Baseball, broadcast legend Joe Garagiola talks about his Catholicism

Published: 2004-11-10

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (CNS) -- Although Joe Garagiola is famous for his quick wit, Major League Baseball days as a catcher, his "Today Show" tenure as a co-host, his baseball commentaries, and opposition to chewing tobacco, few know of his deep Catholic faith. That he always carries a rosary in his pocket is among the lesser-known aspects of a man long in the public eye. At age 16 he was signed to play for his home-town team, the St. Louis Cardinals, for five seasons, including a 1946 championship. He also was a catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs and New York Giants. After his pro career ended in 1954, he became a broadcaster for the Cardinals and the Yankees before co-hosting the "Today Show." Currently, he does TV baseball broadcasts for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Speaking in Albuquerque Oct. 22 at a fund-raising dinner for Catholic elementary and secondary education in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, Garagiola told of his youth in St. Louis, when life consisted of the "great triangle -- not necessarily in that order -- of family, church and sports."

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