New Busch Stadium
New Busch Stadium Construction Gallery
(Sportsman's Park coming soon)
Busch Memorial Stadium
St. Louis, Missouri
Formerly, Civic Center Stadium
Groundbreaking: May 24, 1964
1st National League Game: May 12, 1966 (StL 4, Atl 3)
1st NFL Game : September 11, 1966
Last NFL Game: December 15, 1995
Last National League Game: October 19, 2005
Demolition by wrecking ball began: November 7, 2005
Surface: Natural Grass (1966-1969; 1996-2005); Astro turf (1970-1995)
Architect: Sverdrup & Parcel and Associates
Cost: $55 million
Owner: St. Louis Cardinals
Seating capacity: 49,676
Playing Field Dimensions:
Foul lines: 330'
LF & RF Alleys: 386' (1966), 376' (1973), 386' (1977), 375' (1992), 372' (1997)
Center field: 414' (1966), 404' (1973), 414' (1977), 402' (1992);
Outfield Fences: 10'6" (1966); 8' (1973); 10'6" (1977); 8' (1992)
Hosted World Series: 1967, 1968, 1982, 1985, 1987, 2004
Hosted All-Star Game: 1966
Ground was broken in May of 1964 and two years later on May 12, 1966, the stadium was almost ready for the Cards first game. Elevator service was scetchy, the message board didn't function, the clubhouse had no heat, and there was no gas connection needed to grill the hot dogs!
But most of the throng of 46, 048 (The largest crowd in St. Louis sports history) didn't seem to mind. There was plenty of hot coffee sold on the chilly evening as the crowd marveled at the two-section $1.5 million scoreboard with the electronic redbird that fluttered and chirped durring the seventh inning stretch and whenever a Cardinal batter hit a homer. And if that wasn't enough to make up for the opening night inconveniences, the Cards beat the Braves in thrilling fashion as Jerry Buchek drove in the tying run in the bottom of the ninth, and Lou Brock drove in the winning run in the 12th inning.
Later that summer, Busch Stadium hosted the All-Star Game... in 105 degree weather. 135 people were treated for heat related ailments at the first aid station. Casey Stengel, an honorary coach at the game, when asked of his opinion of the new stadium replied, "Well, I must say, it sure holds the heat well."
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After several years of trying to get public financing for a new baseball-only ballpark to replace Busch Stadium, the Cardinals realized that they would have to switch tactics. Cardinal President Mark Lamping spent nearly two years in securing a financing deal that used some public, but mostly private funds - including $90 in cash from the Cardinals, $200 million in private bonds and a naming rights agreement.
The New Cardinals Ballpark, which will also be named Busch Stadium, is scheduled to open in the spring of 2006 on a site directly, south of Busch Memorial Stadium. In fact, the two sites actually overlap - which means some tricky construction. Although scheduled to open in the spring of 2006, the new park still won't be finished until the clean-up of the demolished Busch Stadium site is completed, and the final construction phase can begin next door.
Iconic Moments: October 14, 1985, NLCS Game 5. The Dodgers crushed the Cards in games 1 and 2. The Cards returned the favor in games 3 and 4. In game five, the two were tied 2-2 since the 4th inning. Now in the bottom of the 9th, the unlikeliest of home run heros, Ozzie Smith, smashed a solo shot off Tom Niedenfuer, just over the right field wall. Busch went crazy, the Cards went back to L.A. for game 6 and again, Tom Niedenfuer gave up the game winning homer, this time to Jack Clark, and the Cardinals went on to the World Series.
September 8, 1998. Mark McGwire breaks Roger Maris' single–season home run mark by hitting his 62nd of the year off Steve Trachsel in the 4th inning of the Cardinals' 6–3 win over the Cubs.
St. Louis Cardinals
250 Stadium Plaza
St. Louis, Missouri 63102
(314) 421-3060
TV: KPLR-11, FSN
In-park dining choices: Homer's Landing, Hardee's, and Edy's ice cream.
Sportservice concessions include fried cannelloni, Philly cheese steak and funnel cakes along with traditional favorites.
Suite concessions include Neptune wraps, French bread pizzas, seafood tagliolini with tiger shrimp, and lobster & crab tenderloin served with French garlic bread.
St. Louis Local Dining - Best Bets
Directions & Parking Info
Ballpark/Tour Vacation Packages
Dugout Box $65
Infield Loge Box $55
Outfield Loge Box $33
Infield Loge Reserve $33
Outfield Loge Reserve $24
Infield Terrace Box $27
Outfield Terrace Box $23
Terrace Reserve $19
Upper Terrace Reserve $9
Bleachers $13
Add $3 for May 23rd - Sept. 11th games. Add $8 for selected "prime" dates throughout the season.
Seating Chart
Purchase Cards Tickets
By BETSY TAYLOR, Associated Press
November 7, 2005
Hundreds of observers lined nearby streets or dotted rooftops to watch the first swings of the 5-ton wrecking ball.
``It was sickening,'' longtime fan Mary Ann Budrovich said. ``No turning back now.''
Glenda Postin of Lewistown, Ill., won a charity raffle that allowed her to provide a verbal countdown and wave an orange flag from the rooftop of a nearby parking garage to signal a crane to release the wrecking ball.
Postin had fond memories from Busch Stadium: watching Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith turn back flips to rev up the crowd and seeing President Bush throw out the first pitch of the Cardinals' 2004 season.
But she had mixed feelings about being ``the woman who started the takedown of Busch Stadium.''
``I don't know if that's a good thing or not, but I'm excited about the new stadium and looking forward to being there next year,'' she said.
Crews began preparing for the stadium's demolition on Oct. 20 -- the day after St. Louis lost the NL championship series to the Houston Astros in the final game at Busch.
The southern half of Busch Stadium will be knocked down over the next few months to allow for completion of the new, roughly $400 million ballpark. The new park is slated to be done by April 1, for the Cardinals' home opener April 10 against Milwaukee. The rest of the old stadium will be demolished by June 30.
A charity raffle benefiting the Cardinals' community foundation, Cardinals Care, the United Way of Greater St. Louis and Gulf Coast hurricane victims raised more than $66,000 in ticket sales. The 250 raffle finalists, who watched the demolition from the nearby parking garage roof, will receive a commemorative print. They couldn't all see the wrecking ball hit inside the ballpark, but its sound resonated throughout the neighborhood.
Busch, one of the cookie-cutter style, multipurpose stadiums built in the 1960s, was easily recognizable with its archways along the top that are a tribute to St. Louis' silvery Gateway Arch monument, which opened in 1967, a year after the ballpark.
Construction of the new stadium also includes plans to develop a ``Ballpark Village'' of housing, retail and office space in the neighborhood.
Busch Stadium is actually the second Busch Stadium in St. Louis. The original was known as Sportsman’s Park until August Busch purchased it from the St. Louis Browns in 1953 and changed the name to Busch Stadium. It served as the home of the Cardinals from 1920 until the new Busch Stadium was opened in 1966.
In 1997, A manually operated scoreboard was installed in the upper deck, alongside terraced flag decks commemorating the club's World Series championships and retired numbers. Previously, the bullpens were moved behind the outfield walls and elevated. All these changes reduced capacity from 57,673 to 49,676.
With Busch Stadium as the spark, the redevelopment of the downtown area has been marked by the addition of new office buildings, hotels, shopping complexes, parking garages and other facilities, including the International Bowling Hall of Fame and Museum and the Cardinals Hall of Fame.
"Ballpark green" replaced blue as the color scheme for the outfield fence and stadium trim.
Out in front of the stadium are bronze statues of former Cardinal greats, such as Stan "the Man" Musial, and Jack Buck.
A new ballpark is slated to open for the 2006 season right next to Busch stadium, along with a five-block area called "Ballpark Village."
Busch was the site of Lou Brock's record 105th stolen base in 1974 and his 3000th hit in 1979.
Steve Carlton struck out 19 Mets at Busch, Sept. 15, 1969.
June 20, 2004, Fathers Day - With his Dad in attendance, Ken Griffey Jr. Hits carreer HR #500
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