The Friendly Confines, Redbird Club, and "June Pick Ups"

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Posted By: Joann

OK. Kind of OT - some leeway?

I try to go to bb games anywhere I can - if I travel I look up every affiliated and indep minor league club anywhere near where I'll be. I get a long-sleeve T-shirt, minibat and logo ball for any home team I've seen, minors or majors. College too if I ever go to one of those games.

I have (among many others) Charlotte Knights, Albuquerque Isotopes, Brooklyn Cyclones, Wichita Wranglers and several pro teams. It's starting to accumulate.

I picked up two more w/in 10 days in June. I FINALLY got a chance to see Wrigley Field on the 16th - and the Tigers playing there, no less. No wonder people love that stadium. I've been in Tiger Stadium and Yankee Stadium, and Wrigley had by far the least outdated feel. And I walked right up to every single concession - literally no more than a 30 second wait in line, and with an SRO crowd (are you paying attention Mike Illich???) lolol.

Then last Tuesday I was in STL for business and got our corporate season tix to the Cardinals game. The seats are part of what's called the Redbird Club. Anyone ever seen this???? It is AC, enclosed, full glass windows to the field, from first to third base. The ENTIRE BACK WALL is covered with paintings of ... Vintage Cards of Cardinals players.

What a sight to see that was, and what a surprise. T205's - Lush, Bresnahan, Oakes, all of them - about maybe 1.5' x 3'? Something like that. I swear the Lush was a beautiful on that wall as it is in person. I have no idea how they recreated these so perfectly for color, tone, subtlety, etc.

CJ's, Goudey's, Diamond STar's, T206's. Even E90-1's, including the breathtaking Oakes. I tried to take pictures w/lame cell phone, but they didn't come out very well. Then I had to lean back and try to get a photo w/my hand in it somewhere for scale - the repro's on the wall are so good the photos I did get looked like pictures of ... cards! I was a little surprised that I hadn't heard of that decor. It is beautiful.

Anyway, here are my June Pick Ups of a different kind, for a different collection I have. Thanks for the OT indulgence, Leon. Mainly I wanted to know if anyone else had seen the vintage card wall in the Busch Stadium Redbird Club.

Joann