Opening Day

They say the opening day of the baseball season in St. Louis is an unofficial holiday.  Many baseball fans plan special activities surrounding the day's events.  Even if they can't get tickets to the game, thousands of Cardinals fans flock to the downtown area surrounding the stadium for pregame pep rallies and to get a good seat or spot in front of the big screen TV's and monitors at Ballpark Village and other bars and restaurants, to watch the pregame ceremonies.  Some call baseball a religion in St. Louis because the fans are so deeply devoted to their team and to the sport itself.  The reverence that they have for the players and the history of the team, and it's former players and hall of famers, is legendary.  It's not uncommon for parents to pull their kids out of school to attend a day game.  Many fans follow the team on the road, especially to the cities of their rivals, like Chicago, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh.  Yes, opening day is great in any major league town in America, but in St. Louis, it is truly special.  This is why they call the game, the national pastime.  So we welcome the new season and the new players, returning players and veterans to a new quest for the World Series, to be the best team, to be champions!  Play ball!