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A near sellout was predicted for Monday night.

And even though the weather was suited more for a football game in late fall, than baseball in May, many fans arrived, prepared with blankets. The temperatures at game time were in the mid 50s and expected to drop into the 40s. That didn't matter, for it was going to be a memorable night at Joe Davis Stadium.

Jose Canseco, the American League MVP a season ago and the most talked-about player in Stars history, the Southern League MVP in 1985 who led the Stars to a first half title with home run power no fan has seen since at the Joe, was back in a Stars uniform.

Canseco was beginning a minor league rehab assignment with the Stars,  and to sweeten the sensation for the fans, his twin brother, Ozzie, was on hand as a teammate.

Ironically, both players had suffered twin left wrist injuries which kept them sidelined. In Ozzie's case, it would be for most of the season.

Media representatives were everywhere. Even Peter Gammons from  Sports Illustrated. They sent a pair of photographers to accompany him. Newspapers from Atlanta and Nashville were represented, the AP, ESPN, and all three local TV stations. At the time, the standard questions revolved around his off-the-field escapades (his love of sports cars and speed) and his health. Jose handled all the reporters with reserve and caution, but he embraced the fans.

They lined up all the way from the dugout three deep to the top of the steps along the concourse for an autograph. Several thousand had already gathered to greet him when he jogged onto the field. He would stop and smile, wave his cap to the fans, which engendered more cheers, and returned to sign willingly as many autographs as he could.

Facing Double-A competition again, I was expecting some titanic blasts off his bat once the game started. But Jacksonville starter Danilo Leon was oblivious to all that.

"I can't go to the mound thinking about Jose Canseco. I just have to worry about getting my pitches over for strikes."

Jose worked the count to 3-2 in his first at-bat after a lengthy top half of the first, his first at-bat since a spring game in Phoenix on March 22. He sent two hot shots foul into the seats, then struck out on a slider. In the 2nd, Leon tried to work Canseco inside and walked him on four pitches. Canseco would wind up on third after Dann Howitt's RBI single, then score himself on a single by Kevin Ward.

By the bottom of the 3rd, the fans not only had a big attraction, but a 5-2 lead, as well. In a bizarre game for its five balks (it was the year umpires were ordered to enforce the balk rule), Stars fans would finally see Jose get a bloop hit to right, then bounce back from a 7-5 deficit to win in the 9th, 8-7, on Kevin Ward's 2-out double.

Jose reinjured his left wrist in his second at-bat the next night, throwing a wrench in his return to the majors. He returned to Huntsville for a second rehab assignment on June 24 and reappeared in the lineup four days later for a week stay. All in all, he hit a humbling .209 in 9 games and 29 at-bats. He drove in three runs, but not one was from a home run.

His uniform number #44 was retired.

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