© 2024 St. Louis Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

It's Cardinals Opening Day In St. Louis!

Cardinals fans on opening day
Adam Allington, STL Public Radio
Cardinals fans on opening day

Baseball-mad St. Louis is welcoming the Cardinals for the first home game of the year.

After starting the season with six road games, the Cardinals host the Cincinnati Reds this afternoon.

The usually festive occasion in St. Louis is a little melancholy this season. Monday's game is the first Cardinals home game since the death of Stan Musial.

The Hall of Famer died in January at age 92. His absence was notable before the game as the team's other members of the Hall of Fame circled the Busch Stadium warning track in Mustangs.

Musial's four children unveiled a marker on the left-field wall honoring their father - his No. 6 inside a red circle with his signature across it.

Fans stood, many with hats over their hearts, during a video tribute. Other pre-game ceremonies also included a parade of the Budweiser Clydesdales inside the ballpark at two pep rallies outside.

Couldn't make the game? Close your eyes, listen and be transported to a night at the home of the Cardinals.

The Cardinals are coming off a 14-3 win over the San Francisco Giants on Sunday. Matt  Carpenter drove in three runs. Jon Jay, Carlos Beltran, Allen Craig, Pete Kozma and Matt Adams added two RBIs apiece. Matt Cain became the first Giants pitcher to allow nine runs in one inning since 1902.
 

Updated 5:33 p.m.