Thirty-two local youngsters recently made the trip from the Cape Girardeau area to Busch Stadium in downtown St. Louis to join Tony's Troops. This is an outreach program started by St. Louis Cardinal manager Tony La Russa, first while he managed in Oakland Calif. and now in St. Louis. Included in the recent trip was Boy Scout Troop 17 from Nell Holcomb School.

The idea is for youngsters, who are mainly Girl and Boy Scouts but don't have to be, to come down on the baseball field and into the dugout for a game and a pizza party. The children are given a special pass and T-shirt to wear while they enjoy batting practice with the team. After the pizza party, the youngsters stay to watch the ballgame. The whole adventure is part of Cardinals Care, a two-year-old charitable foundation created by the new owners of the team to offer support programs and opportunities for children. Dr. Edward Lewis heads up Cardinals Care. Lewis says, "It's great that these kids geto to go down into the dugout and have a chance to ask Tony questions about baseball or anything."

We agree and salute Tony La Russa and the St. Louis Cardinals for making such a larger-than-life experience possible for youngsters from throughout the Cardinals far-flung territory.