Baseball Paradise

Wednesday, July 15, 2009 at 7:00 pm

Baseball Paradise, with tourists desperately searching for air conditioning. But it’s six hours before game time, and fans already are congregated outside Busch Stadium.

They take pictures of Stan Musial, Lou Brock and the other statues of Cardinals greats outside the ballpark. They run toward anyone who looks like a ballplayer, hoping for an autograph. They buy souvenirs in the gift shop and beers at broadcaster Al Hrabosky’s bar after eating lunch at Shannon’s, the popular restaurant owned by Cardinals radio voice Mike Shannon.