Curt Ford was a person before he played ball for the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1980s, and he's still a person living in St. Louis today in semi-retirement, worthy of basic human dignity. But try getting that point across to the perpetrator who allegedly sucker-punched Ford without provocation, shouted racial slurs at him and told him to "Go back to Ferguson" on Wednesday afternoon.Ford, a 54-year-old African American, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he's tiring of living in St. Louis and might move away because of what happened to him, and has been happening throughout the city. 
After an encounter at a gas station, St. Louis County police from the Fenton district arrested James Street, a 37-year-old white man, and charged him with one count of assault, motivated by discrimination in the third degree — a class D felony. His criminal history, the P-D reports, "includes guilty pleas for possession of marijuana and assault."
After an encounter at a gas station, St. Louis County police from the Fenton district arrested James Street, a 37-year-old white man, and charged him with one count of assault, motivated by discrimination in the third degree — a class D felony. His criminal history, the P-D reports, "includes guilty pleas for possession of marijuana and assault."
Street and Ford approached the same gas pump from different directions. Ford backed up and proceeded to another pump while the second vehicle continued through, past the pump and pulled into a parking spot directly in front of the store, police said. When Ford exited his vehicle, Street got out of his car and began shouting racial slurs. Street then entered the store, and Ford tried to avoid a confrontation, police said. Ford then walked toward the front of the store to pay for his gas. Street was exiting the store when he approached Ford, and unprovoked, punched him in the face, and drove away, according to police.Does this happen when you fill up your tank? Among the shouting, a police source told the P-D that Street told Ford to, "Go back to Ferguson you (racial slur)." Ferguson references the town adjacent to St. Louis where white police officer Darren Wilson shot and killed black 18-year-old Michael Brown in August, sparking social and political upheaval that continues.It's been a while since Ford played, but he was a decent fourth outfielder for Team Fredbird from 1985 to 1988 after being a league MVP in Class A ball. A .245 career hitter with some speed and a good reputation on defense in the majors, he also played parts of two seasons for the Phillies, along with much of the 1990s in the minors. He's been a coach. Now he's just trying to relax. He's represented the Cardinals at baseball card shows, or the team's winter fan fest, and at Busch Stadium from time to time. He might not have been Lou Brock, but fans liked him.
"I'm going to let the authorities handle this situation, but I've had enough of St. Louis," Ford said in a phone interview Thursday. "You hear about this kind of stuff happening, and I always knew it existed because of my previous experience working here in St. Louis, but you try to keep away from it and there is just no way you can do that unless you stay inside like a hermit.If you're at least 35 and follow baseball in St. Louis (and who there doesn't?) you probably should have at least a vague recollection of Curt Ford. Unless you're just blinded by racism, and care only about picking fights because you live a miserable personal existence. James Street also is ignorant of his Cardinals history, apparently.If guilty, Street should be ashamed — and St. Louis should be, too — that such behavior occurs among any of its residents. Perhaps Ford being a beloved Cardinals player will get certain people to act who otherwise have been apathetic or complicit regarding the city's social issues, believing that racism and criminal behavior is someone else's problem. It shouldn't take violence happening to a former Cardinals player for people to want to change their city, but we'll see.David Brown/ CBS Sports"I just want justice. It's all I want."
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