ST. LOUIS – St. Louis Cardinals fans entered Busch Stadium Friday for the first time since Hall of Fame manager Whitey Herzog passed away at the age of 92.

“I’ll probably have tears at least, and most likely will cry,” longtime Cardinals fan Craig Thompson said.

Fans credit Herzog for rejuvenating excitement around baseball in St. Louis. The New Athens, IL, native spoke frankly, made moves that weren’t always popular, and defied conventional wisdom.

Fans say it all paid off because Herzog’s baseball knowledge was on a level that was often several steps ahead of opposing managers.

“He brought back some enthusiasm and just made the game a lot of fun and made being at Busch Stadium a lot of fun,” longtime Cardinals fan Steve Wilson said.

The St. Louis Cardinals held a moment of silence for Herzog before Friday night’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers, the team Herzog’s Cardinals defeated in the 1982 World Series.

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That year, the Brewers led Major League Baseball with 216 home runs. The St. Louis Cardinals hit only 67 home runs that season.

“He built the club around the ballpark, which seems like common sense, but not everyone did that back then,” said Jim Hurtt, St. Louis Cardinals fan.

Fans recall fondly how the Cardinals would get a runner on base who would steal second before someone would find a way to get them to third with less than two outs. A sacrifice fly or base hit would generate runs in a way that would soon be known as “Whitey Ball.”

“When Whitey came here, it was a totally different outlook because he changed the entire dynamic of the team,” said Cardinals fan Dennis Booker.

Fans also recalled how Herzog seemed to find a way to use each one of his players in a way that produced the best results for the team.

“He valued every player,” Cardinals fan Christie Johnson said. “They were a family because of him.”

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