April 9, 1953: Busch Buys The Ballpark

     

    On April 9, 1953, it was announced that St. Louis Browns owner Bill Veeck was selling Sportsman's Park to Cardinals owner August A. Busch Jr. for a cost of $800,000. By today's standards that would equate to $8.5 million. The park was long overdue for repair and Busch had a plan in place for an extensive renovation that included a planned name change to Budweiser Stadium, wider seats, and an Anheuser Busch eagle over the left field wall that would flap its wings when a player hit a home run. 

    The sale came on the heels of the American League rejecting a proposed move to Baltimore for Veeck's club, which turned Veeck from landlord into tenant, as he signed a 5 year lease for the Browns to occupy the ballpark. However, as we all know the Browns move to Baltimore would ultimately be approved and 1953 was the last season the Browns called St. Louis home.

    Busch had big plans for the stadium. Over the next couple of years more than $1.5 million was invested into the ballpark. Before the sale took place the park had fallen into such disrepair the cash strapped Browns could not seem to so much as replace the tarp that was used during a rain delay. It was said that the tarp was so bad that when they pulled it off the field there were puddles everywhere. Along with the wider seats and the Anheuser Busch eagle, Gussie invested into a state-of-the-art drainage system, new restrooms, concessions stands, drinking fountains, turnstiles, and improved dugouts. The ballpark was also painted green, red, and metallic blue to enhance the fan's experience while taking in a game. 

    One thing that Busch did not get his way with was changing the name to Budweiser Stadium. MLB Commissioner Ford Frick and others did not want to commercialize the game by letting an owner name his stadium after an alcoholic beverage. Therefore, Busch went with his family name and Busch Stadium was born. Less than a year later Busch Bavarian Beer was born and the Cardinals owner was able to get the last laugh with that one. 

    The site of the ballpark that sat at Grand and Dodier was the home of baseball as early as 1867. The team that became the Cardinals had played on the grounds from 1882 to 1892 before moving into Robison Field in 1893. The Browns opened the new version of Sportsman's Park on the site in 1902 as a member of the American League. The Cardinals returned as tenants in 1920 and celebrated nine pennant winning seasons there as well as six World Championships. It was known as home of the St. Louis Cardinals until Busch Stadium II opened in May of 1966.  

    Sportsman's Park was the original Baseball Heaven. Just to think of the memories that were made within those walls is something that one can hardly wrap the mind around. All these years and two ballparks later when we join our friends, family and other fans within the walls of the stadium that we call Busch be sure to remember how special it truly is. 

Check out this video about Sportsman's Park

    

    

April 8, 1997: Walk It Off Willie!!!

     On April 8, 1997, 38 year old Willie McGee hit a walk off home run that lifted the Cardinals to
a 2-1 victory over the Montreal Expos in their home opener at Busch. The walk off shot could not have come at a better time, as the Redbirds had lost six in a row to start the season. It was Willie's first walk off home run of his career. Tony LaRussa called it something right out of The Natural. The always humble McGee scoffed at the idea, saying, "That's fantasy. This is hard work for me." Hard work pays off. It certainly paid off for Willie that day. 

    Alan Benes got the nod to start in front of more than 47,000 fans that packed Busch Stadium. He received run support in the second when Gary Gaetti scored on a Roberto Mejia sac fly, only to watch the Expos tie it up 1-1 in the third when Mike Lansing knocked in a run with a single. Benes was able to work his way through the fifth before being lifted for a pinch hitter. 

    Mark Petkovsek took over on the bump in the sixth and got the job done by keeping Montreal off the board as he pitched into the ninth inning. Expos closer Ugueth Urbina had worked his way out of a bases loaded mess late in the eighth after he walked two before striking out Gaetti.  Urbina came out in the bottom of the ninth, sat Tom Lampkin down on a pop fly and struck Mejia out to end the inning. With the pitcher due up in the lineup, it was the end of the day for Petkovsek when Tony called on number 51 to pinch hit.  All it took was one pitch as Willie's bat came around and got a hold of the ball that sailed over the wall in right. His teammates mobbed him at that plate as the cheers rained down upon him. Willie and the Birds were walk off winners.

  Watch the historic blast

Check out the box score here: https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN199704080.shtml

April 7, 2010: Wainwright Notches His First W In Cincy

    On April 7, 2010, Adam Wainwright locked down his first win of the season with a 6-3 Cardinals victory over the Reds at the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati. Wainwright provided the club seven strong innings of work, striking out six, walking just two, and allowing only three hits.  He would go onto win 20 games that season and finish 2nd in the Cy Young vote.

    The Redbirds were able to get on the board first with an RBI single by David Freese in the second inning that plated Colby Rasmus to make it 1-0. One inning later, Ryan Ludwick picked up an RBI single that brought Matt Holliday in to make it 2-0. The Reds had visions of striking back quickly in the bottom of the inning when Brandon Phillips led off with a single. However, Yadier Molina had other thoughts when he gunned down Phillips trying to steal second. Three batters later, Wainwright was headed back to the bench with no damage done.

    It looked like Uncle Charlie was in cruise control. He had thrown just 54 pitches through five innings and looked well on the way to a dominant victory.  However, just as quick as that thought may have crossed the mind the Reds tied things up with a two-run blast in the sixth off the bat of Orlando Cabrera.  All tied up at two, there was still work to do and the Birds went right back to work. 

    When Johnny Cueto's day came to an end in the sixth, Dusty Baker called on bullpen lefty Danny Herrera to face lefty Skip Schumaker, who promptly singled to center to lead off the seventh. Dusty went right back to the pen. Logan Ondrusek took over mound duties and walked the first man he faced. One batter later, Albert Pujols broke the 2-2 deadlock with a single into center scoring Schumaker to make it 3-2. Matt Holliday followed Albert with a two-run double that broke the lead open to 5-2 Cardinals. Before the end of the frame, David Freese knocked in another off of Arthur Rhodes who was the third reliever of the inning that ended with nine Cardinals total stepping up to the dish.

    Up 6-2 and at 95 pitches on the day, Waino handed the ball to Tony LaRussa who then handed it to Kyle McClellan in the eighth. McClellan did surrender a run after giving up a leadoff double, but he struck out two in the inning before handing it over to Dennys Reyes who struck out Joey Votto to send the game to the ninth. Ryan Franklin shut them down in the bottom of the inning and Wainwright had 1 in the W column. A very special season was on tap for the player who wears the number 50 on his back. 

    As we get ready to celebrate Opening Day here in St. Louis, it was important for me to come up with a game that featured three of the men that we have been so lucky to watch and in my humble opinion we are blessed to be able to watch again today: Adam Wainwright, Yadier Molina, and Albert Pujols. It's sort of a cool bonus to see bench coach Skip Schumaker have his moment in this one as well. 

    Soak all of it in today. This may very well be the last time we see this group on the diamond as players. There will be red jackets, retired numbers, statues, and so many countless stories that we tell our kids and grandkids about this group, just like your parent and grandparents have told you the stories of the Cardinals greats that took the diamond during their heyday. It is something special, and we should never forget it. 

Play Ball!

Check out the box score here: STLvsCin 4-7-2010