ST. LOUIS (AP) 鈥� St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol believes in the 鈥渘o shirt, no problem鈥� mantra.
His club was and again on Saturday by a group of college players in the right-field seats who took off and waved their shirts as they sang, chanted and drew others into the fray.
Marmol loved it so much that he bought tickets for shirtless revelers this weekend.
鈥淟ast night鈥檚 atmosphere was electric. Let鈥檚 run it back this weekend,鈥� Marmol said in . 鈥淚鈥檒l buy tickets for fans who want to sit in the right field Loge and bring the energy.鈥�
It all began when the Stephen F. Austin club baseball team, known as the Lumberjacks, was in nearby Alton, Illinois, for the National Club Baseball Division II World Series. The Cardinals offered tickets to the team, and 17 players attended.
By the time Yohel Pozo hit a walk-off single in the 11th inning, the Lumberjacks had other fans 鈥� and even the mascot Fredbird 鈥� joining in on the ruckus.
鈥淲hoever started that in right field, I鈥檒l do whatever I need to do to make sure they come every game,鈥� Marmol said Friday night. 鈥淏ecause that was awesome. Not only them, but everybody that showed up today. That was a fun environment.鈥�
The college players were back Saturday, when they shouted Marmol’s name numerous times along with 鈥淢-V-P!鈥� when Jordan Walker came to bat. Other fans in the stadium joined in on the fun.
鈥淚 heard it pretty clear,鈥� Marmol said. 鈥淲elcome back to Busch. It was cool to see them back. The environment was awesome. We feed off that.鈥�
Will he keep buying tickets?
鈥淚’ll go broke,鈥� Marmol quipped.
The 鈥渢arps off鈥� trend 鈥� celebrating by taking a shirt off and waving it 鈥� is not new to sports, but it was to Busch Stadium.
Friday night’s fans may have inadvertently created a new tradition.
The fans sang soccer chants and shouted players鈥� names. The stadium organist, Dwayne Hilton, played accompanying music and got everyone involved.
The party had grown to multiple sections by the 11th inning.
鈥淚t creates an environment where, it鈥檚 not only filling this place up, it鈥檚 making it a tough place for other teams to come in and play,鈥� Marmol said Friday. 鈥淭hat was pretty damn cool. I鈥檒l sign up for that, any day.鈥�
The Cardinals said Marmol bought right-field tickets for both games this weekend, and all of them were snapped up by Saturday afternoon.
The Lumberjacks returned to Busch Stadium after a come-from-behind 9-8 win over Stony Brook earlier in the day.
and the Cardinals rewarded the Lumberjacks, who were given swag bags of hats and shirts.
They also were invited into the clubhouse and Marmol’s office after the game. Several Cardinals posed for photos with them and some even gave away bats and baseballs.
Masyn Winn, who is in his third full season, marveled at the energy in the stadium.
鈥淚’ve never been in a playoff but this was a playoff atmosphere,鈥� Winn said. 鈥淚t’s hard not to have fun when the fans are like that. We’ve got the best fans in the world but it seems like the younger generation makes it more like a college atmosphere. I think it’s good for the game.鈥�
Freshman pitcher Caleb Cummings, of League City, Texas, couldn’t believe his good fortune.
鈥淚 don’t even know what to say,鈥� Cummings said. 鈥淚t’s the coolest thing that’s ever happened to me. We’re in the clubhouse. It’s just crazy.
鈥淭he Cardinals are a great organization and led by a great manager.鈥�
Cummings is a St. Louis fan now.
鈥淚 didn’t think I’d ever switch. I’m a diehard Astros fan but man, the Cardinals just showed me so much this weekend,鈥� Cummings said.
The college crew may be back Sunday, but they have their own game to play at 7 p.m.
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