Although professional baseball in St. Louis dates back to the 1870s, the present-day Cardinals started out as the St. Louis Brown Stockings in 1882. By 1900, the club had adopted the Cardinals name and has used the same name ever since. The Cards, as they’re often called, are one of the most successful franchises in Major League Baseball history.
Ballpark / Stadium – Busch Stadium
The Cardinals moved into the new Busch Stadium in 2006. The ballpark replaced a park by the same name, which was also known for a stretch as Busch Memorial Stadium. The present-day park can accommodate 46,861 spectators and is known for its impressive view of the Gateway Arch beyond center field. Other features of the ballpark include the bridge at the Gate 3 entrance and the numerous statues outside the park.
World Series Championships
With 11 World Series titles, the Cardinals rank second only to the New York Yankees, who have 27. St. Louis’ most recent World Series win came in 2011, but the club returned to the series in 2013. The club holds 19 National League Pennants and 12 division titles. Win or lose, the Cardinals are known as having one of the most passionate fan bases in baseball.
St. Louis Cardinals Roster
Many of the who’s who of baseball stardom have spent time on the Cardinals roster. The team has a number of players enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame, including Lou Brock, Dizzy Dean, Bob Gibson, Whitey Herzog, Stan Musial, Red Schoendienst, Enos Slaughter, Ozzie Smith, Billy Southworth and Bruce Sutter. Other newsworthy players throughout the team’s history, including in recent years, are Albert Pujols, Chris Carpenter, Jim Edmonds, Scott Rolen, Yadier Molina, Matt Holiday and Carlos Beltran.
Spring Training
The home games on the Cardinals Spring Training schedule take place at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, FL. The park has been the Cardinals home since 1998, when it opened, and the team has shared the facility with the Miami Marlins since 2003. In addition to its Spring Training role, the 6,871-capacity ballpark hosts four of St. Louis’ minor league affiliates. The Cardinals Minor League Baseball affiliates are the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds, Double-A Springfield Cardinals, Advanced-A Palm Beach Cardinals, Class-A Peoria Chiefs, Short-Season A State College Spikes and rookie league Johnson City Cardinals, Gulf Coast League Cardinals and Dominican Summer League Cardinals.
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