With baseball season beginning, did you ever wonder how Busch Stadium in St. Louis got its name. Why wasn't it named Budweiser Field or Michelob Park. There is quite a history behind the name. From 1920 until 1953 the Cardinals shared a stadium with an American League team named the St Louis Browns. The stadium was known as Sportsman's Park and the Browns were owned by legendary owner Bill Veeck. Veeck would years later own the White Sox and be involved in the infamous "Disco Demolition Night" promotion. He was also behind bringing a midget named Eddie Gaedel to bat in another infamous promotion sponsored by Falstaff Beer in 1951. This promo was held at Sportsman's Park, an event that was attended by Adam's grandfather, Louis Vitale. In any event, by the early fifties, the Cardinals were by far the favorite in St Louis and Veeck was in trouble. In 1953, Cardinals owner Fred Saigh was convicted on tax evasion charges, and facing certain banishment from baseball, sold the Cardinals to Anheuser-Busch. Knowing he couldn't compete with A-B's deep pockets, Veeck sold Sportsman's Park to A-B for $800,000. A-B renovated the stadium, and the Browns moved to Baltimore and became the Orioles in 1954. At this point, A-B owner, August "Gussie" Busch Jr., wanted to rename Sportsman's Park Budweiser Stadium. However, then Commissioner of Baseball Ford Frick would not allow the name because it was associated with alcohol. "Gussie" responded by naming the old park Busch Stadium, after the family's last name. Frick could not stop this, and the name was officially changed to Busch Stadium in 1954. A-B would soon roll out Busch Bavarian Beer and use the stadium name to advertise the beer and not the family name. Most people still called the old stadium Sportsman's Park and continue to call it that to this day, even though it was really Busch Stadium the last 12 years of its existence. The ballpark was also used by the St. Louis Cardinals football team from 1960-1965, but both they and the baseball team moved to the brand new Busch Memorial Stadium in downtown St Louis in 1966. The old park was soon demolished and the new Busch Stadium served its entire life under the Busch Stadium and earlier Busch Memorial Stadium names. That stadium was replaced by the third Busch Stadium, built next door in 2006. Busch #2 was demolished in 2005, but A-B continued the naming rights for the third Busch, even though they no longer owned the Cardinals. The naming rights are no longer free, however, and A-B paid millions to keep the Busch Stadium name. They have paid for the rights through 2025 and will have first right of refusal to continue or not continue the Busch Stadium name in 2026. My guess is that St. Louis is a Cardinal Baseball and A-B town and that the Brewery will not let the naming rights go to somebody else. Can you imagine a Miller Lite Stadium or even Purina Field instead of Busch.
It just doesn't sound possible. So, the next time you go to a Cardinal game or watch one on television, grab a cold Busch and salute 60 years of three different Busch Stadiums.
