Playin' Hookey at the Stadium

One of the reasons that downtown generally and Busch Stadium specifically is so top of mind, is that I got to spend an afternoon with friends at the ballpark yesterday. While it felt like playin' hookey, skippin' out of the office shortly after 12:30, I had already scheduled the afternoon off.

The visit there reminded me yet again of just how much I like the newer stadium. Its red brick exterior, repeated throughout its interior, just looks old-world. And, since the brick is fairly common in downtown construction, both old and new, it looks all the more at home.

The trip had been planned because Harriet got discounted bleachers through her work. She, the MonkeyGirl, JoAnn and a few other friends made an event of it (sadly, Mama Martha couldn't join us). The Cardinals made it fun and Mother Nature gave us lots of sunshine, punctuated with some serious wind (gusting to 40 mph).

The MonkeyGirl and I were showered with fireworks debris as we attempted to make our way to our seats from the concessions area. We missed the first few at-bats but already the Cardinals were up 3-0. I, of course, had to drag the camera along.

I got some good shots of pitcher Adam Wainwright in action. Here's one.

My favorite shot sequence of the day though was total luck. I managed to get the swing and the concluding connection of a sixth-inning homerun by Tyler Greene that put the Cards up 9-3.
I love this one because you can see the ball before he takes a few layers off of it!

Look at the faces of the some crowd as they watch to see if it will go out of the park.

The Cards ultimately swept the Braves. The final score: 10-4.