Photos: St. Louis Cardinals fans turn downtown into 'a sea of red' on Opening Day

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Photos: St. Louis Cardinals fans turn downtown into 'a sea of red' on Opening Day

漏 2024 外网天堂 | By Brian Munoz

Published March 30, 2023 at 4:52 PM CDT

Wanda Love, of north St. Louis, throws her arms up in jubilation as red and white confetti rains down on St. Louis Cardinals fans on Thursday, March 30, 2023, during Opening Day celebrations outside of Busch Stadium. — Wanda Love, of north St. Louis, throws her arms up in jubilation as red and white confetti rains down on Cardinals fans on Thursday during Opening Day celebrations outside Busch Stadium.

A sea of red flooded downtown for the St. Louis Cardinals' Opening Day matchup against the Toronto Blue Jays.

St. Louis from the playoffs last season. The team starts its fresh campaign with a lineup that includes a, and high hopes among fans across Cardinals Nation.

Janet Daniels has been to every Opening Day since 1958, having called it her 鈥渉oly day of obligation.鈥� The first for the 85-year-old was alongside her late husband Dan, where the Cardinals played against the Chicago Cubs.

鈥淚t was a passion for my husband and that's how it all started because he's the one that loved baseball," she said, adding she鈥檚 kept up the tradition alongside her son Stephen after his passing. 鈥淚t just becomes a thrill each year, it's just something I really look forward to.鈥�

In addition to 66 consecutive Opening Days at Busch Stadium, Daniels said she鈥檚 been to 25 of the 30 Major League ballparks but hopes to finish visiting the rest soon.

Ronnie Davis, 31, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, has been a lifelong fan but had never made the trek to Busch Stadium. 鈥淲hen I was growing up, we didn鈥檛 have a baseball team in D.C.,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen I was in elementary school is when [Mark] McGuire was just crushing home runs, and I just got super into the Cardinals and just stuck with it ever since.鈥�

Fredbird takes a selfie with Dylan Rambler, 26, of Washington D.C., and Ronnie Davis, 31, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, on Thursday, March 30, 2023, during Opening Day celebrations at Busch Stadium. — Fredbird takes a selfie with Dylan Rambler, 26, of Washington D.C., and Ronnie Davis, 31, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, on Thursday at Busch Stadium.

Little did Davis know, his wife and family were planning to surprise him with a getaway to celebrate Opening Day in St. Louis alongside his best friend, Dylan Rambler, 26, of Washington, D.C.

鈥淏eing here being around the other fans is just, it's breathtaking,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淚 would go to PNC Park often to see the Cardinals, and I always thought that that ballpark was amazing, but this atmosphere here just like blows that out of the water.鈥�

Crystal Bailey, 63, of north St. Louis, said Opening Day marks a new chapter of the year that's filled with baseball and warmer weather. "It just brings everybody together, and you just get to see a sea of red," the longtime former usher at Busch Stadium said while standing alongside her sister, Drena Ross. "That means summer is coming."

Ross, who is also experiencing her first Opening Day at Busch Stadium, said she was astounded at the friendliness of everyone at the stadium. "It's so upbeat," she said. I mean, you see everybody from every walk of life. You see them in their Cardinals gear, [and] the red is my favorite color. I love it."

Buffie Phillips, 49, of south St. Louis, shared similar sentiments on the atmosphere.

鈥淚 mean, you can feel the electricity in the city that everybody is here to support our home team,鈥� she said, adding that she decided several months ago to take the day off from her job as a mortician in order to celebrate Opening Day. "The day is great. This is something that we live for."

See photos from this year's Opening Day below:

Jason McAfee, 48, of Champaign, Ill., shows off his St. Louis Cardinals bling on Thursday at Kiener Plaza.

Baseball fans walk past the World Series trophy on Thursday, March 30, 2023, during Opening Day celebrations outside of Ballpark Village. — Baseball fans walk past the World Series trophy replica on Thursday during Opening Day celebrations outside Ballpark Village.

Brandon Matthews, 34, of Belleville, belts out a line from the song 鈥淕reat Balls of Fire鈥� on Thursday, March 30, 2023, during St. Louis Cardinals Opening Day celebrations outside of Busch Stadium. — Brandon Matthews, 34, of Belleville, belts out a line from the song 鈥淕reat Balls of Fire鈥� on Thursday during Cardinals Opening Day celebrations outside Busch Stadium.

Barb Slattery, 76, of St. Charles, winds up a pitch clocking in at 28 miles per hour on Thursday, March 30, 2023, during Opening Day festivities at Kiener Plaza. — Barb Slattery, 76, of St. Charles, winds up for a pitch that clocked in at 28 mph on Thursday during Opening Day festivities at Kiener Plaza.

Debbie Green, 65, of Oakville, celebrates her birthday on Thursday, March 30, 2023, during Opening Day celebrations outside of Busch Stadium. — Debbie Green, 65, of Oakville, celebrates her birthday on Thursday during Opening Day celebrations outside Busch Stadium.

Fans walk by the Stan Musial statue in front of Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 30, 2023, before the St. Louis Cardinals take on the Toronto Blue Jays in downtown St. Louis. — Fans walk by the Stan Musial statue in front of Busch Stadium on Thursday before the St. Louis Cardinals take on the Toronto Blue Jays in downtown St. Louis.

The Toronto Blue Jays and the St. Louis Cardinals line up for the National Anthem on Thursday, March 30, 2023, during Opening Day at Busch Stadium. — The Toronto Blue Jays and the St. Louis Cardinals line up for introductions and national anthems on Thursday at Busch Stadium.

The Anheuser-Busch Clydesdales trot through Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 30, 2023, before the Toronto Blue Jays take on the St. Louis Cardinals during Opening Day. — The Budweiser Clydesdales trot through Busch Stadium on Thursday before the game.

St. Louis Cardinals鈥� Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith waves to the crowd on Thursday, March 30, 2023, during Opening Day pregame festivities at Busch Stadium. — Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith waves to the crowd on Thursday during Opening Day pregame festivities at Busch Stadium.

St. Louis Cardinals鈥� Adam Wainwright (#50) puts his arm on Jordan Montgomery鈥檚 (#47) shoulder after singing the National Anthem on Thursday, March 30, 2023, during Opening Day at Busch Stadium. — The Cardinals鈥� Adam Wainwright puts his arm on teammate Jordan Montgomery鈥檚 shoulder after singing the national anthem on Thursday before an Opening Day matchup with the Toronto Blue Jays at Busch Stadium.

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Miles Mikolas (#39) launches the ball on Thursday, March 30, 2023, during the team鈥檚 Opening Day matchup against the Toronto Blue Jays at Busch Stadium. — St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Miles Mikolas (#39) launches the ball on Thursday during the team鈥檚 Opening Day matchup against the Toronto Blue Jays at Busch Stadium.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker (#18) stands in the outfield on Thursday, March 30, 2023, during the team鈥檚 Opening Day matchup against the Toronto Blue Jays at Busch Stadium. Walker is the Cardinals鈥� youngest position player to make his Major League debut since 1981. — St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker (#18) stands in the outfield on Thursday during the team鈥檚 Opening Day matchup against the Toronto Blue Jays at Busch Stadium. Walker is the Cardinals鈥� youngest position player to make his Major League debut since 1981.

More than 47,000 people pack into Busch Stadium on Thursday making it the second largest Opening Day crowd in stadium history.

St. Louis Cardinals catcher Wilson Contreras (#40) applauds next to First Base Coach Stubby Clapp (#82) after reaching first base while under pressure from Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr (27) on Thursday, March 30, 2023, during Opening Day at Busch Stadium. — St. Louis Cardinals catcher Wilson Contreras (#40) applauds next to First Base Coach Stubby Clapp (#82) after reaching first base while under pressure from Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr (27) on Thursday during Opening Day at Busch Stadium.

St. Louis Cardinals鈥� Lars Nootbaar (#21) runs to home base from third on Thursday, March 30, 2023, during the team鈥檚 matchup against the Toronto Blue Jays on Opening Day in Busch Stadium. — St. Louis Cardinals鈥� Lars Nootbaar (#21) runs to home base from third on Thursday during the team鈥檚 matchup against the Toronto Blue Jays on Opening Day in Busch Stadium.

Fans watch the Toronto Blue Jays and the St. Louis Cardinals play on Thursday, March 30, 2023, during Opening Day at Busch Stadium. — Fans watch the Blue Jays and Cardinals play on Thursday at Busch Stadium.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker (#18) stands by Tyler O'Neill (#27) and Lars Nootbaar (#21) on Thursday, March 30, 2023, during the team鈥檚 Opening Day matchup against the Toronto Blue Jays at Busch Stadium. — St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker (#18) stands by Tyler O'Neill (#27) and Lars Nootbaar (#21) on Thursday during the team鈥檚 Opening Day matchup against the Toronto Blue Jays at Busch Stadium.

The Toronto Blue Jays鈥� Vladimir Guerrero Jr (27) prays before the team鈥檚 Opening Day matchup against the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday, March 30, 2023, at Busch Stadium. — The Blue Jays鈥� Vladimir Guerrero Jr. prays before the team鈥檚 Opening Day matchup against the Cardinals on Thursday at Busch Stadium.

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr (27) is called safe on second base on Thursday, March 30, 2023, during their Opening Day matchup against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. The Blue Jays would later go on to win, 10-9. — Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr (27) is called safe on second base on Thursday during their Opening Day matchup against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. The Blue Jays would later go on to win, 10-9.

The sun begins to set on fans watching the St. Louis Cardinals watch the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday, March 30, 2023, during Opening Day at Busch Stadium. — The sun begins to set on fans watching the St. Louis Cardinals watch the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday during Opening Day at Busch Stadium.

The Budweiser-St. Louis Cardinals neon clock is illuminated on Thursday, March 30, 2023, during Opening Day at Busch Stadium. — The Budweiser-St. Louis Cardinals neon clock is illuminated on Thursday during Opening Day at Busch Stadium.

Wayne Pratt contributed to this report.

Correction: A previous version of this story misstated Buffie Phillips鈥� age. She is 49.