Cardinals Create Shirtless Fan Section at Busch Stadium

When 100 shirtless baseball fans turned an empty section into a party during extra innings, the St. Louis Cardinals didn't just tolerate it. They made it permanent.

The team announced this week that the upper right field bleachers at Busch Stadium will now serve as an official "high energy fan section" where shirts are optional. Any fan in the ballpark can join, regardless of where their ticket says to sit.

The "Tarps Off" movement started last Friday when Caleb Cummings, a 20-year-old college baseball player, rallied friends to an empty section during a game against the Kansas City Royals. As the game stretched into the 11th inning, more fans joined until the entire section was packed and shirtless.

When the Cardinals won in walk-off fashion, the section exploded. Manager Oli Marmol noticed immediately.

"Whoever started that in right field, I'll do whatever I need to do to make sure they come to every game," Marmol said after the win. "That was awesome."

He kept his promise. Marmol bought tickets for the group to return that weekend and invited them to the clubhouse after Saturday's win.

"What you guys did for them was actually pretty damn special," he told the fans in his office. "They fed off of it, they loved every second of last night."

The Ripple Effect

The shirtless section has already changed how players celebrate. When Ivan Herrera hit a walk-off home run against Pittsburgh on Tuesday, he pretended to wave his shirt around in salute to the fans. His teammates immediately started pulling off his uniform after he crossed home plate.

The energy spread beyond one section too. Other fans throughout the stadium started feeding off the atmosphere, turning regular weeknight games into events worth showing up for.

What started as a spontaneous idea from one college kid became a movement that a Major League Baseball team officially embraced. Now every Cardinals home game has a place where fans know they can bring maximum energy and zero dress code worries.

The Cardinals are hoping the section brings that same electricity to every home game for the rest of the season.