It’s Marine Week in St. Louis, and that event spilled over into last night’s Cardinals game. Directly across the street from Busch Stadium, there’s an area known, (somewhat sarcastically to those of us who live here), as “Ballpark Village.” As nothing else is on that land, it was the perfect place for the Marines to set up their static aircraft display. We didn’t have a chance to go walk around it, but we did get a good view of it from the bridge connecting the parking garage with the stadium area.

The Marine Band played before the game, including one of my favorites, “Stars and Stripes Forever.” They were very good, and it really added a festive air to the pre-game rituals. There is also something very grand about seeing such precision in a musical performance–just a reminder of the great ceremony that accompanies everything military!

The Marines also present the colors before the game. There was something really cool about seeing them standing at attention in the outfield, in the middle of the players warming up–it was like they were oblivious to everything around them but their task, which, I guess, they actually probably were!

At the end of the National Anthem, there was a Harrier jet flyover. I don’t think I’ve ever been at game with a flyover before, although I’ve certainly seen plenty of military aircraft at all of the air shows we’ve been to. It was really cool to see them go right over the stadium, (although a few of our children thought it was a bit too loud!) and it certainly added a little something to the end of the anthem.

In addition to being Marine Week, the Cardinals were also on ESPN last night. Guess who showed up to be filmed for the filler shots?

In all the times I’ve seen the Clydesdales at Grant’s Farm and the Anheuser-Busch brewery, I’ve never seen them all dressed up in their finery. They attracted quite a crowd–even the police officer assigned to keep people at a respectable distance was taking pictures. They are quite a magnificent sight to see!

It was kind of a spur-of-the-moment decision to go to the game, and in the end, the Cards lost, but it was still a really cool game to be at–full of unexpected moments and very unique events!