Homestand highlights (Friday, April 29-Sunday, May 8, 2016)

By | April 29, 2016

The Cardinals are back at Busch for the first of two 10-game homestands this season-their longest of the season-which kicks off with a three-game series with the Washington Nationals (April 29-May 1), continues with a four-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies (May 2-5) and concludes with a three-game series versus division rival Pittsburgh Pirates (May 6-8). The homestand is highlighted by annual Green Week festivities, a Trevor Rosenthal bobblehead and a replica 1946 World Series Championship ring giveaway, three Theme Nights and Mother's Day celebration.
 
Friday, April 29, 2016 - Cardinals vs. Washington Nationals (7:15 p.m.)
Gates open at 5:15 p.m.
Saturday, April 30, 2016 - Cardinals vs. Washington Nationals (1:15 p.m.)
Gates open at 11:15 a.m.
Sunday, May 1, 2016 - Cardinals vs. Washington Nationals (1:15 p.m.)
Gates open at 11:15 a.m.
Monday, May 2, 2016 - Cardinals vs. Philadelphia Phillies (7:15 p.m.)
Gates open at 5:45 p.m.
Tuesday, May 3, 2016 - Cardinals vs. Philadelphia Phillies (7:15 p.m.)
Gates open at 5:45 p.m.
Wednesday, May 4, 2016 - Cardinals vs. Philadelphia Phillies (7:15 p.m.)
Gates open at 5:45 p.m.
Thursday, May 5, 2016 - Cardinals vs. Philadelphia Phillies (12:45 p.m.)
Gates open at 11:15 a.m.
Friday, May 6, 2016 - Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (7:15 p.m.)
Gates open at 5:15 p.m.
Saturday, May 7, 2016 - Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (1:15 p.m.)
Gates open at 11:15 a.m.
Sunday, May 8, 2016 - Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (1:15 p.m.)
Gates open at 11:15 a.m.
MORE HOMESTAND INFORMATION
#STLisLou Social Media Campaign Launched to Honor Lou Brock
On April 19, the St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Civic leaders launched #STLisLou to honor Cardinals Hall of Famer Lou Brock, celebrate the St. Louis Community and raise money for children with diabetes. The Cardinals are encouraging fans to show their affection for Lou Brock all season long by sharing video messages, photographs and other messages via social media using the hashtag #STLisLou. The team is challenging fans to answer what does Lou Brock mean to you and what does he mean to St. Louis and the Cardinals? 
 
Additionally, the team has partnered with Explore St. Louis and Downtown STL to develop "Tuesday's Are Lou's Day - Find Lou in the Lou!", a weekly social media based scavenger hunt around town that will reward lucky fans with tickets, exclusive #STLisLou Lou Brock autographed baseballs and other prizes. Fans can learn more about the campaign and see what others fans are posting to social media at www.cardinals.com/lou.
 
#PlayBallLikeACardinal Fan Video Initiative
The Cardinals recently launched #PlayBallLikeACardinal, a youth-focused video engagement seeking out young people who have a passion for the Redbirds and are incorporating that passion into how they play the game. 
 
Fans are asked to post short video clips of their children imitating their favorite Cardinals players to their preferred social media platform (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook) using the hashtag, #PlayBallLikeACardinal, or share a link to a video they have posted to a public video platform like YouTube directly with the Cardinals at cardinals.com/playball. The Cardinals intend to share videos of children playing ball like Cardinals on the team's television broadcasts such as Cardinals Insider, within Busch Stadium on the new high definition scoreboard or online via cardinals.com, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
 
Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum
Saturday Signings at the Museum, a new program held exclusively at the Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum before each Saturday home game during the 2016 season where fans can meet and get an autograph from a former Cardinals player with valid admission to the museum. In addition to having valid admission, fans must obtain a free autograph line ticket which will be distributed starting at 9:30 a.m. at the Busch Stadium II Infield entrance to Cardinals Nation at Ballpark Village on the day of each Saturday signing. Players will sign for two hours prior to game time and fans will need to bring their own items to be autographed unless otherwise noted. Fans can visit cardinals.com/museum for more details and scheduling.
 
The Cardinals are proud to continue to offer the Hall of Fame & Museum Membership Program for fans in 2016. Individual ($50) or Family Membership ($85) options are available and membership benefits include unlimited museum admission for one year, guest passes, limited edition bobbleheads of Ken Boyer and Willie McGee, discounts to the Cardinals Authentics Shop & Cardinals Nation Restaurant, and access to select presales and member-only events. Visit cardinals.com/membership for more information.
 
The Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum within Cardinals Nation features the largest team-held collection in baseball. The collection is second only to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in terms of size with over 20,000 memorabilia items and hundreds of thousands of archival photographs. Be sure to check out this year's special gallery, Farming the Business of Cardinals Baseball, which explores the history of baseball's first successful farm system and how it literally changed the sport. The Museum is open daily from 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. and remains open through the 7th inning on home game nights. Adult admission is $12, and tickets can be purchased at cardinals.com/museum (#CardsMuseum).
 
Cardinals Magazine Kicks Off 25th Season With Fantastic Season-Opening Edition
Cardinals Magazine opens its quarter-century season with a pair of exclusive Q&A's featuring primary figures who have helped make the Cardinals one of the game's model franchises. The April cover story brings together cornerstone players Matt Holliday, Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright for a wide-ranging interview about their decorated careers wearing the birds-on-the-bat and their desire to secure another world championship for the Cardinals. Cardinals Magazine also sat down with the father-son duo who has guided the organization through an unprecedented run of achievement since taking ownership in 1996: Chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. and club President Bill DeWitt III.
 
Fans will enjoy the breadth of stories in the season-opening edition starting with the first installments of our season-long 10th anniversary celebration of the historic 2006 season, which marked the opening of Busch Stadium III and the club's 10th World Championship. The magazine highlights the best moments from the first month of action at the sparkling new ballpark, as well as one of the key role players from the '06 club, fan favorite So Taguchi. Additionally Cardinals Magazine readers will see 16 reasons why the Cards-Cubs rivalry will be white-hot in 2016. Other issue highlights include the debut of our monthly #AskCarlos department where the All-Star pitcher answers questions from fans, our focus on the 12 prospects who could soon be making a difference for the parent club, and much more!
 
Cardinals Magazine is on sale for just $5 at Busch Stadium vendors inside each stadium gate, team store locations and Cardinals Authentics stores in Ford Plaza and Ballpark Village. Throughout St. Louis, the magazine is available for purchase at major retailers like Cardinals Clubhouse, Dierbergs, Schnucks, QuikTrip and Walgreens. Print and digital subscriptions are also available at cardinals.com/magazine or 314-345-9000, and if you sign up today, you'll receive 2 FREE tickets to a 2016 home game. Also, new this season, you can follow Cardinals Magazine on Twitter @CardsMagazine for breaking team coverage, special offers and much more!
 
2016 Official Scorecard Celebrates 10th Anniversary of Busch Stadium III
One of the longest-standing collectible souvenirs in baseball, the scorecard represents much more than a means to keep track of the hits, runs and outs that occur over the course of a game. It's a tangible keepsake commemorating a game that might be memorable for any number reasons-a fan's first game, a couple's first date or a record-setting performance.
 
It's no wonder that the first order of business at Busch Stadium for baseball's best fans is a stop at a Cardinals Publications vendors cart inside each gate entrance to purchase the Official 2016 Cardinals Scorecard-sold individually or included with each copy of Cardinals Magazine.
 
This must-have keepsake features the striking artistic designs of local artist Mike Right, who has been creating the timeless Cardinals scorecard imagery since 2003. Inside, the scorecard also teaches fans how to score the "Cardinal Way"-a storied tradition by club officials that dates back to the 1940s. Be sure to purchase your 2016 Scorecard at the ballpark this season! Copies are also available online at cardinals.com/scorecard.
 
Cardinals Authentics
The Cardinals Authentics Shop - the official source of game-used and autographed collectibles and memorabilia directly from the club - will have game-used bases and baseballs available for purchase before the end of each game. All season long, fans will be able to take a piece of the game directly from the field to their home, all in one visit. For more information on Cardinals Authentics, and their two locations (inside Ford Plaza and at Cardinals Nation inside Ballpark Village), visit cardinals.com/authentics or follow them on Twitter (@CardsAuthentics) (#CardsAuthentics).
 
Cardinals Nation Restaurant and Bar
New this year, Cardinals Nation will host the Official Pre-Game Party of the St. Louis Cardinals. This ticketed pep-rally style party will be located on the second floor of Cardinals Nation in the Hall of Fame Club, two and a half hours prior to every Cardinals home game during the 2016 season. This exclusive Cardinals Nation pre-game event includes a full buffet menu, all-inclusive bar and a DJ or live music all the way until first pitch. Only 250 tickets will be allotted for each game, which fans can purchase at cardinals.com/pregame for digital delivery. Tickets can also be purchased at any box office or at the Cardinals Museum in Cardinals Nation.
 
Open daily, Cardinals Nation is the year-round home to Cardinals fans offering a variety of weekly programming and special events. Offering an expansive menu that recently added 17 new menu items, Cardinals Nation has something for everyone. This season, fans won't want to miss the following highlights:
Ballpark Village
Ballpark Village is the place to be before, during and after the game! Since opening in March of 2014, Ballpark Village has hosted more than 10 million visitors of all ages from across the country and brought hundreds of great events to downtown St. Louis. As Ballpark Village enters its third year, several additions and improvements are underway. The brand new Prairie Farms Dugout will serve up Prairie Farms hand-dipped ice cream, North Star frozen novelties and cold beverages on the turf of the Busch II Infield. Inside fans can catch the pre-game pep rallies in FOX Sports Midwest Live! featuring emcee Todd Thomas and live post-game music by the region's greatest bands. When the Cardinals are away, Ballpark Village has fans covered with the return of the Official Away Game Watch Parties featuring premium giveaways. 
 
Post-game entertainment on April 29 - May 8 includes local bands Bitter Pill, Hollywood 5, That 80's Band, Legends Undercover, Jambone and Breach of Peace. Also be sure to join the electric hockey playoff atmosphere as FOX Sports Midwest Live! features every St. Louis Blues game on our 40-foot TV! For upcoming events, visit stlballparkvillage.com.
 
2016 Official Team Media Guide
The St. Louis Cardinals official team Media Guide has long been relied upon by journalists and broadcasters who cover the team. Containing stats, photos and biographies of every player in the entire Cardinals organization, along with the definitive history of the club since its inception, the 2016 Media Guide is the best and most comprehensive book about the Cardinals.
 
The Cardinals annual media guide is a great collectable, with the cover each season highlighting a moment in Cardinals history. New this season, for every Media Guide purchased at the team store, Cards Authentics store or stands around the ballpark, fans will receive an exclusive poster featuring all 11 media guide covers at the new ballpark, along with the 2016 schedule. The 2016 Media Guide is available for $20 at the Team Store, Cardinals Authentics or cardinals.com/mediaguide.
 
Cardinals in the Community
Cardinals Care (#CardsCare) was established to give fans a way of teaming up with Cardinals players and the organization to help children in our community-both on and off the baseball field. Since it was established in 1997, Cardinals Care has distributed over $21 million to support St. Louis area non-profit youth organizations and built 21 youth ball fields in local under-resourced neighborhoods. 
 
2016 marks the 13th year of Cardinals Care's innovative Redbird Rookies program, a free baseball league for kids who otherwise might not have the opportunity to play. In addition to providing all the uniforms, gloves, bats, balls and other equipment needed for each team, Redbird Rookies also provides extensive off-field support in the areas of health, education, mentoring and the cultural arts for each of the nearly 4,500 kids who participate in the program each year. Fans can support Cardinals Care by donating directly at cardinals.com/community or in a variety of ways:
Cardinals Work #4AGreenerGame
The Green Team is a group of volunteers who walk down the aisles of the seating bowl in-between innings collecting recyclables from fans and promoting recycling at Busch Stadium. In exchange for their services, volunteers are able to watch the game in standing room only sections of Busch Stadium, as collections are only done in-between innings and during pitching changes so as not to disturb fans trying to watch the game. To volunteer or learn more, visit cardinals.com/green (#4AGreenerGame).
 
Follow the Cardinals on Social Media
Join the Cardinals throughout the season on a variety of social media platforms including Twitter (@cardinals), Facebook (facebook.com/cardinals), Instagram (Cardinals), Snapchat (cardinals), Pinterest (pinterest.com/cardinalsmlb), Tumblr (stlcardinals) and Google + (St. Louis Cardinals). Fans will get an inside look at the team, exclusive promotions and giveaways, breaking club news, behind-the-scenes photos, videos and much more. For more info, and a list of verified player twitter accounts, visit cardinals.com/connect. Join the conversation using #STLCards.
 
Facebook Fridays with Fredbird
Every Friday, Fredbird and Team Fredbird will appear somewhere within Cardinal Nation to give away a select number of free tickets or items to lucky fans on a first come, first serve basis. Be sure to join the fun. To find out where Fredbird will be each week follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/cardinals and on Twitter @Cardinals, or visit cardinals.com/facebookfridays for more details (#Fredbird).
 
Fan-Friendly Values
For more information on Cardinals promotions and theme nights visit cardinals.com/promotions and cardinals.com/theme.
 
Metal Detectors
Cardinals fans will note the continued use of walk-through metal detectors at all Busch Stadium gates and entrances, as part of Major League Baseball's implementation of mandatory metal detection screening of all guests at all MLB ballparks in 2016. Please see below for some helpful tips to ensure a smooth entry process for fans at Busch Stadium this season:

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