Lou Brock Has Left Leg Amputated

According to a report from Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, St. Louis Cardinals great and Baseball Hall of Famer Lou Brock recently had his left leg amputated "just below the knee."

The procedure was necessary because of "an infection relative to a diabetic condition." Hummel added that the Brock family said Brock is recovering, and a source said Brock is using a walker and will be fitted for a prosthesis. Brock is 76 years old.   

Former teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Bob Gibson visited "The Franchise" last weekend. He said: "You can't be in too many good spirits when you're in the hospital," per Hummel.

Brock was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985, and he stole a National League-record 938 bases. He tallied 118 steals in 1974 alone and was a six-time All-Star who notched 3,023 career hits.

Brock won two championships with St. Louis, in 1964 and 1967, and hit .391 with four home runs, 13 RBI and 14 steals in 21 World Series games. He played 19 seasons for the Cardinals after the Chicago Cubs traded him to St. Louis in 1964.