(FORTUNE Magazine) – CATCHER TODD ZEILE received a great deal of attention at the St. Louis Cardinals' training camp in the spring of 1989 because he was a talented baseball prospect. But Todd got even more attention because of his wife! Todd is married to Julianne McNamara, a gymnast who won three medals at the 1984 Olympics. Todd's St. Louis teammates teased him by saying that his wife was more famous than he was. A few of the players even asked Todd to get her autograph for them! But that didn't bother Todd. ''I was thrilled that she was better known than I was,'' he says. ''It took some of the pressure off me.'' In 1985, both Todd and Julianne took a folklore course at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). They had not met. ''I spotted him on the first day of class,'' Julianne says. ''I thought he was cute, and he looked like a nice guy. I didn't know he was on the UCLA baseball team.'' Todd noticed Julianne, too, but he didn't dare introduce himself to her. ''I was shy and was afraid to talk to her,'' he says. ''When I heard her name during the class roll call, I realized who she was. Then I was really afraid to talk to her.'' A friend finally introduced Todd and Julianne, who liked each other immediately. Julianne thinks that she and Todd understood each other well right from the beginning because they are both athletes. ''We don't sit around talking about sports all the time, but I think our common interest in sports has made our relationship stronger,'' she says. ''We know the desire it takes to reach our goals. We know how important it is to practice hard.'' Julianne reached one of her goals at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, California: She won a gold medal, in the uneven parallel bars. She also won silver medals in the floor exercise and in team competition. Julianne trained for years to reach her goal. She was born in Flushing, New York. Her family moved to California when she was 4, and she took up gymnastics at age 8. At age 11, Julianne began to concentrate on the sport. Two years later, she left home to train with top coaches, first in Oregon and then in Texas. Her dedication paid off: She won three U.S. Gymnast of the Year awards, as well as Olympic gold. After the Olympics, Julianne appeared on the TV show Charles in Charge and performed in gymnastics exhibitions. In 1985, she left gymnastics and entered UCLA. As Julianne's athletic career was winding down, Todd's was just gearing up. Todd grew up in Valencia, California. He always wanted to be a baseball player, and his excellent play at UCLA attracted pro scouts. In 1986, Todd signed with the Cardinals. He played in the minor leagues during most of the next four seasons. In 1990, Todd spent his first full season in the major leagues. He played catcher, third base, outfield, and first base, and he had a .244 batting average, with 15 home runs and 57 runs batted in. Todd was excited about being in the majors, but now he has to prove he is good enough to stay there. Even though she and Todd have reached the top, Julianne thinks that young athletes shouldn't feel pressure to become major leaguers or Olympic medalists. ''If you have the ability to be an Olympic gymnast, that's great, but not everybody does,'' she says. ''Set goals that are right for you. In gymnastics, you can participate on many levels. You can learn a new trick or compete at a state or national level. ''The best goal to have is to be the best person you can be,'' she adds. ''The main thing is to have fun. I call it serious fun -- concentrate hard, but enjoy it.'' Julianne's new goals are to continue acting, to do some sports broadcasting, and to help her husband succeed as a ballplayer. ''I'm enjoying my new challenges, but I want to concentrate on Todd's goals right now,'' she says. ''Making it to the majors is his dream come true. I want to be there for him.'' Todd appreciates Julianne's support. ''She gave up a lot so we could be together,'' he says. ''She moved from the West Coast to be with me in St. / Louis during the baseball season. That was a big sacrifice. I can't imagine my life without her. ''And just think,'' Todd continues, ''if I hadn't gone to UCLA, I never would have met her. I sure am glad I took that folklore class. I got an A, too!''