Rivalries can be fierce. They can be bloody. They can be intense. But they can also be fun.
Rivalries can lead to some great outcomes in the world of sports.
The St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs may arguably have one of the fiercest rivalries in the Major Leagues.
So as luck would have it, I was in line to see this rivalry during Diamond Baseball Tours‘ Rockies Plus College World Series baseball bus trip. It was one of six MLB games we saw during the tour. We also saw a College World Series game.
As we arrived to the stadium, you could tell the atmosphere was already electric. Lines to get in the stadium wrapped halfway down the block. Ballpark Village (more on that later) on Clark Avenue was almost wall-to-wall people.
And the game did not disappoint. While we did not see Albert Pujols in this game, we did see the future Hall-of-Famer in Milwaukee. The Cubs were able to jump out to a 2-0 lead and Kyle Hendricks did the rest. He threw 7 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and one walk with six strikeouts.
The Cubs posted a 3-0 victory.
What makes the rivalry special is that it’s territorial. One of the big territories in question is central Illinois, which receives radio broadcasts for both teams.
Noted author Buzz Bissinger compared the rivalry to another famous MLB rivalry in his book, Three Nights in August. “The Red Sox and Yankees is a tabloid-filled soap opera about money and ego and sound bites. But the Cubs and Cardinals are about… geography and territorial rights.”
Overall, the Cubs lead the regular season series 1,259–1,209–18. The teams’ lone MLB playoff meeting occurred in the 2015 National League Division Series, which the Cubs won, 3–1.
In the 130-year history of the rivalry, the Cubs lead the series, 1259-1,209-18. The Cardinals have won 19 pennants to the Cubs’ 17 pennants.
There are lots of rich history between the two teams. One of the most famous connections is the 1998 home run race between St. Louis’ Mark McGwire and Chicago’s Sammy Sosa. The race for the single season home run record helped revitalize baseball after a bitter 1994 players’ strike, which canceled the World Series and part of the 1995 season.
In early September, the teams met for a two-game series in St. Louis. McGwire tied New York’s Babe Ruth with his 61st home run in the first inning. McGwire broke the record the following day.
McGwire would finish the year with 70 home runs and Sosa with 66. However, the Cubs won the National League wild card, making the playoffs for the first time in nine years, while the Cardinals missed the playoffs. Sosa would win the NL MVP that year.
Building Busch was a unique construction venture. They started building the new stadium, while the old one was still in use, right next door. In the end, the footprints of the two did overlap. Half of Busch III was constructed by the time Busch II was closed down at the end of the 2005 season. Busch III was ready for action a few months later.
There are some cool photos showing Busch II in action while Busch III is under construction.
While it wasn’t 100 percent complete for Opening Day 2006, it was built enough to hold 37,962 fans, in the field level, terrace level and bleachers.
Construction on the rest of the stadium was completed in late May, increasing the capacity to its currently 46,861. The first game under 100 percent completion was May 29, 2006 against the Houston Astros with finishing touches performed throughout the year.
Here are the dimensions for the stadium: Left field line (336 feet), left-center field (375 feet), center field (400 feet), right-center field (375 feet) and 335 feet down the right field line.
Like many of the ballparks, the Cardinals honor many of their former greats. Having a rich history allows for a healthy display.
The biggest one is outside the Gate 3 entrance, a large bronze statue of legend Stan “The Man” Musial. The statues that surrounded the previous incarnation of Busch Stadium are now displayed at the corner of Clark and Eighth Streets, outside the Cardinals’ team store.
The statues are of former Cardinal players and Hall of Fame inductees Enos Slaughter, Dizzy Dean, Rogers Hornsby, Red Schoendienst, Lou Brock, Bob Gibson, Ozzie Smith, and Ted Simmons. George Sisler, a former St. Louis Browns Hall of Famer, is represented as are former Negro League St. Louis Stars Cool Papa Bell. Legendary radio broadcaster Jack Buck has his own statue just up the street from the others.
Also, outside the stadium is a retail/restaurant area called Ballpark Village. It’a a multi-phase residential and entertainment complex, located on the former Busch site. The first phase was completed in time for Opening Day 2014.
It includes a St. Louis Cardinals Museum as well as many restaurants and bars. It is very similar to other developments around the league, like Texas Live in Arlington, TX (Texas Rangers’ Globe Life Field), Philly Live (Philadelphia Phillies’ Citizen Bank Park), and most recently, The Battery at Atlanta’s Truist Park.
Concessions range from the standard ballpark fare to St. Louis-area favorites like pork steak sandwiches and toasted ravioli. Budweiser holds the beer contract as expected, but local craft breweries such as Saint Louis Brewery, Urban Chestnut, and 4 Hands all are available.
Attendance is always pretty high in St. Louis. With the exception of 2020 (no fans due to COVID-19) and 2021 (limited capacity due to the pandemic), the Cardinals have drawn more than three million fans every year since its opening.