St. Louis Cardinals

Many of you are probably aware that I am a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. From the flag flying outside my house during baseball season, the rug just inside my house, the sheets on my bed, the clothes I buy for me and my family, the collection of memorabilia in my family room and the family picture where everyone is wearing cardinals shirts, I am a big supporter of the Cardinals baseball franchise.




What many of you may not know is how I became I St. Louis fan. It all started when I was 5 years old. My first little league team was the St. Louis Cardinals, which my helped coach. This was the first time I ever cared or aligned my self with any sort of team in any sport.

That next summer my family took a trip back to the Midwest to see my grandparents who were serving a mission in Nauvoo IL. Along the way we stopped in St. Louis to see some of the sights. My Dad took my brother Tyler and I to a game in St. Louis, it was my first major league game. We watched the Cardinals drop a game to the pirates 3-2 at old Busch Stadium. I was still really excited to watch the Cardinals play, my Dad bought me a pennant which I still have today (in the picture of my collection it's on the top left), I wore my Cardinals shirt from little league and Dad had to buy Tyler a Cardinals shirt because he was worried that nobody would know he was cheering for the Cardinals.

On my way out to South Carolina for my mission we had a lay over in the St. Louis airport just after Mark McGuire brooke the home run record.


The Cardinals have had a very rich and excellent history. The Cardinals were founded in 1882 as the St. Louis Brown Stockings; they joined the National League in 1892 and have been known as the Cardinals since 1900. The Cardinals have won a National League record 10 World Series championships, second only to the New York yankees.

St. Louis has had many famous players on their team.

There was the Gas House Gang of 1934 a group of underdogs that won the World Series.
Stan Musial (Stan the Man) 1941- 1963. Three time MVP

Lou Brock, 1964-1979. Second all-time in stolen bases with 938
Currently they have Albert Pujols, also a three time MVP

But my favorite player growing up was the Cardinals short stop Ozzie Smith. He’s a hall of fame member who won 13 gold glove awards and appeared in 15 all-star games. He was even on an episode of the Simpsons.

The Cardinals have won two World Series Championships during my lifetime. The first was in 1982, when I was 3 and didn’t care about baseball. Finally in 2006 they won the whole thing and I was ecstatic. Much like these players were.

I certainly am lucky that my first little league team was the Cardinals. I could only imagine how miserable my life would be if I had begun my baseball days with the Kansas City Royals.