God and baseball

Cardinals fans are familiar with former players and current broadcasters Rick Horton and Cal Eldred. But what fans might not know is that both men were led to God through baseball.

"When I signed to play in the minor leagues with the Cardinals, I traveled all over the place and had some teammates that really were just men of God and shared the Bible with me," Horton said before taking the stage as host of the Cardinals Caravan Monday night in Cape Girardeau.

One of those individuals who shared his faith with Horton was Larry Reynolds, who now works as an agent.

"There was just something that was attractive about him, and I found out that that was Christ. He shared the Bible with me, and I'm grateful for that and grateful for the care and concern that I had of teammates along the way that helped me learn."

Eldred said he grew up as a Catholic farm kid in Iowa. But it wasn't until he moved to Stockton, Calif., that he committed his life to the Lord.

Cal Eldred

"[It was] because I became a professional baseball player that I had the opportunity to actually hear the gospel," Eldred said. "I heard it a lot of times [growing up], I just didn't listen to it."

Eldred said one Sunday after a minor league game he attended a Bible study with his fiancé, who is now his wife, at his manager's house.

"That was the start of a wonderful relationship with the Lord that has actually really nurtured my relationship with my wife, and it's been a wonderful thing."

Both Horton and Eldred said there are several players on the Cardinals team, including Adam Wainwright, Lance Berkman, Matt Holliday and first-year manager Mike Matheny, among others, who are strong Christian leaders.

Asked if Matheny's faith makes him endearing to players, Horton said, "I guess this is my personal theology, but if you're somebody who is standing for God and living that out in your daily life, that is just an attractive thing. And whether or not you share the Roman Road with them or whether or not you sit them down in a Bible study, there's an influence that happens by the way you lead your life."

Eldred pointed out that Adam Wainwright, sidelined last season due to Tommy John surgery, was a great leader during the 2011 season.

"Waino led by example last year," Eldred said. "Here's a guy who couldn't even play, and he was there supporting his teammates. He'll understand way down the road not the whole effect that he had, but he'll understand the impact he had on people's lives by being by their side."

In addition to his broadcasting position, Horton serves at the St. Louis area director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Now in his 19th year on staff with FCA, he said his involvement dates back to his playing career in St. Louis.

"They served me. I got involved in it and saw that boy, this is a way for kids to connect and grow in their faith. and it just was my heartbeat. And it's been my heartbeat ever since," Horton said.

Sharing their faith

Just as he was led to Christ through baseball, Horton has shared his faith with other players in the game.

"I had the experience in the minor leagues with one of my pitchers when I was a coach that came and said, 'You know, the Christian guys on this team get something that I don't get. What is it. Tell me.'"

Horton said that player, who went on to play with the Cleveland Indians in the World Series, is now "a man of God" and that God used baseball to reach him.

In September Cardinals play-by-play announcer Dan McLaughlin was arrested on a drunken driving charge, the second for McLaughlin in 13 months. Horton said he's visited with McLaughlin two or three times since the incident and hopes to see his colleague back on the Fox Sport Midwest team this season.

"I will say that meeting with Dan and being with Dan, he will not say anything out of school about this, but he would say, and has said publicly, that he is on the right road and you can just see that there is a new outlook in his life and in his heart. And I'm just so excited about that," Horton said. "It's a time to care about him and help him and help him get through his issues and move forward. And I believe that he believes that God has had a role in seeing him through this. And that's just an awesome thing."

Asked how young Christian athletes can share their faith with others, Horton's advice is simple: believe.

"There's a great verse in the Bible -- it's one of my favorite verses -- when the disciples asked Jesus, 'What is the work that God requires?' They asked him that directly ... and you expect something about go to church, read the Bible, pray. And his answer is, 'Believe in the One that he has sent.' And that's basically [to] believe in Jesus."

Eldred's advice to professional baseball players is to focus and be thankful for the opportunity they've been given.

"Being a believer, your focus is on Christ, understanding where you got the ability to play the game."

Eldred said that as close as the Cardinal family is, being a part of God's family is an eternal bond.

"Once you're part of the Cardinal family you're always there, but when you're a part of God's kingdom, there's always an open door."

lpresson@semissourian.com

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