This is rare.  Very rare.  But every once in a while, it’s not all about sports.

Sometimes it’s about what happens because of sports.  And in a lot of cases, sports bring people together.  Local artist (and avid Cardinals fan) Nick Lyter wanted to remind us about that.  Upon learning Barack Obama would be throwing out the first pitch at the 2009 World Series here in our city, Lyter wanted to commemorate the occasion.  ”This is our city’s first chance to welcome Barack Obama back to our city as the president of our country,” said Lyter.  

Lyter has been down amongst the festivities this evening and plans on being there tomorrow.  While he doesn’t have a ticket to the game (he did participate in the charity 5K event on Sunday, he failed to disclose his finishing time), he is camped next to Stan the Man on the west side of the stadium and selling his art and talking baseball history.  Lyter said the atmosphere is unreal downtown.  A complete buzz.  He interrupted our phone conversation and while I heard Lyter say, “Yeah, I knew I’d be eliminating half the demographics here,” I heard a patron respond, “I’m a Republican, but that’s a great poster.”  Lyter said he’s gotten a few off hand comments, but over all, everyone down town has been nothing short of giddy.  There’s only time for excitement downtown.

For the rest of my life I’ll contend that one of the most special things sports can do is bring people together and highlight a bigger cause.  Here’s to sports and coming together!

p.s. Not to split us apart, but… it’s the National League’s year. I can feel it!

(Picture above is an original by local artist Nick Lyter.  If interested in the poster or other artwork, contact me at annie@girlsguidetothegalaxy.com or Lyter himself at nlyter@hotmail.com or 314-650-4470.  He’s super nice, I swear on my love for the Cubs and the Cards.)