Busch Stadium Memories: #8-Home Opener 2001

April 9, 2001 was the home opener for the Cardinals and my most memorable Opening Day experience. The Cardinals played the Rockies and while neither team made the playoffs that year, it was still a great game. Great for many reasons...

1) It was my first Opening Day since turning 21. Needless to say, I can't recall all the fine details of the day.
2) Anytime you are taking a personal day from work to go to the Cardinal game, it is a great day. Add the fact that it was probably the nicest day we had all Spring and you've got a winner.
3) Will Clark threw out the first pitch. I know there was no one in the LF bleachers that day as excited as I was that Will the Thrill (anyone out there remember the Thrillers?) was throwing out the first pitch.
4) The Cardinals won 3-2 on a wild pitch in the bottom of the 9th.
5) Did I mention the beer was cold that day? If I didn't, it was.
6) The thirdbaseman for the Cardinals, hitting in the 7-hole, hit a bomb in the bottom of the 2nd inning just below the Stadium Club. It was the first Busch Stadium home run for a guy named Albert Pujols and I'm proud to say that I was there.

Opening Days are always nice, and while it may seem like nothing too eventful happened that day, it was just one of those days when there is no other place you'd rather be.