Two Cardinals Games in One Weekend

My son started his senior year of high school last month.  He is involved in plenty of activities including marching band, soccer, and baseball.  Most Saturdays until the end of October he will have a band competition, and/or a soccer game.  Makes for a busy day, but I try my best not to miss anything.  Sometimes that results in driving a lot of miles.  This past weekend was a prime example.

We had tickets for Sunday's Cardinals game for months now.  Not a problem, as my son had a soccer game Saturday morning.  Friday morning we were offered two free tickets for that night's game.  My son had practice, but my wife wanted to go.  After we got off work that afternoon, we drove the 2.5 hours to the game and drove back that night.  Saturday we drove about an hour to my son's game.  Sunday we repeated the trip to St. Louis.  12 hours on the road in about a two day span.  Good thing I love to drive.    

I was thrilled to go to Friday night's game.  The Cardinals were celebrating the 40th reunion of the 1985 NL Championship.  Like many other Cardinals fans, I believe they would have won the World Series if not for the famous Don Denkinger blown call in Game 6.  Over 20 members of that team were recognized on the field before the game.  The Cardinals also gave away 2 mystery bobbleheads to go along with the 1985 theme.

Triple bobbleheads are really cool.  I like how pitchers are on one, while hitters are on the other.  The Cardinals were also selling a special scorecard just for that night's game.  Well worth the $3.  The game itself was a stinker, as the Giants won 8-2.  It was my first time seeing Michael McGreevy pitch in person.  I was hoping for better results, but am still a believer.

Sunday my son joined my wife and I for the annual American Cancer Society game.  Gates opened for the pregame activities at 9:00.  Just like previous years, our main focus was the autographs.  

Despite his poor start on Friday, McGreevy was our first stop.  Glad to add a sweet spot baseball to the collection.

Their is not much to Saggese's auto, but this is my first time getting him on cards.  

John Costello was at the same table as Saggese.  I have 22 different cards of him.  18 of them are now signed.

Our next table had 3 different players.  Leahy autographed a card for me a few years ago in Peoria.  Nice to add a big league card.

I took this picture of Nathan Church at a Peoria Chiefs game in 2023.  He asked if I knew if he hit the ball.  I did, it was an RBI double.

I bought two of these scorecards Friday night.  One I plan to get members from the 1985 to sign, like Andy Van Slyke.

We were one of the last people to get Graceffo.  Not sure whose autograph is worse, his or Saggese's.  

The rest of our autographs.  The Busch Stadium cards are Scott Spiezo and Benji Molina.  The post card is signed by Molina, Spiezo, and Leahy.  23 autographs in an hour and fifteen minutes is not bad.  Sunday's game was much better, as the Cardinals won 4-3.  We arrived home about 7:00 Sunday evening.  Exhausting weekend, but fun.  Forgot to mention my son's soccer team won 6-1 on Saturday.