the 6-year-old replied.
Javier, who hadn’t hit a homer that season, did the improbable.
Like a scene from “The Natural,” Javier hit Steve Blass’ first pitch of the fourth inning into the light tower next to the left-field scoreboard at Forbes Field, according to the Associated Press.
“I wasn’t thinking about it (during the at-bat),” Javier said. “But when I was running around the bases I thought, ‘Look what I did.’ ”
The run backed the four-hit pitching of Steve Carlton and carried the Cardinals to a 1-0 victory. Boxscore
In its lead paragraph to its story about the game, the Associated Press wrote, “Julian Javier will never be mistaken for Babe Ruth, but the slender St. Louis Cardinal is the Sultan of Swat today in the starry eyes of a McKeesport, Pa., youngster.”
Javier wouldn’t hit another home run until three months later, Aug, 28, 1968, also at Pittsburgh, against Roy Face. Javier finished the season with four homers.
In a 13-year major-league career, Javier hit 78 regular-season home runs.
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