Cannon Firing Line
All Stars Deliver
By Ellis G. Cannon
PSR Publisher

That was fun.

Raise your hand if you enjoyed the All-Star experience. I would, but I'm typing this; still, rest assured I've done that once or twice since the baseball circus left town.

I've experienced three of these games and all represent significantly different life chapters. That may account for the thoughts the event generated this year as much as anything. Oddly, as much as I love the game, most of the memories won't be dominated by seeing the best players as much as you would imagine, but that's not unusual considering my history.

When the game was here in the 70's, I did see the players, along with my brother, Henry, as we scoured the Hilton lobby searching for autographs. Actually, that's being polite, considering our stalking was so consuming it included shaking hands with Steve Garvey through a bus window, but that, along with how I scalped two tickets for the game, is beside the point.

Actually, maybe it's not. No story about that experience is complete without remembering our father warning us as he left us at the hotel we were not allowed to scalp tickets. He knew me, even at 15. I disobeyed him. He made me give - GIVE - the tickets back when he learned I had bought a pair.

Sure, I saw that game, but from my living room.

Second time around was during the legal years, which had me taking clients to events and walking through Point State Park. And watching the game at Chauncey's, of all places.

Hitless in two All-Star at-bats, but nonetheless memorable. But neither could match up to 2006. Certainly the thought this may be the last time I'll see the game here may have crossed my mind, but, again, not as much as you might think. No, this one was all about my sons. It was all about hustling around to activities, getting them to FanFest, and through the graciousness of another, taking them to the Derby. And, finally, getting to the game Tuesday night.

I had my fair share of skepticism when it was announced Pittsburgh would be the site of the game, much having to do with so many people telling me they hated baseball, which struck me as them getting something they didn't deserve. That, of course, was countered by the outpouring of people attending this year's events and local television ratings, suggesting - believe it or not - there are at least some people here who very much deserved it.

Maybe it was the FanFest, walking through with three little guys and knowing this was the right thing for a father to do. Maybe it was having them watch me doing my radio show that night on Federal Street, their reactions at the Derby, and the memories those moments created. Maybe part of it was loving the energy I felt in Pittsburgh or believing the dollars and exposure have to worth so much for this area. Maybe it was having what I didn't the first two times. Maybe it was the boys.

But, for sure, it was something. Or some things. Whatever it was, I felt it for days. And it felt even better passing it along to nephews and nieces when the souvenirs were mailed.

And, hey, I got on base this time. One for three ain't bad, is it?

Ellis Cannon's SportsLine Pittsburgh" airs weeknights, 6-8 p.m., on FM NewsTalk 104.7. Ellis is also a regular contributor on the "#1 Cochran Sports Showdown" aired Sundays at 11:35 on KDKA-TV.