Former Cardinals player Curt Ford assaulted

After being attacked at a local gas station Wednesday afternoon, former Cardinals outfielder Curt Ford is recovering at his home in St. Louis.

It was earlier today that Ford, 54, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that a white male, later identified by police as James Street, 37 years old, had yelled racial slurs at him before punching him in the face. “I was sucker-punched, blindsided,” Ford told the Post-Dispatch. “I was walking into the store and hit from my blind side.”

According to police, Street pulled into a Fenton Petro Mart gas station around 12:30 p.m. and had attempted to drive up to the same pump Ford was already at. Ford would pull up to another pump, allowing Street to pass. Both men soon after entered the Petro Mart convenience store (Ford would enter after Street did).

A police source told the Post-Dispatch that Street would then begin shouting racial slurs towards Ford. “Go back to Ferguson you [racial slur],” Street said, according to the police source. It was after this verbal gesture that Street punched Ford in the head.

The police have also obtained the surveillance footage from the gas station, which shows everything that occurred.

Street was arrested and charged with assault motivated by discrimination in the third degree.

Curt Ford also indicated to the Post-Dispatch that the attack on him has made him consider leaving the St. Louis area.

“I’m going to let the authorities handle this situation, but I’ve had enough of St. Louis,” he said. “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. I just want justice. It’s all I want.”

Ford spent six seasons in Major League Baseball (1985-1990), four of them being with the Cardinals, and the other two with the Phillies. In his career, he hit seven home runs, 89 RBI’s, and had a .245 batting average.

(Photo credit: Associated Press)