Ron Kantowski on Lon Kruger’s return to St. Louis, the site of his once-budding baseball career and this year’s Sweet 16

Friday, March 23, 2007 | 6:57 a.m.

St. Louis

UNLV coach Lon Kruger finally made it to Busch Stadium - although not in the way he might have imagined some 30 years ago.

The Rebels are staying at the Westin hotel, directly across the street from the new Busch Stadium, home of the 2006 World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals. At 6:40 tonight, the Rebels will play Oregon of the Pac-10 in a Sweet 16 NCAA tournament game at the Edward Jones Dome. (And, I might add, directly across the other side of the street from the International Bowling Hall of Fame.)

Once upon a time, Kruger was Property of the St. Louis Cardinals, as it used to say on those gray T-shirts. An outstanding pitcher and infielder as well as a basketball player at Kansas State, he was drafted by St. Louis and even played a year of rookie ball in the Cardinals organization.

But the following season, when it came time to report for spring training, Kruger was playing basketball in Israel.

"I didn't get back in time for spring training. But the Cardinals said not to worry about it, and that was the end of it," Kruger said of his brief pro baseball career.

So Kruger's likeness never made it onto a bronze sculpture like Stan Musial or Bob Gibson. Or Lewis and Clark and Lewis' dog, Seaman, whose likenesses greet visitors to Laclede's Landing on the historic St. Louis riverfront on the Mississippi River, just a short stroll from NCAA Midwest Regional headquarters downtown.

The monument, called "The Captain's Return," sits in the water about 10 feet from shore. It was erected just south of Eads Bridge, whose mammoth steel arches have stood since 1874 and are still used to transport automobiles and light-rail passengers across the Mighty Mississip between St. Louis and East St. Louis, Ill.

Although Lewis and Clark's expedition predates the Eads Bridge by some 70 years, I am certain they would have appreciated the workmanship and engineering that went into its construction, being pioneers and all.

I am not as certain they would have felt the same about the Casino Queen, the riverboat gambling parlor looming ever so large on the Illinois side of the river.

A closing word about the weather. After having their jump shots nearly turned into icicles last weekend in chilly Chicago , the Rebels arrived to balmy 75-degree temperatures and sunny skies Wednesday.

It rained most of Thursday morning. It was gray, cool and wet. Dare I say it, perfect weather for a Duck.

But by mid-afternoon, the sun broke through the clouds and was shimmering off the Gateway Arch.

I don't know if that can be considered Rebel weather. But at least my socks dried out before the UNLV shoot-around.