ST. LOUIS — 17 years ago Saturday the baseball world was shaken to its core.
The Cardinals were in Chicago taking on the Cubs in a big-time rivalry match up, when they got the news their ace starter, leader and clubhouse confidant was gone.
33-year-old Darryl Kile died in his Chicago hotel room from a blockage of arteries to his heart.
Since that day, he's never been forgotten among Cardinals fans and his former teammates.
That was especially apparent this weekend, as former teammate Albert Pujols came to town.
Pujols went out of his way to tell two separate Darryl Kile stories during his first press conference back at Busch Stadium.
Pujols was just a rookie trying to make the 2001 opening day roster, when Kile shared a moment with him that Pujols still remembers to this day.
He got a bit emotional remembering what the veteran Kile told him before the 2001 season.
"I was was coming up (onto the team bus), DK told me... 'Don't be afraid to make the all-star team' that year", Pujols said. "And that's when it really hit me. That's when it really felt like I had a chance to stay with the ballclub."
Pujols shared another Darryl Kile story as well, about a time when the shrewd veteran pitcher was trying to get some intel on the up and coming young slugger.
"I remember sitting in Houston. I always share this story about Darryl Kile because he was trying to pick my brain and how I think at the plate. And right away I saw he was trying to pick my brain because if I had to face him he'd know how to pitch to me and I was like, 'Darryl don't go there'", Pujols laughed.
It's always been evident by the DK logo in the Cardinals bullpen, but Albert Pujols proved again that Darryl Kile will never be forgotten by those that loved him.