One of the neatest pieces of Cardinals memorabilia isn’t in Cooperstown or the team museum — it’s safe in a safe at a home in rural Clinton County.
“It’s something that I immensely enjoy having,” said Mike Hutcheson, 55, who was raised in Belleville and now lives near Trenton. “And of everything, I’m most proud that I caught that sucker barehanded.”
A lifelong Cardinals fan, Hutcheson traveled to Pittsburgh in October to catch Albert Pujols’ final regular-season games. And sure enough, what did he catch? Albert’s final home run, No. 703. The ball also accounted for career RBIs 2,215 and 2,216, a total that passed Babe Ruth’s for second-most all-time (trailing only Hank Aaron and his 2,297 RBIs).