“I actually grew up in St. Louis where the Cardinals played,” 100-year-old Shirley Clark told The Stream. “They let the girls go free every Saturday that they played there. They let the boys go free every afternoon. They wouldn’t get by with that today.” Shirley fell in love with baseball as a child.

The Best Birthday

The former missionary to Venezuela just celebrated her 100th birthday last Monday. For Shirley, it was a wonderful birthday. “It’s just been amazing,” she says. Not only because she got to see many in her family, but José Altuve of the Houston Astros came by to meet her and bring presents. 

Shirley knows all about the Astros, but especially Altuve because he’s her favorite player. “He’s kind of the favorite of everybody. Besides being a good player, last year he was voted the best of all the teams.” Unfortunately, he had a knee injury last year and was out for six months, Shirley said. “So he didn’t get that this year.” 

When Altuve made his surprise entrance, Shirley couldn’t believe it. “When he heard that I served as a missionary in Venezuela for 38 years, he said, ‘Well, I want to go meet her,’ because he’s from Venezuela and he’s also a fine Christian.” 

Shirley Clark’s 100th birthday was made extra special by a surprise visit from the Houston Astro’s Jose Altuve.

Her time as a missionary in Venezuela was “the best part of my life.” Shirley explained that she loved the people of Venezuela and they loved her. Some came for her birthday, others posted birthday wishes on her Facebook page. “I can’t tell you how many responses I’ve had from my friends that I met in Venezuela.” The tech-savvy great-grandma says she “doesn’t do much Facebook” but she reads posts by others and sometimes comments on them. 

‘I’m a Hundred Years Old’

When asked whether she still watches baseball at the ball park, Shirley scoffed. “Well, I’m a hundred years old. It’s difficult for me to go there and to have to climb up the steps there, you know?” Still, she watches every game at home on TV, staying up late if the games goes on to extra innings.

People often ask Shirley what her secret is for a long life. “I say, ‘Well, I guess I’ve, you know, taken care of myself physically. I eat well and exercise and just take one day at a time.'” Shirley chuckled. “There’s more to come.”

Watch: 

Houston @Astros player, @JoseAltuve27, provides the birthday surprise of a lifetime by visiting Buckner Parkway Place resident, Shirley Clark, for her 100th birthday. Shirley is a die-hard baseball fan & cheers on the #Astros every game she can, whether at the stadium or on TV. pic.twitter.com/hEG5nIULxu

— Buckner International (@buckner_intl) December 6, 2019

Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream. You can follow her @NancyFlory3, and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.