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ST LOUIS, MISSOURI – MAY 16: Shirtless fans cheer during the game between the Kansas City Royals and the St. Louis Cardinals in the fifth inning at Busch Stadium on May 16, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Puetz\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
The St. Louis Cardinals<\/a> are making waves in baseball media with a new trend that\u2019s sparked at Busch Stadium.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n In game one of the I-70 series against the Kansas City Royals<\/a>, the Redbird fandom spearheaded a \u2018tarps off movement\u2019 in the right field bleachers.\u00a0<\/p>\n What started as a few gentleman visiting from a small town in Texas, waving their shirts above their heads like rally towels, quickly escalated into a crowd of what looked to be well over 500 rowdy shirtless fans.\u00a0<\/p>\n Brenden Schaeffer, a Cardinals<\/a> writer for MLB.com<\/a> and STL Sports Central, referred to the group as \u2018shirtless youths\u2019 when they first took form.\u00a0<\/p>\n A group of shirtless youths has congregated in one of the right field sections, chanting like this is a college football game.<\/p>\n They just got shown on the Busch Stadium videoboard during the meeting on the mound, and they\u2019re ready to erupt for a potential walk off.<\/p>\n JJ bats.<\/p>\n These so-called \u2018shirtless youths\u2019 willed the Cardinals to their fourth walk-off victory of the season. In the 11th inning, pinch-hitting expert Yohel Pozo came off the bench and laced a single to right field. As he leaped and bounded down the first baseline, it was clear he was motioning to the right field bleachers, applauding the passion from the fans.\u00a0<\/p>\n Fredbird even got in on the action postgame when he removed his\u2026 shirt? And proceeded to wave it above his head in congruence with the rowdy confluence.\u00a0<\/p>\n Manager Oliver Marmol was outspoken in his approval of the newfound tradition. So much so, in fact, the Cardinal skipper funded the shirtless brigade for the next two games.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhoever started that in right field, I\u2019ll do whatever I need to do to make sure they come every game.\u201d<\/p>\n Oli Marmol opens his postgame press conference by praising the shirtless fan section tonight at Busch. <\/p>\n @MatrixMidwest<\/a> | #stlcards<\/a> <\/p>\n Energy at Busch Stadium is finally starting to match the Redbird record. And baseball is taking notice.\u00a0<\/p>\n MLB World Reacts to \u2018Tarps Off\u2019 Section at Busch Stadium\u00a0<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what baseball is saying about Busch Stadium\u2019s newest fad:\u00a0<\/p>\n Benjamin Hochman<\/a>: \u201cThe \u2018tarps off\u2019 fans have spread into four sections here at Busch Stadium!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n John Denton<\/a>: \u201cThe boys from @SFAClubBsbl<\/a> are in Alton, Ill., today playing in the Division II World Series, but the \u2018Tarps Off\u2019 flash mob trend is still going strong at Busch Stadium. They\u2019re still doing the #STLCards<\/a> roll call and growing in numbers by the inning.\u201d<\/p>\n Derrick Goold<\/a>: \u201c\u2018As close to the majors as I\u2019m going to get.\u2019 \u2014 one of the #sfasu<\/a> players says before Masyn Winn hands him a signed bat as thanks for creating a raucous (and shirtless) vibe at Busch Stadium this weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n Foul Territory<\/a>: \u201cOli Marmol on the shirtless fan section that became prominent at last night\u2019s game: \u2018Whoever started that in right field, I\u2019ll do whatever I need to do to make sure they come every game.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Jomboy Media<\/a>: \u201cThe Stephen F. Austin club baseball team started the Cardinals new tarps off rallying cry so they welcomed them in the clubhouse after the win.\u201d<\/p>\n Tamar Sher<\/a>: \u201cIt did indeed become a thing. #STLCards<\/a> manager Oli Marmol created some lifelong Cardinals fans after giving away free tickets to bring back the \u2018tarps off\u2019 crew. They were chanting Oli\u2019s name all game \u2014 now here\u2019s a shoutout from the guys who started it all, @SFAClubBsbl<\/a>. @MatrixMidwest<\/a> | @KMOV<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n The Cardinals Need to Keep the Fun Times Rolling\u00a0<\/p>\n After the second game of the series, Marmol invited the SFA Baseball Club into the Cardinal clubhouse, where they met the team and took a photo.\u00a0<\/p>\n Shortstop Masyn Winn was quoted as saying this is \u201cthe most fun he\u2019s ever had\u201d in his baseball career<\/a>.<\/p>\n Preseason projections for St. Louis were anything but fun. All the baby birds have done is deny betting odds, analysts, and couch GMs all season. The addition of crazed fans to the equation only adds to the happy chaos. If this Redbird roster wants to ride momentum all the way to October<\/a>, they might as well promote this brand-new tradition.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tAJ Stone<\/a> AJ Stone is a baseball writer for Heavy, covering MLB news and various trends. His work has also appeared on Redbird Rants, Inside Halos, District on Deck, and other digital outlets. With a focus on analytics, he aims to blend data with storytelling for an engaging experience for his readers. More about AJ Stone<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n \t