St. Louis Cardinals’ Affiliation with Memphis

March 2014 marked an epic end and beginning to the journey between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Memphis Redbirds.

It was at this point that St. Louis finalized the purchase of the Memphis franchise and leased the stadium called AutoZone Park. I grew up in Arkansas and grew up a St. Louis Cardinals fan.  I remember attending Arkansas Travelers games when the Travelers were minor league affiliates of my favorite team.

I remember attending autograph and photograph day in Busch Stadium II (have the pictures to prove it).  But my memory is now clouded and filled with my love of the Memphis Redbirds.

Growing up in Arkansas so close to Memphis allowed me many opportunities to attend minor league games watching players of the future.  As a matter of fact, my wife and I attended a Redbirds game as a date (have the pictures to prove this too).  I remember seeing a young Albert Pujols, a young Yadier Molina, and even watching Mark Mulder attempt his comeback.  In short, I love AutoZone Park and our Memphis Redbirds!

In my early days of attending AutoZone Park, the Memphis Redbirds were owned by the City of Memphis and we operated as the AAA affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals but were independently owned.  This meant that there was always the chance that the following season could see the Cardinals relocate their AAA team to another city and moniker.

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This stress was put to rest in March of 2014.  After many years of back-and-forth negotiations, the Cardinals organization purchased the Memphis Redbirds franchise and agreed to lease AutoZone Park to keep the Redbirds in their home and to maintain the Memphis-to-St. Louis bus route for climbing players.

This was a giant step in the right direction.  I remember this transaction very well as I watched daily for the news of GM John Mozeliak and Chariman Bill Dewitt, Jr. arriving in Memphis and meeting with the Memphis City Council.  I remember these meetings seeming to go well and then not well and then well again.

According to WREG Channel 3, the CBS affiliate in Memphis, Mozeliak was excited about the purchase such that the Cardinals could grow profits for the organization.  Further, quoted in an MLB.com article, Chairman Dewitt, Jr added that the purchase provides for stability of “professional baseball in Memphis” (Joey Nowak, MLB.com).

In the same WREG Channel 3 article, Chairman/CEO William Dewitt, Jr is quotes as saying, “We are pleased to finalize the purchase of the Redbirds and are looking forward to a long-term partnership with the city of Memphis…”(Joey Nowak, mlb.com).  Long-term sounds like music to the ears of many in the home of the blues!

Having moved to the Memphis area in August of 2015, I am excited to now live in this great town and have the chance to attend these games more regularly.  I am excited about the chance to watch Memphis’ stars and tomorrow’s major league players.

I too am excited for the chance to see rehabbing players who will undoubtedly need to swing through Memphis on assignment.  If you haven’t yet read my countdown posts, go check them out as I am examining the 2016 Redbirds for whom I have great excitement.

A few additional notes… Before the purchase, AutoZone Park was a great place that was filled with Memphis fare (read: Rendevous BBQ, etc.).  After the purchase, AutoZone Park is a great place that is now filled with St. Louis-based, semi-Memphis fare (read: imitation Memphis BBQ, etc.).  This is not a terribly bad thing but a little majesty of Memphis was lost in this transaction.  Some things remained like Rocky the mascot and the baseball girls, but some of the changes took a little wind out of this downtown location.

Next: St. Louis Cardinals: National League Loses Another Bird Killer

I’m pleased to report that I’m working on a new series to come after spring training begins and before the minor league season begins.  This new series will focus on the people of AutoZone Park: the vendors, the ushers, Rocky, and the myriad other characters who inhabit this great park.  My hope is that these interviews will provide a glimpse into parts of the game experience often overlooked by spectators such that each of us will enjoy our time with the Redbirds even more.

Follow me on twitter and keep watching for this new series after the start of spring training!