Busch Stadium Facts

Check out Busch Stadium firsts, franchise facts and more.

Busch Stadium Firsts

  • Groundbreaking - January 17, 2004
  • Grass Installed - March 15, 2006
  • Inaugural Game - April 10, 2006
  • Opponent - Milwaukee Brewers
  • Ceremonial First Pitches - Chris Carpenter and Albert Pujols to Bob Gibson and Willie McGee
  • First Pitch - 3:14 p.m., ball, Mark Mulder to Brady Clark
  • Cardinals Hit - David Eckstein, 2nd inning, April 10, 2006
  • Cardinals HR - Albert Pujols, 3rd inning, April 10, 2006

Franchise Facts

  • The Cardinals were founded in 1882 as an American Association Team called the St. Louis Brown Stockings. In 1883, the team changed its name to the St. Louis Browns.
  • In 1892, the team moved to the National League. In 1899, the name was changed to the Perfectos, and in 1900, the team became the St. Louis Cardinals.
  • From 1902-1953, an American League Team called the St. Louis Browns also played in St. Louis. In 1954, they moved to Baltimore and became the Baltimore Orioles.
  • The 2018 season is the Cardinals 127th season of play in the National League.
  • Since joining the National League in 1892, the team has won over 9,900 games, finished in first place 25 times winning 3 National League Eastern Division Titles and 10 National League Central Division Titles, and won 19 National League Pennants and 11 World Series Championships.
  • Since the ownership group led by Bill DeWitt Jr. purchased the Cardinals from Anheuser Busch in 1996, the team has posted a 1,952-1,610 record (.548 win pct., 3rd-best in majors), and advanced to the postseason 13 times, including 12 of the past 18 seasons. The Cardinals 71 postseason wins since 1996 are 2nd in the majors (NY Yankees, 104). The team has finished in first place 11 times, won four NL pennants and two World Series while drawing over 70 million fans.
  • The Cardinals have made 28 postseason appearances in franchise history and have drawn more than five million fans to postseason games in St. Louis.
  • For the first time in franchise history, the Cardinals have advanced to the postseason in five consecutive seasons (2011-15).
  • The Cardinals have advanced to the postseason in six (2009, '11, '12, '13, '14, '15) of their ten seasons under General Manager John Mozeliak. The Cardinals 897 wins under Mozeliak's watch rank 3rd to the NY Yankees (910) and LA Dodgers (900) in that time span.
  • The Cardinals have played in 61 playoff games since 2011, the most of any major league team since that time.
  • Since 2011, St. Louis has a Major League best 32 postseason wins.
  • In 2011 and in 2013, Baseball America named the Cardinals the Baseball Organization of the Year.
  • There are 48 former Cardinal players, managers and executives enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame Museum in Cooperstown, New York.
Inside Busch Stadium