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Published on: 2/16/2008
Last Visited: 2/16/2008
Sam Russo was 16 years old when he went to work for the Pittsburgh Pirates.He saw Bill Mazeroski hit the dramatic home run that beat the New York Yankees in the 1960 World Series.
Today, Russo is in his sixth decade in pro sports, serving as the Hornets' executive vice-president.
When Katrina hit, the storm wiped out the timeline of his career.
Married only weeks before the storm, he and his wife had built a new home, and had put two houses on the market.Like Bristow, they left the city before dawn on Sunday, opting to drive to San Antonio.When they returned, they discovered both good fortune, and bad.
"We lost two houses," Russo said, "but still had one to return to."
Lost was Russo's large collection of sports memorabilia, including his souvenirs from one of one of baseball's most dramatic World Series moments.
"You never forget things," he said, "but sometimes you remember that you did have those things at one time.
"But it just keeps your mind sharper.You have to have a better memory.Now, Mazeroski's home run in 1960 seems even more like it happened only yesterday."
Russo calls All-Star weekend a symbol of the city's spirit.
"It's an opportunity to be seen around the world as a city that is no longer on its knees," he said.