mlb.com
July 10, 2002

Morris Honors Kile at All-Star Game

By Carrie Muskat

MILWAUKEE -- Darryl Kile's jersey was hanging in the National League dugout as a memory to the St. Louis pitcher who died in his hotel room June 22 due to heart disease. Cardinals pitcher Matt Morris wanted to wear Kile's jersey but decided against that after talking to Kile's wife, Flynn.

"They approached me in the clubhouse, and it sounded like a cool idea," Morris said of his Cardinals teammates. "But I called Flynn and she was sad about the subject."

Major League Baseball invited Kile's son, Kannon, to be in the dugout with the National League team but the family declined.

Morris, who did not pitch in the All-Star game because of a sore back, did show his support for Kile in the pregame festivities. He wrote "D.K." on his palm of his right hand and Kile's No. 57 on his left and flashed both when he was introduced.

The right-hander will try to get his baseball life back to normal Saturday when he is scheduled to start for the Cardinals. Morris was in the dugout with the game tied at 7-7 Tuesday and the National League short of pitchers, but he said there was "no chance" he could go.

Speaking of Cardinals, former St. Louis shortstop Ozzie Smith is the honorary captain for the National League team and looked like he could still play when he showed up in his bright white uniform. But Smith, who will be inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame later this month, had no plans on doing his trademark backflip onto the field.

"No flip," Smith said. "I'm staying away from that."