St. Louis Cardinals Home Opener Vs. The Cincinnati Reds

St. Louis Cardinals Home Opener Vs. The Cincinnati Reds

The St. Louis Cardinals opened their 2014 home season at Busch Stadium against division rival Cincinnati Reds, Monday, April 7, 2014. The storms cleared out and ultimately did not rain on the Cardinal Nation’s parade.However, some adjustments had to be made; most notably, the Budweiser Clydesdales could not participate. Regardless, fans celebrated a pre-game ceremony featuring the gang of Hall of Famers and newly elected inductee Tony LaRussa.

The proceedings began with the motorcade, a traditional part of opening day, followed by the introductions of six living Hall of Famers: Red Schoendienst, Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, Ozzie Smith, Whitey Herzog, and Bruce Sutter. Then attention turned to a tribute honoring the recently elected Hall of Famer, field manager Tony LaRussa. Immediately following, General Manager John Mozeliak walked onto the field carrying the National League championship trophy, symbolizing the Cardinals 19th pennant.

Players introductions ensued, and all greeted the Hall of Famers, the managers, and general manager. Each had a brush with Cardinal history and the reasons why this franchise has become so prolific. Before the National Anthem, an eagle soared around the stadium, exciting the fans.

“Huge crowd out there today, a lot of energy,” winning pitcher Michael Wacha commented afterward. “It’s a lot of fun pitching in front of your home crowd, 40,000-plus of your home fans in there. I don’t know who wouldn’t thrive off those kinds of situations.”

Naturally, what counts happened on the field. Visiting Cincinnati had many chances to break open the game, but Michael Wacha held them at bay. The Cardinals drew first blood when All-Star, Gold Glove catcher Yadier Molina energized the crowd with a first inning, bases-clearing double. The Cardinals padded their lead in the seventh only to watch it slowly evaporate in the ninth. Cardinals closer Trevor Rosenthal held on 5-3 to earn a save.

While the pomp and circumstance always sets the tone, the victory makes the day that much more special. The Cardinals’ new entertainment venue, Ballpark Village, became the center of post-game activity, extending the party atmosphere. Indeed, a damp, cool day turned into a rite of Spring passage.

Baseball has returned with a bang, and Cardinal Nation can rejoice in the advent of a new season .

The St. Louis Cardinals began as the St. Louis Browns in 1891 when the American Association folded. The St.Louis Browns rejoined the National League as part of the newly reformed 12-team circuit. The Browns played in Sportsman’s Park at Grand and Dodier.

The St. Louis franchise has maintained continuous membership in the National League ever since. The Robison Brothers, Frank and Stanley, discarded the name of Browns, calling the St. Louis National Leaguers the Perfectos at one point. The team officially changed its name from the Perfectos to the Cardinals in 1900.

Anheuser-Busch, Inc., led by its president, August A. Busch Jr., stepped in and purchased the club on February 20,1953 when it was discovered that the owners were looking to sell to an out-of-town interested party. Following the 1953 season, Sportsman’s Park was renovated and renamed Busch Stadium.

In 1966, the Cardinals played their first home game on May 12 in Busch Memorial Stadium, their new 50,000-seat ballpark in downtown St. Louis. The current Busch Stadium (Busch Stadium III) opened April 2006 and has brought revitalization to the downtown area.

In 2011, the Cardinals won their NL leading 11th World Series, beating the Texas Rangers in a thrilling seven game series, their seccond world championship since 2006. During 2013, they won their 19th pennant but fell to the Boston Red Sox in the World Series. Now, with the first phase of Ballpark Village introduced, a new chapter in the club’s history and downtown St. Louis has commenced.