IRL: McGehee selected to prestigious Century of St. Louis All-Sports Team
8 December 1999
Posted By Terry CallahanMotorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
ST. LOUIS -- Robby McGehee, the 26-year-old rising Indy Racing League star who earned the prestigious Rookie of the Year honors at this years Indianapolis 500, got a chance to live a lifelong St. Louis sports fans dream recently when he was named to the Century of St. Louis All-Sports Team.
On any other occasion, McGehee would never admit to being star-struck. But even McGehee found it overwhelming to hear his name was mentioned in the same breath as some of St. Louis most revered sports legends, like Stan Musual, Lou Brock, Bob Gibson, Terry Metcalf, Ottis Anderson, Brett Hull, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Jo Jo White, and Mark McGwire.
It was totally cool, said McGehee, the St. Louis native who was part of the Century of St. Louis All-Sports Celebration at the historic Fox Theatre last month. I was sitting in the green room with guys that I worshipped as athletes while growing up as a child. I didn't really feel like I belonged. But, hey, who was I to argue! Its an enormous honor.
I was really a huge baseball fan growing up, following guys like, Ozzie Smith, Bob Forsch, Whitey Herzog. And I was a big Big Red (the former St. Louis Football Cardinals) fan, too. Jim Hart, Roy Green, Otis Anderson, Don Coryell, I liked them all. I also, got to meet and hang out with some of the great (current St. Louis) Rams players. Since they and the racers were the last ones to be introduced, I got to hang with Kevin Carter and DeMarco Farr, lots of very cool people. I thought it was really neat to learn that Kevin Carter rides his Harley up to Indy every year for the 500.
The Century of St. Louis All-Sports Celebration was hosted by the St. Louis Sports Commission, and the gala was emceed by area natives Bob Costas and Joe Buck.
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