TICKET SALES FOR SOUTHEAST NIGHT AT BUSCH STADIUM SWELLS TO 750

Today Cardinal fans will hear the familiar cry: Play Ball. It's opening day for the St. Louis Cardinals.

That means only 61 days remain until Southeast Night at Busch Stadium. Co-sponsors Southeast Missouri State University and the Southeast Missourian are hoping between 1,500 and 2,000 Southeast Missourians attend the Cardinal game against the Cleveland Indians June 3.

Tickets sales are already well on their way to the goal. As of Friday, about 750 tickets had been sold, which is equal to the number of people who attended last year.

In addition, about 600 pre-game party tickets have already been sold. This event is limited to the first 1,000 people so early registration is important.

The pre-game party begins at 5:30 p.m. on the Sverdrup Terraces, across from Busch Stadium. Tickets are $5, which includes a buffet of brats, hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, snacks, beer and soda.

Tickets for the 7:10 p.m. Cardinal game are $13 for adults and $7 for children 4-15. They can be ordered by filling out the form on Page 10B of today's paper, or by calling Alumni Services at (573) 651-5159.

Five lucky winners will be chosen from all those who order tickets.

Four individuals will get to go on the field during batting practice. Tom Chase with the Cardinal organization said they will be able to stand at a roped off area on the warning track or sit in the green seats behind home plate. Batting practice begins about two hours before the game.

Depending on the length of the ceremony, those on field will remain between 30 minutes and an hour, said Chase. It's not unusual to get an autograph from a passing Cardinal player. In addition, the group will be photographed with a Cardinal player and the lucky Southeast Night winners will each receive a copy of the print.

If the individuals chosen signed up for the pre-game party, they will be granted early admission to the terraces so they won't miss out on the onfield fun.

In addition, another lucky winner will throw out the honorary pitch, which is typically thrown to a Cardinal catcher. The honorary pitcher gets to keep the ball, said Chase. The pitch comes just moments before the official start of the game.

The five winners will be announced in mid-May. If 10 tickets are purchased on one individual's name, that person will get 10 chances to win. That individual then decides who will be eligible for the onfield prize.

The university will begin mailing back Cardinal tickets this week. If tickets were to be picked up, individuals can do so this week.

In addition to the game, individuals can also sign up for chartered bus transportation to the ball park at a cost of $14 per person. One bus is already filled, with another partially filled. A third bus is on reserve. A minimum of 40 persons is required for reach bus.

The university is filling ticket orders so it will be easy for groups of people to sit together if ticket orders are placed at the same time. The seats are in Terrace Reserved near Big Mac Land in left field.

In addition, the university is selling gray T-shirts with a black and red Southeast Night design and the St. Louis Cardinals logo. The shirts are $10 each and $11 for extra-large sizes.

Co-sponsors of the event are Schnucks, Schaper's IGA, Pepsi, River Eagle, Kohlfeld Distributing and Charlie Pruitt of Little Debbie.

For more information, contact Alumni Services or Joni Adams at the Southeast Missourian, (573) 335-6611 or 1-800-879-1210.