I had a reunion Saturday with old pals from the Daily Illini at the University of Illinois. We picked up where we left off 34 years ago, going to the Cubs-Cardinals game at Wrigley Field. Not much has changed in the baseball department: St. Louis is a contender, while the Cubs remain forever terrible.

During much of the game, we talked about players from the past more than the present. One of us blurted out Julian Javier’s name. Hence my latest random baseball card.

The second-baseman was a two-time All-Star on those great Cardinals teams of the 60s. He hit .360 in the 1967 World Series.

Here’s to you Julian…and Brueggs, Schlets and Mike.