Sitting in the box seats slightly to the first base side of home plate, Mark Botterman of St. Louis, John Jacobsen of Kirkwood and Paul Steimle of University City, wore basic Cardinal gear.
But the fourth member of their quartet, Bob Grana of Wildwood, proudly wore his Peoria Chiefs baseball jersey.
The Wildwood resident has more reason than most to root for the Cardinals' Low-A affiliate in the Midwest League. His son, 2009 Lafayette High grad Kyle Grana, is the closer for the team.
"This year, he's been nominated by Minor League Baseball for reliever of the year," said Grana, who said his son, 24, has just returned home for the winter, much to the delight of his mother, Mary Lou Grana.