It's complicated, but ultimately, my Dad was from St Louis and a Cardinals fan. Living on the left coast, we weren't able to be immersed in the fan culture of St Louis, so we used to follow their progress in the sports page and talk about it. I became a life long Lou Brock fan and it cascaded from there.

I grew up in a Cardinal's household. My Grandparents were huge fans. I remember being very bored by baseball when I was younger, and hated watching games, boy how dumb was I.

I started watching games with my Grandma when her health started getting worse in 2003, and I have been hooked ever since then. Each year I get more involved and learn more about the game.

I was very happy that we won the World series in 2006 since it was the last baseball season my Grandma was alive to see. What a fitting way to send off a life long cardinals fan.

it's the offseason, I'm going long...

Growing up 25 miles east of St Louis was the start.

Dad had split season tickets (4 seats, 10 games) during my formative years. They were box seats (section 132, row 19, how I remember this?) on the 1st base side and I'd fill a baseball with autographs each year. But I wasn't very good at not smudging them. The only readable one to this day is Ozzie. Saw Brummer steal home from the bleachers. Saw the Cards beat the Braves 7-0 on my 7th birthday, October 7, 1982 (from the top row down the LF line, take that Uecker). Collected 40 plastic collecter cups during a 1982 WS rain delay. Saw Game 7 in 1982. Saw the Cards 8 run 2nd vs the Dodgers in NLCS '85. Dad eventually gave up the seats because they got too expensive (I think the price per seat was going up from $12).

By then I was hooked. Seats were easy to come by in the early 90's when the team was drawing ~25000. Saw Rickey's middle finger from the LF bleachers in '96. Saw Game 5 of the NLCS (no link, too painful) in '96. Saw Ankiel 2.2 IP vs Atl (no link, more painful) in '00 NLDS. Saw Carp's 3 hitter in '06 (gotta end happy)

DVR allows me to see every game and avoid announcer burnout.

My family is from a small town just south of St. Louis. When I was a kid, I'd sit outside and listen to the games on the radio with my grandpa. He'd sneak me a sip of his Bud every now and then, when my grandma wasn't looking. We started traveling the world because my dad was in the army, but still kept up with the team. I remember Christmas of '82, living in Germany. We all got World Series shirts from my grandparents. I continued to follow the team through the years, and went to a game or two each year, but it wasn't until the late 90s when I became completely obsessed with the Cardinals. Although I now live in Miami, FL, I still manage to go to Opening Day, and a couple of games each month. I'll be at two games a week during Spring Training and of course the entire series here against the Marlins. We're planning a trip to Fenway in June too. I can't wait. Go Cards!!

My dad was a military man so I didn't grow up anywhere near St. Louis, but my parents are both from there. Their families were both huge Cards fans as they grew up, but my parents were both basically apathetic towards sports. That all changed when I turned 10 and the Cards were making a run to the 1987 World Series. My older brother and I were glued to every game of that series and I've been following the team ever since. I wished I lived closer so I could go to more games, but I've made it to five or six over the years, and I always try to see Memphis when they come through Salt Lake.

I was seven in 1982. My family and I had been on a vacation trip to visit our "Yankee" relatives in Michigan. We stopped in St. Louis on our way back to Tennessee. My dad was a Cardinal fan and had decided that this would be a great opportunity to take in a Sunday afternoon game with his children. I still remember defeating the Reds, watching Sutter pick up the save, and rookie Willie McGee almost run over Gene Tenace trying to score on a Hernandez double.

Of course, you all know the rest of the story. The Cards went on the win the WS, and, since I was already becoming obsessed with baseball, my obsession with the Cardinals was off and running.