Spring 2007 issue of Horizons

Recently, your organization also has expanded its commitment to Missouri. Can you talk a little more about that? From a national perspective, we operate in one of the smaller media markets. So, we are constantly looking for ways to continue to attract fans and opportunities to grow our brand. The Springfield Cardinals presented such an opportunity. We purchased a franchise in the AA Texas League and relocated it to Springfield, Mo., in April 2005. It’s been a win-win for everyone. The response from Cardinals fans in Springfield and throughout the Ozarks has been awesome. I think our Redbird Rookies ™ program is perhaps the best example of how our community commitment works. What’s the team’s commitment to the role baseball plays internationally? There’s been a significant increase in our efforts to identify baseball talent both inside and outside the U.S. We have opened a new academy in the Dominican Republic and have an ongoing presence in Mexico and throughout the Caribbean. How does commitment apply to baseball? The great thing about baseball is that it’s an inexact science. It is a team game in which success is the result of individual performance. To win, you must be committed to winning in everything that you do. But you also need your players to stay healthy and to get your share of good luck. In baseball, even the worst teams win one-third of the time, while the best lose one- third of the time. It’s what happens with that other one-third that makes the difference. This has been a tough season for the Cardinals. Are they committed to winning? The Cardinals have won more World Series championships than any team other than the New York Yankees. The 2006 World Championship was the 10th in franchise history. We have been one of the most successful franchises in all of baseball the past 10 years, and our commitment to winning remains unchanged. What part do your fans play in your commitment to excellence? Fans play an essential role in this process. Most teams envy our dedicated, loyal fans. The on-field performance over the past decade by the St. Louis Cardinals was made possible by the outstanding support from our fans. Can you talk more about community commitment?

We feel we have a responsibility to give back to the St. Louis community and we take that commitment very seriously. I think our Redbird Rookies™ program is perhaps the best example of how our community commitment works. The Redbird Rookies baseball and neighborhood support program for children not only provides fun for kids on the baseball diamond, but also supplies a meaningful, life-changing experience. By incorporating some innovative on-field coaching techniques, and by supporting kids off the field in many ways, the Redbird Rookies experience aims to be positive and beneficial for every child. In doing so, we try to provide the opportunities to develop as positive future members of the community. So far, we’ve built 12 new neighborhood ballparks. Keeping score and winning are secondary to the life lessons that are learned as part of a team on the ball field. Redbird Rookies works to instill values of teamwork, integrity, self-esteem and leadership in the “classroom” of a baseball setting. With the help of the Positive Coaching Alliance, Cardinals Care seeks to provide coaches and parents with techniques to make the experience very positive for each child. With the help of our community partners, we also are able to provide health screenings for hearing, vision and asthma, free bike helmets and fittings, health and nutrition information, scholarships, mentoring and family activities. Last year, we also added the Redbird Rookies Readers program, encouraging baseball players to read as a team, just as they work together as a team on the field. It’s all about building better kids and better neighborhoods. When it comes right down to it, that’swhat community commitment is all about.

14 u summer 2007 issue