by Michael Ceraolo
Managers do make a difference
Not in the way sportswriters thought,
by making brilliant strategic decisions
to outwit the opposing manager;
the difference was instilling confidence
by treating us as human beings.
On the Cardinals the change
from Solly Hemus, an old-school racist,
to Johnny Keane, one of the best human beings
I was fortunate enough to meet,
was dramatic for me, Curt,
and the rest of the team, even Stan
Without that change there would have been
none of the October heroics I became known for,
because we wouldn’t have made it to October
