ST. LOUIS — If you're a Cardinal fan, you know what Lou Brock brought to the diamond.
But it's what he did outside the stadium that cemented his legacy as a Cardinal and Major League Baseball legend.
Whether it's the more than 3,000 hits, the stolen base records or the World Series championships, the list could go on and on.
"Just a good guy, one of the best men I've ever met," said Cardinal fan Joe Oates.
From his infectious smile, to his giving personality, those who met Brock, however briefly, share a similar story.
"The first words out of his mouth were 'Young man, never give up. I'm living proof of that,'" said lifelong Cardinal fan Jeff Andria. "And you know as life goes on and things seem a little overwhelming those words will pop back into my head and I've remembered it ever since."
Not only did Lou leave a lasting impression on the fans he met, Brock helped transcend racial division in the league.
"I'll never have the struggles he did and he came through it with such grace and poise," added Andria.
The type of grace and poise fans and fellow players say comes around maybe once a generation.
"These were the guys that broke the barriers," said another fan.
And after a lifetime of giving back, it's The Lou's turn to repay the favor to Lou's family.
"Thank You for Lou Brock and the impact he made on us," added Andria.
