Busch Stadium III

Busch Stadium III (2006-present)

The St. Louis Cardinals moved into Busch Stadium III or, as some people call it, "New Busch Stadium" in 2006. The stadium saw a first game as an exhibition match-up between their two top minor league teams: the Springfield Cardinals (Double-A) and the Memphis Redbirds (Triple-A). The Springfield Cardinals won the game 5-3 in front of a sellout crowd of 32,255.

The first official regular season game played at the new Busch Stadium was on April 10, 2006 against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Cardinals won the game 6-4 in 9 innings. Brewers left fielder Carlos Lee got the first hit for the vistors. Lee's hit came in the 2nd inning. The first visitors' home run was by Brewers third baseman Bill Hall off of Mark Mulder in the 2nd inning.  Cardinals shortstop David Eckstein got the first Cardinals hit and first baseman Albert Pujols hit the first Cardinals home run. The Pujols home run came in the 4th inning off of Tomo Ohka. The winning pitcher was Mark Mulder, and closer Jason Isnringhausen got the save. Tomo Ohka took the loss. In 2006, the new stadium saw it's first World Series. The Cardinals beat the Detroit Tigers in 5 games winning their 10th World Series title. Games 3, 4, and 5 were all played in St. Louis.

History of St. Louis MLB All-Star Games.

On July 14, 2009 the MLB All-Star game returned to St. Louis. The All-Star game hadn't been played in St. Louis since July 12, 1966 at Busch Stadium II. Unlike the 1966 All-Star Game, the American League beat the National League 4-3. The All-Star Game MVP was Tampa Bay Rays' outfielder Carl Crawford. Crawford won MVP of the game because he made a game saving catch in the 7th inning. At the plate Crawford went 1-3. Crawford's hit was a base hit.




Other Sporting Events

The new Busch Stadium has seen seven different professional soccer match-ups. The first one was on May 23, 2013. The game was Manchester City vs Chelsea. Tickets for the game were sold out in 20 minutes. Manchester City won 4-3. The crowd was 48,263. Among all sporting events that's the largest crowd at Busch Stadium. The stadium saw college football on September 21, 2013. The game was Southern Illinois University vs Southeast Missouri State.

Hockey fans saw the NHL Winter Classic at Busch Stadium on January 2, 2017. The match up was one of the best rivalries in the NHL, the Chicago Blackhawks vs St. Louis Blues. The Blues won 4-1 in front of 46,556 fans.

Musical Events

There have been ten concerts at Busch Stadium. The first concert was on June 8, 2008 with Dave Matthews Band. The opening act for the concert was The Black Crows. Other bands or singers who have been in concert at Busch Stadium are The Eagles, Dixie Chicks, U2, Interpol, Paul McCartney, Metallica, Volbeat, Billy Joel, Brandon Lay, Thomas Rhett, Old Dominion, Kenny Chesney, Cheap Trick, Def Leppard, Journey, Morgan Wallen, Jon Pardi, Sam Hunt, Luke Bryan, Anne-Marie, Snow Patrol, and Ed Sheeran.

Finale. August 24, 2018

I attended both the Kenny Chesney concert and the Def Leppard concert. Out of both concerts, I remember the Def Leppard one best. Journey was the last band that performed in that concert. They had sound system problems for a song or two, but event workers were able to fix it. Journey's last song before the concert ended was "Don't Stop Believin". During the song they had sparkling confetti falling down.

Joe Elliott, Rick Allen. August 24, 2018

Def Leppard has a drummer named Rick Allen. To me, Allen is an inspiration because he is extremely skillful. Since being involved in a car accident on December 31, 1984, Allen has drummed with one arm.










Food

Budweiser BBQ Bacon Burger

Over the years, the food has improved at concession stands. In 2019, a new and popular item they added was a stand called Budweiser Burger Bar. The Budweiser Burger Bar is located near section 432. They make craft burgers there. They have three different options to choose from. One option is The Classic Bud Burger. The Classic Burger comes with two four-ounce burger patties, Budweiser Pub Cheese, lettuce, tomato, and caramelized onions on a signature Budweiser Kaiser. A second option to choose is the Budweiser BBQ Bacon Burger. The BBQ Bacon Burger comes with two four-ounce burger patties, Budweiser Pub Cheese, lettuce, tomato, caramelized onion, and Budweiser Infused BBQ Sauce on a signature Budweiser Kaiser. The last option to choose from is Little Buds Home Plate. The Little Buds Home Plate comes with eight mini burgers on Hawaiian Rolls. The rolls include pickle, American cheese, and garlic aioli. It's served with tots in a Busch Stadium signature home plate.

Dinger's Donuts

Another popular food item is a dessert place that was introduced in 2017. That's a concession stand called Dinger's Donuts. Dinger's Donuts has two stands inside Busch Stadium (sections 145 and 454). The donuts are fresh fried mini donuts that are served in a warm Dinger Dozen or Cardinal's helmet. The donuts can be topped with chocolate or vanilla glaze, sprinkles, and cinnamon sugar.





Cardinals Greats: Statues

Statues of Cardinals greats surrounding Busch Stadium remind fans that it's hallowed ground. Fans will notice that nine statues surround the team store. In one statue, the batter seems to have just hit the ball and seems to exult in the hit. The batter who has just hit the ball and exults in the hit is Rogers Hornsby, who played second base. Hornsby later was a manager during his playing career. Hornsby started to manage in 1925, and retired as a manager in 1953. Hornsby played for the Cardinals from 1915-1926, and in 1933. Hornsby retired as a player in 1937.

Rogers Hornsby

During his playing career, Hornsby won seven batting titles for the National League (1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1928). Hornsby won the Triple Crown two times (1922, 1925). He collected two MVP Awards for the National League (1925, 1929). Hornsby led the National League in home runs two times (1922, 1925). Hornsby also led the National League in RBI's four times (1920, 1921, 1922, 1925). Hornsby finished his baseball career playing in 2,259 games with 1,579 runs, 2,930 hits, 541 doubles, 169 triples, 301 home runs, 1,584 RBI's, 135 stolen bases, 1,038 walks, and a .358 batting average. The only player who finished with a better batting average than Hornsby is Ty Cobb. Cobb's batting average for his career was .367. Hornsby went into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1942.

Trivia reveal: Hornsby never smoked, never drank, or went to the movies. However, Hornsby frequently gambled on horse races.

The pitcher who looks like he's moving towards first base after throwing a pitch is Bob Gibson, who was known sometimes known as Gibby or Hoot. Multi-talented, Gibson once played for the Harlem Globetrotters. In his baseball career, Gibson was a starting pitcher.

Bob Gibson

Gibson spent all of his seventeen seasons in the MLB with the Cardinals from 1959-1975. During Gibson's career he was an All-Star nine times: 1962 (twice), 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, and 1972. Gibson won the NL Cy Young Award two times: 1968, and 1970. He won the World Series two times: 1964, and 1967. In both 64 and 67, Gibson was World Series MVP.  Gibson won the Gold Glove Award nine times: 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, and 1973. In 1968, Gibson led the MLB with a 1.12 ERA. Gibson also led the MLB in strikeouts with 268 that season. Gibson won his only MVP in 68. After the 68 season, the MLB lowered the mound from 15 inches to 10 inches. Since the change no pitcher has had an ERA better than Gibson's 1.12.

In 1970, Gibson led the NL in wins with 23. Gibson's 23 wins were the most he won in his career. On August 14, 1971 at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania no-hit the Pittsburgh Pirates in an 11-0 Cardinals win. In the game, Gibson had 10 strikeouts. Three of Gibson's 10 strikeouts were to Willie Stargell. The no-hitter was Gibon's only one in his career. Gibson finished his career with a record of 251 wins, 174 losses with a 2.91 ERA, 528 games, 482 starts, 255 complete games, 56 shutouts, 6 saves, 3,884.1 innings, 3,117 strikeouts, 1,336 walks, and a whip of 1.19. Gibson went into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981.

Lou Brock

The batter who looks like he's just hit the ball and is crouching to run is Lou Brock. Brock played in the MLB for nineteen seasons from 1961-1979. Brock was a left fielder. Brock started his career with the Chicago Cubs. In Brock's first couple of seasons, he didn't do much for the Cubs. After the Cubs lost patience with Brock's development, on June 15, 1964, the Cubs traded Brock, along with Jack Spring, and Paul Toth to the St. Louis Cardinals. In return the Cubs received Ernie Brogilo, Bobby Shantz, and Doug Clemens. The trade would go down to be one of the worst trades in baseball history. After being traded to the Cardinals, Brock turned his career around. Brock played in 103 games and hit .358 with 81 runs, 146 hits, 21 doubles, 9 triples, 12 home runs, 44 RBI's, and 33 stolen bases. Combined between the Cubs and Cardinals in 64, Brock played 155 games hitting .315 with 111 runs, 200 hits, 30 doubles, 11 triples, 14 home runs, 48 rbi's, and 43 stolen bases. All of them were new career highs for Brock in his fourth season. Brock won the World Series two times: 1964, and 1967.

During Brock's career he was an All-Star six times: 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, and 1976. Brock led the NL in stolen bases eight times: 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, and 1974. Brock's career high for stolen bases was in 74 with 118. In 1975, Brock won the Roberto Clemente Award. On August 13, 1979 at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis Missouri against the Chicago Cubs, Brock got his 3,000th career hit. Brock was the fourteenth player in MLB history to reach the milestone. Brock finished his career playing in 2,616 games with 1,610 runs, 3,023 hits, 486 doubles, 141 triples, 149 home runs, 900 RBI's, 938 stolen bases, 761 walks, and a .293 batting average. Brock went into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985.

 One of two Musial statues at the stadium, this one, of Musial appearing to have just hit the ball is smaller. His name is Stan Musial. Musial spent all of his 22 seasons with the Cardinals from 1941-1944; 1946-1963. Musial didn't play in 1945 because in the United States Navy.

Stan Musial

Musial played left field and first base. Musial was an All-Star twenty-four times: 1943, 1944, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959 (twice), 1960 (twice), 1961 (twice), 1962 (twice), and 1963. The only other MLB players to have been an All-Star twenty-four times are Hank Aaron and Willie Mays. Musial won the World Series three times: 1942, 1944, and 1946. Musial won the NL MVP Award times: 1943, 1946, and 1948. Musial led the NL batting title seven times: 1943, 1946, 1948, 1950, 1951, 1952, and 1957. Musial led the NL in RBI's two times: 1948, and 1956.

Stan Musial (near gate 3)

 In 1962 at age 41, Musial was named Comeback Player of the Year. For the 62 season, Musial .330 with 57 runs, 143 hits, 18 doubles, 1 triple, 19 home runs, 82 rbi's, and 3 stolen bases. Musial's .330 batting average ranked third best. Musial finished his baseball career playing in 3,026 games with 1,949 runs, 3,630 hits, 725 doubles, 177 triples, 475 home runs, 1,951 RBI's, 78 stolen bases, 1,599 walks, and a .331 batting average. Musial was never ejected in any regular season game. Musial holds the record for the most home runs in a day-night doubleheader game. That happened on May 2, 1954 against the New York Giants (now San Francisco Giants). Musial hit 5 home runs that day. Musial went into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969.

Red Schoendienst

The guy fielding second base is, of course, Red Schoendienst. He was born as Albert Fred Schoendienst in Germantown, Illinois. In 1939, Schoendienst was working on a fence and developed a serious injury in his left eye from a nail. Doctors recommended the eye be removed, but Schoendienst went through non-surgical treatment. Schoendienst fought constant headaches and years of rehab. Due to the eye injury, it was difficult for Schoendienst to read breaking balls against right handed pitching. That was when he batted right-handed. Schoendienst fixed the problem by becoming a switch-hitter. Schoendienst spent nineteen seasons in the MLB from 1945-1963.

Fifteen of those nineteen seasons were with the Cardinals. The other seasons were with the New York Giants and the Milwaukee Braves. Schoendienst was an All-Star ten times: 1946, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, and 1957. In 1945, Schoendienst led the NL in stolen bases with 26. Schoendienst won the World Series five times: 1946, 1957, 1964, 1967, and 1982. Schoendienst retired after the 1963 season. Schoendienst finished his baseball career playing in 2,216 games with 1,223 runs, 2,449 hits, 427 doubles, 78 triples, 84 home runs, 773 RBI's, 89 stolen bases, 606 walks, and a .289 batting average.

After his playing career was over, Schoendienst became the Cardinals manager from 1965-1976. Schoendienst also was interim manager in two seasons: 1980 and 1990. Schoendienst had an overall record of 1,041 wins, 55 losses, and 3 ties with a winning percentage of .952. In the postseason, Schoendienst had a record of 7 wins and 7 losses with a .500 winning percentage. Schoendienst led the Cardinals to two NL Pennants and one World Series title. Schoendienst entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989.

Ozzie Smith

The statue who looks like he's catching a baseball is Ozzie Smith. He was born as Osborne Earl Smith in Mobile, Alabama. Smith spent nineteen seasons in the MLB from 1978-1996. Smith spent his first four seasons with the San Diego Padres. On December 10, 1981 the Cardinals acquired Smith in a trade with the Padres. The Cardinals sent Garry Templeton, Sixto Lezcano, and a player to be named later (Luis DeLeon) to the Padres to Ozzie Smith, Steve Mura, and a player to be named later (Al Olmsted). Smith wasn't known much for his offense, but was better known for his defense. Smith won thirteen straight Gold Glove Awards: 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, and 1992. Smith was an All-Star fifteen times: 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, and 1996. In 1982, Smith won his only World Series.

In 1985, Smith won NLCS MVP for his performance against the Los Angeles Dodgers. In the six game series, Smith hit .435 with 4 runs, 10 hits, 1 double, 1 home run, 3 RBI's, 1 stolen base, and 3 walks. The home run happened in game 5 off of Dodgers' closer Tom Niedenfuer. Smith was batting left-handed. Smith had never hit a home run while batting left-handed until that day. Smith had had 3,009 at bats in his career in the MLB as a left-handed hitter. In 1987, Smith won his only Sliver Slugger Award. Smith hit .303 with 104 runs, 182 hits, 40 doubles, 4 triples, 0 home runs, 75 RBI's, 43 stolen bases, and 89 walks. The batting average, runs, hits, doubles, RBI's, and walks were all career highs for Smith. Smith won the Roberto Clemente Award in 1995. Smith retired after the 1996 season. Smith finished his career playing in 2,573 games with 1,257 runs, 2,460 hits, 402 doubles, 69 triples, 28 home runs, 793 RBI's, 580 stolen bases, 1,072 walks, and a .262 batting average. Smith entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002.

Enos Slaughter

 The statue who looks like he's sliding into home plate is right fielder Enos Slaughter, also known as Country. Slaughter spent nineteen seasons in the MLB from 1938-1959. Thirteen of the seasons were with the Cardinals. The other seasons were with the New York Yankees (twice), Kansas City Athletics, and the Milwaukee Braves. Slaughter missed three of the seasons (1943-1945) due to military service. Slaughter was famous for his smooth swing, which made him a reliable contact hitter. Slaughter was an All-Star ten times: 1941, 1942, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, and 1953. Slaughter won the World Series four times: 1942, 1946, 1956, and 1958. In 1946, Slaughter led the NL in RBI's with 130. During the 1946 World Series against the Boston Red Sox, Slaughter's "Mad Dash", his run from first to home, allowed him to score the winning run in game 7. It happened in the eighth inning. Harry Walker was the batter who brought Slaughter around to score. Red Sox' Johnny Pesky delayed a throw. Walker's hit was ruled as a double. People who saw the play happen think that it should have been ruled a single because the throw home allowed Walker to advance to second base.

Slaughter retired after the 1959 season. He finished his career playing in 2,380 games with 1,247 runs, 2,283 hits, 413 doubles, 148 triples, 169 home runs, 1,304 RBI's, 71 stolen bases, 1,018 walks, and a .300 batting average. Slaughter entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985.

Dizzy Dean

 The statue who looks like he's in the process of throwing a pitch is Jay Hanna Dean, also known as Dizzy. Dean was most famous for being the ace of the Gashouse Gang in 1934. The Cardinals earned that nickname because of their dirty uniforms and rough-and-tumble tactics. Dean won a career high 30 games in 34. He won NL MVP that season. Dean spent twelve seasons in the MLB from 1930, 1932-1941, and 1947. Seven of the seasons were with the Cardinals. The other seasons were with the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Browns. Dean won one World Series which was in 1934. Dean led the MLB in wins two times: 1934, and 1935. Dean led the MLB in strikeouts four times: 1932, 1933, 1934, and 1935. His career high in strikeouts was 199 in 1933. Dean was an All-Star four times: 1934, 1935, 1936, and 1937. Dean finished his career with a record of 150 wins, 83 losses with a 3.02 era, 317 games, 230 starts, 154 complete games, 26 shutouts, 31 saves, 1,967.1 innings, 1,163 strikeouts, 453 walks, and a whip of 1.21. Dean entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953.

Ted Simmons

The statue, which looks like he's hitting a baseball to the opposite field, is of Ted Simmons, also known as Simba. Simmons, was born as Ted Lyle Simmons on August 9, 1949 in Highland Park, Michigan, and made his MLB debut at the age of 18, in the 1968 season. That season. he appeared in two games. Simmons's first full season came in 1970 when he platooned with catcher Joe Torre. In 1971, the Cardinals moved Torre to third base, and Simmons became the starting catcher. Simmons played in 133 games and hit .304 with 64 runs, 155 hits, 32 doubles, 4 triples, 7 home runs, 77 RBI's, 1 stolen base, and 36 walks. Simmons would finish 16th in the MVP (Most Valuable Player) voting for the National League.

Ted Simmons plaque

Simmons would later become an All-Star eight times: 1972, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, and 1983. In seven of those years he was playing for the Cardinals. In 1983, he was playing for the Milwaukee Brewers. Simmons ended up winning the Silver Slugger Award in 1980, after hitting .303 with 84 runs, 150 hits, 33 doubles, 2 triples, 21 home runs, 98 RBI's, 1 stolen base, and 59 walks. In 1979, Simmons had a career high 26 home runs. Simmons had a career high 108 RBI's in 1983. Simmons played twenty-one seasons in the MLB, with his final season in 1988. Overall, Simmons played 2,456 games and hit .285 with 1,074 runs, 2,472 hits, 483 doubles, 47 triples, 248 home runs, 1,389 RBI's, 21 stolen bases, and 855 walks.

Ted Simmons

In his career, Simmons caught two no-hitters. The first no-hitter Simmons caught was Bob Gibson's on August 14, 1971 against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Three Rivers Stadium. The second no-hitter was Bob Forsch's on April 16, 1978 against the Philadelphia Phillies at Busch Memorial Stadium. Simmons hit .300 or better seven times: 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1980, and 1983. Simmons led the National League two times in walks: 1976, and 1977. Simmons walked 79 times in 77, a career high. The Cardinals retired Simmons's no.23 on July 23, 2021 against the Minnesota Twins. The Cardinals also unveiled a statue for Simmons on the same day.

Return to Postseason

 In 2019, the St. Louis Cardinals returned to the  postseason after missing it for three straight seasons. The Cardinals finished with a record of 91-71 and winning the NL Central for their first time since 2015. The Cardinals clinched the division on Sunday, September 29, 2019 with a 9-0 win against the Chicago Cubs. This video below shows the celebration of the Cardinals clinching after the game went final.


 The Cardinals ended up losing in the NLCS to the Washington Nationals in four games.


Feelings about Busch Stadium III

Read first-person accounts. People reminisced and described their experience of the switch from Busch Memorial Stadium to Busch III. First interview: Mr. Joe Zapf, a longtime area resident. (With a few comments from the faithful Seamus).

The second interview: Mrs. Beckie Jacobs, a long-time Cardinals fan and owner of the wonderful Serendipity Ice Cream.

 

Busch Stadium III replica model from the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum.

Busch Stadium III replica, April 2016 giveaway

Busch Stadium III replica, April 2016 giveaway

23 November 2014 My memory of the old Busch: A tribute to my father 

Busch Memorial Stadium, first built in 1966 and renovated in 1996, was the site where my father introduced me to baseball. More than that, Busch Memorial was a destination as my father and I set out in our Cardinals regalia after my school and his work for a night on the town. Busch Memorial is where we sat side-by-side and I listened while he explained plays to me or instructed me to be patient: "The Cardinals would pull it of yet!" My father identified the strengths of all the best Cardinals players and the weaknesses of the opponents. He showed me how to read stats and how to stop vendors to buy a hotdog. Before his death in 2003, my father and I both knew there was going to be a new stadium for the Cardinals. My father argue that a new stadium would be a waste of taxpayers' money and that the old Busch was good enough. I, as a thirteen-year-old, was not so much aware of taxpayers' money. Instead, I was in favor of all the things new and looked forward to a new stadium. Although I can certainly see why some people feel nostalgia for old Busch Memorial Stadium, I now think that because of the advances in the stadium, the new Busch Stadium has made being a Cardinals fan even more exciting than the old Busch Memorial Stadium.

Of course, Busch Memorial Stadium came from a different time and was originally made for a different purpose than the new Busch Stadium. The old Busch was a "cookie-cutter" stadium. There were several other similar stadiums built in the country around the same time the old Busch was build, and, like these stadiums, the old Busch was built for multiple sports. Only when the old Busch was redesigned in 1996 did it become purely a baseball stadium. People liked the way the old Busch's outside arches echoed the lines for the Gateway Arch. They liked the way the old stadium's cement top-hat look appeared to be a form of modernist art. I liked the way the entrance ramps curled and spiraled around the building. All the cement really heated up during a summer night at the ball game, but I didn't know any better. I thought enduring the heat was part of being a baseball fan.

Certainly, problems surrounded the Busch. Urban decay created pockets of poverty and empty lots leading right up to the stadium. Even I could see that the old Busch seemed to rise up out of an impoverished city and was like an oasis of prosperous fans who were sometimes confronted with homeless beggars. It wasn't wrong to see beggars. Possibly, people's awareness of Busch's relationship to the poverty of St. Louis was part of what made people want to create a new stadium. Cardinals' fans did complain about Busch Memorial Stadium falling apart and even having problems with beams falling. Additionally, the Cardinals and their fans pretty much wanted to help rebuild downtown.

The new Busch Stadium is sometimes criticized for looking too much like a theme park. The new Busch Stadium does look like a planned slice of Americana, and the new stadium does help to brighten up a spot in downtown St. Louis and quite a bit of surrounding territory. Now that Ballpark Village has finally been built in the badly decaying area surrounding the old Busch, it's easier to see how the area has improved. Ballpark Village created more destinations (not just one Busch Stadium) that include Fox Sports Midwest Live!, Cardinals Nation Restaurant, the Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum, Howl at the Moon, and Budweiser Brewhouse. They have concerts inside Ballpark Village at times, with Fox Sports Midwest Live hosting.

But inside the new stadium is also more exciting. Lots of screens flash statistics, replays, and games. The new stadium has special rooms for weddings and graduations, and the Cardinals are able to have their offices inside the new Busch. Almost anyone would agree that the view of the St. Louis skyline is better from the new stadium. Fans can see the Arch and the Old Courthouse. True, the new stadium cannot hold as many fans as the Old Busch: 47,514 (with standing room only) seats in the new Busch vs 57,676 seats in the old Busch. But there's not a bad seat in the house (no real "head for the mountains!"), and the whole stadium is breezy. Compared to the old stadium, the new one feels distinctly open. I feel like I'm out in the night air and not closed in.

Looking like a theme park version of an old take-me-out-to-the ballgame stadium, the new Busch brings its own nostalgia. The new Busch was truly built for baseball, and it shows. That is, maybe, the why there is no bad seat in the house, and the fans have a wide view of the field. As a fan in the new Busch Stadium, I always feel close to the action. At the Busch Stadium, I feel an immediacy I didn't feel in the old stadium.

I don't know what my father would think of the new Busch Stadium. He never got to see the new Busch Stadium. I'd like to think that he was an open-minded enough person that he would be able to love the new stadium. (In the end, the taxpayers didn't really pay for it; the Cardinals sold bonds.) Especially, too, I hope Papa would have loved going out to the game with me at the new stadium just as much as I loved going to the old stadium with him. I can never bring my father to the games at the new Busch, but memories of my father certainly shape my enthusiasm and love for being at the game in this new place he never knew.