ST. LOUIS — The home opener of Cardinals baseball season, St. Louis' unofficial high holiday, has been a "shut down at work, show up at the game" affair for decades.
But this time around, a pandemic beat the game to the shutting-down stage, and the lack of fans in the stands is expected to take much of the steam away from the showing-up part.
The Redbirds' pandemically pared season (60 games, instead of 162) begins at 7:15 p.m. Friday at Busch Stadium against the Pittsburgh Pirates, sans fans.
Sadly, other rituals will be missing this year, as well.