World Series Trophy Tour Starts With Date In U. City

DELMAR LOOP – For many die-hard St. Louis Cardinals baseball fans, the 2011 World Series championship-winning party has not ended. In fact, for some, it may never end.

At least that was the sentiment Saturday at the U.S. Cellular store at 6623 Delmar Blvd., in the Delmar Loop, where Cards fans from all over the city took advantage of a rare chance to get up close and personal with the 2011 World Series championship trophy. The official St. Louis Cardinals/U.S. Cellular World Championship Trophy Tour kicked off Saturday with a stop at the U. City-area mobile phone and technology store.

“We love the Cardinals, and it’s pretty cool that they do this," said a U. City resident named Stephanie, who brought her two small children to see the trophy.

“This was so cool,” said Andre McBride, of U. City, who surprised his two teenage sons Jalen and Jovan, by bringing them to see the trophy.

“I knew something was up because he was being all suspicious,” said Jalen McBride. “Something told me we were coming here today, and all I got excited.”

And he wasn’t the only one, as hundreds of Cards fans showed up from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, for their free chance to see the trophy up close and have their photo taken while standing next to it.

“It was really awesome,” said Michael Bloom, a Chesterfield resident, who brought his two young sons Jackson and Asher, to the Loop to have their photos taken as well.

“I’d never seen it before in person,” said Bloom. “I was tempted to pick it up. But I kind of thought better of it.”

Fans aren’t actually allowed to touch the 30-pound, two-foot-tall trophy, because of insurance liabilities, and the Cards and U.S. Cellular made sure to have an entire team of caretakers on hand to make sure no harm came to the trophy nor anyone who came in contact with it.

But most who appeared in U. City on Saturday, seemed immensely excited just getting the chance to see the trophy in person and have their photo taken with it.

“I think it’s great,” said a U. City man and Cards fan, who goes simply by the name ‘Dizzy.’ “The Cardinals won it, but that trophy belongs to all of us. Everybody in Cardinal Nation, that’s our trophy.” 

And the entire Cardinal Nation will get its chance to see the trophy, as the tour will include more than 50 stops at U.S. Cellular locations around the city and state, as well as destinations in southwestern and central Illinois, Tulsa (OK), and possibly Manhattan (KS).

For more information about the trophy tour, or to see the full tour schedule, fans can visit www.cardinals.com/trophytour or call 314.345.9579. Details about the tour will also be posted to the U.S Cellular and St. Louis Cardinals Facebook and Twitter pages.