The St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals, are joining Major League Baseball to help the recovery and rebuilding effort after one of the most destructive tornadoes in Missouri history. The upcoming three-game series at Busch Stadium (Friday June 17 - Sunday, June 19) between the two teams will include numerous efforts dedicated to Joplin.
Fans will be able to purchase a special "Teams Unite for Joplin" commemorative patch, just like what the players will wear during the series.
Players will sign dozens of items for a special auction of game-used and autographed items that include commemorative "Teams Unite for Joplin" baseballs, game-used bases and line-up cards.
There will be a "Jerseys Off Their Back" promotion for Sunday's (June 19) game, with a portion of the proceeds to go to Joplin recovery.
The team will also conduct an auction of once-in-a-lifetime VIP fan experiences on the team's television and radio broadcasts. Fans at Sunday's game may purchase a scratch off ticket for a chance to win an autographed game-used jersey from the weekend series autographed by the Cardinals players.
"While we may be rivals on the baseball diamond, we are united in our commitment to help the people of Joplin," said William DeWitt III, President of the St. Louis Cardinals. "We are proud to partner with the St. Louis Cardinals and other Missouri sports franchises in order to offer as much assistance as possible as we help to rebuild this very proud community," said Dan Glass, President of the Kansas City Royals.
The May 22nd twister that hit Joplin was classified as an EF-5 tornado, the most powerful tornado possible. The storm left 141 persons dead, put more than 500 people into shelters at its peak and destroyed 6,953 houses, buildings and schools.
Cardinals players David Freese, Kyle McClellan and Adam Wainwright, recently joined a contingent of team officials in touring the destruction zone and visiting families and relief workers. The Cardinals traveled to Joplin to announce the team's commitment to direct their fundraising efforts to their charitable foundation Cardinals Care to help the thousands of Joplin area kids impacted by the tornado.
"We are particularly concerned about the children of Joplin," said Michael Hall, Vice President of Cardinals Care and Community Relations. "Our fundraising efforts for this series are designed to support the commitment needed to help the kids of Joplin."
Fans can go to www.cardinals.com/joplin to learn more about how they can help and to donate to Cardinals Care's Joplin relief efforts.