Last Games in Old Busch Stadium
October 2005

cquiring tickets to the final regular-season series at Busch Stadium was not going to be easy as there is a very strong Cardinal fan base in St. Louis, but we went online early one Saturday morning to take our chances. After over an hour in the virtual waiting room we got into the order pages. We ended up with standing-room-only tickets for two of the games and actual seats for a third—we were very happy! Later we did the same thing for post-season tickets and got SRO tickets for the second games of the Division and League Championship series. The Cardinals won the first four games we attended and we were really on a high, but reality came back in the fifth game with a loss to the Astros.

With the final game and the season over a few days later, we went down to the stadium the following morning. It was already ringed with a construction fence and the jack hammers were pounding away. A security guard directed us to the main entrance where a nice worker brought over some pieces of black polished granite from the bases of the World Series flag poles to Jacquie, which made her very happy! We later shared these with Jen and Jay.

Leaving St. Louis behind, we headed southwest to Texas to visit our kids and grandkids in Arlington. This was a wonderful healing after leaving St. Louis without a World Series championship, as there is nothing like a grandchild's smile.

Following are a few pictures of our adventure:

A St. Louis family member got us front row seats right by the dugout!

Jacquie's daughter and son-in-law join us at the game

The Anheuser-Busch Clydesdales at the final regular-season game celebration

Saying goodbye to an old friend
(Our names on one of the stadium pillars)