Awesome dinner with the Cards

by papapegasus on May 28, 2009 3:20 PM EDT

I just got my membership activated here at El Birdos, wanted to relay a great weekend while traveling to watch the Cards.

I originally posted this over at TST.

My wife, daughter and I are displaced St. Louisians. I am stationed in northern IL with the Army as a recruiter.

Anyway, we stayed in Milwaukee over the Memorial Day weekend to catch the Cards-Brewers game on Monday. BTW a big shout out to the staff there that gave us a kick ass military discount of $99 a night!

We went down to the hotel restraunt, which we didn't know at the time but was exspensive as hell. My wife and I contemplated going somewhere else, but decided to stay and spoil ourselves. About halfway through the first course the waiter leads Rick Ankiel, Chris Duncan, Skip Schumacher, and Nick Stavinoha to the table right next to us. Now we were sitting along a very long bench with tables lined up next to each other. They sat right next to us, just a few feet away.

My kid was right next to Skip and my wife was right next to Nick. I was in shock that they were there, leaned over to ask my wife in an excited but hushed breath, "Do you know who they are? OMG!" She was equally excited, but we both played it cool, deciding to instead of being the annoying fans rushing up for auto's, to be the cool guys and just get up at the end of dinner and wish them a good game.

Skip and my kid had a chat about spiderman, and wolverine, and anything else 7 year old girls love to talk about. Larue walks up later and sits his big butt on the corner of our table. Skip tells him to get up, Rick leans over and says, "he does that kind of stuff all the time, please forgive him." We all laughed and Larue left red faced.

Anyway, we wished them a good game and left, excited as all hell.

The next day at batting practice my kid caught a ball hit off the bat of Skip, and we had a quick chat with Tony.

Yeah the Cards lost, and we had to deal with the Brewers fans on the way out to the car, but all in all, not a bad weekend.

Go Cards and Rams! We have the best fans in the world!

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That is awsome.

I might just have to make the rounds to all the San Francisco hotels in search of them this weekend.

"The two most important things in life: good friends and a strong bullpen." - Gibson

by davethebutcher on May 28, 2009 4:06 PM EDT reply actions

I was there a few years back...

And happened to run into the team at the Westin St. Francis. It was very cool. Was riding up in the famous glass elevator and on the way down, in stepped Deirdre and Albert! Later saw many others, including my personal favorite at the time, Edgar Renteria.

I’d check there first if you’re really interested. Teams don’t usually move around all that much.

Let's Go Yadi

by SHUCardinal on May 28, 2009 6:53 PM EDT up reply actions

Indeed

I stayed at the Westin about a month ago, and the Mariners were in town staying at the hotel for their series with the A’s. The doorman told me all the MLB teams stay there, and usually at least a few of them catch a nightcap at the Clock Bar. FWIW

by edgesofsanity on May 28, 2009 8:15 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm pretty sure MLB and Westin have an agreement

so chances are whichever city you’re in, that’s the place you’ll find them.

On with the (good) youth movement!

by aet15 on May 29, 2009 8:18 PM EDT up reply actions

isn't that the hotel on 8th street right across from Busch?

It kind of sounds like he’s [Duncan] just running around like a puppy out there – full speed ahead in random directions. – BTown Birds Fan

by gdm426 on May 29, 2009 9:13 PM EDT up reply actions

I have several friends who work at the Westin downtown

Each team decides for themselves where they are going to stay for the year. There are people at the hotel whose jobs are specifically to get sports teams to stay there when they’re in town. A lot of baseball and hockey teams stay there, but far from all of them.

There is no deal between MLB and the Westin

by mojo7102 on May 30, 2009 12:05 AM EDT up reply actions

Sounds

like an awesome trip!

"If I prepare myself, my stuff is good and I'm going to get outs. That is a fact." - Chris Carpenter

by spants on May 28, 2009 6:15 PM EDT reply actions

Saw the post at TST

and man, that’s gotta be cool. I’m jealous.

Welcome to Baseball Heaven.

by zoomzoomj88 on May 28, 2009 9:12 PM EDT reply actions

Anyone know where they stay while in Chicago?

I would love to drink with Chris Duncan.

by Andyfantastic on May 29, 2009 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Caution

dry-humping hazard.

Because chicks dig the intentional base on balls.

by Felonius_Monk on May 29, 2009 4:30 AM EDT up reply actions

Nah.

He only humps inanimate objects.

"If I prepare myself, my stuff is good and I'm going to get outs. That is a fact." - Chris Carpenter

by spants on May 29, 2009 10:52 AM EDT up reply actions

Don't stand still for too long then.

Because chicks dig the intentional base on balls.

by Felonius_Monk on May 30, 2009 5:19 AM EDT up reply actions

+1

or anyone on the team really

4B - beer baseball bands blog
"OOHHHHH!!!! He knocked out the I in Big Mac Land!!"

by Cards Fan in Chitown on May 29, 2009 3:33 PM EDT up reply actions

In milwaukee

the best place to run into the team is at Blu (Pfister Hotel Bar). I ran into Jimmy, Izzy and Rolen up there a couple years ago and the Secret Weapon was also up there as well.

by mopack on May 29, 2009 3:18 AM EDT reply actions

Pfister

To clarify it was the Pfister we stayed at. We tried to go to Blu while we were there( our room was on the 22nd, Blu is on the 23rd) but it is closed on Sunday!!! But hey, we brought along a gallon of Schmirnoff Lemonade!

They will notice and they will giggle.

by papapegasus on May 29, 2009 8:55 AM EDT reply actions

Team hotels

Great story, papapegasus! And thanks for your service to our country.

Wish I knew where the Cards stayed in Chicago. It used to be the Westin on Michigan Ave. – we got Whitey’s autograph there when I was kid, just dumb luck — but they no longer stay there because of DK, and who can blame them?

It is my understanding that a lot of MLB teams on the road stay at Westins. I was in Philly this past fall for a ten-week trial – ugh – and we stayed at a Westin in Center City. My second night there, I walked into the hotel bar on my way to dinner, and happened to see Bob Uecker sitting there — the playoffs had just begun — so I introduced myself. Told him that it was an honor to meet a member of the 1964 Cardinals World Series Championship team. I tried to not make an idiot out of myself, but not sure if I succeeded — it was pretty exciting! A week or two later, I was walking back into the hotel just as the Dodgers were getting off the team bus. Walked into the hotel right after Nomar, and one of my colleagues met Joe Torre in the elevator. Didn’t see any Rays, although we saw all the wives/girlfriends/kids heading to one of the games. I think some guy named John McCain stayed at the hotel as well during our stay, but I was much more excited about the baseball teams.

"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." A. Bartlett Giamatti

by ChiTown CardFan on May 29, 2009 12:23 PM EDT reply actions

thanks for the story!

that’s really cool

4B - beer baseball bands blog
"OOHHHHH!!!! He knocked out the I in Big Mac Land!!"

by Cards Fan in Chitown on May 29, 2009 3:33 PM EDT reply actions

Westin in Chicago

for years the Cards (and most teams) stayed in the Westin….I had many interesting encounters with Cardinals there……Tewks very humble and down to earth, Ozzie no so much so, McGee a real family man,,,,,and my favorite from the Westin bar, Pedro Guerrero suddenly gets angry because someone jokingly implies in a friendly conversation that Pedro hasn’t missed too many meals – Hrabosky (very friendly guy) intervenes and saves everyone from being in the newspaper the next day because Pedro was evidently not one to take a perceived insult well

Westin location for Cards may have changed since Daryl Kile’s passing

by Hinkster on May 31, 2009 8:17 PM EDT reply actions

and sometimes things turn sour

breakfast at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Cincy (popular spot for all visiting MLB and NFL teams) with friend and his ten year old son………kid tells me he hopes to get autographs at game so I tell him to try the Hall of Famer at the table next to us….I figure I’ve set the kid up perfectly because no one had noticed (or bothered) Tony Perez who was quietly eating alone……kid approaches Perez (on the Marlins staff at the time) who tells kid not to interrupt him while eating……no excuse for blowing off a ten year old

btw….longtime Hyatt Cincy bellman reports the absolute most obnoxious fans for him to deal with are Steelers and Titans

by Hinkster on May 31, 2009 8:28 PM EDT reply actions

I'm on a roll

SI once featured Stan Kasten – now Nats exec but long-time Braves/Hawks exec – and his great story about boldly walking up to Ted Turner seated at Fulton County stadium and ending up with a baseball job with Braves…….figuring Kasten of all people would appreciate such an approach, I (in my 20s) approached him in similar fashion….I mentioned the SI article, complimented him and asked him for advice…..he pretty much told me to get lost…..I’m sure its difficult being a public figure but still……….

I’ve had many more positive encounters but the rude guys you have a hard time forgetting

Thanks for your post papapegasus and thanks for your service and sacrifice

by Hinkster on May 31, 2009 8:35 PM EDT reply actions