Cardinals to hold public memorial

Cardinals to hold public memorial

The St. Louis Cardinals planned to hold a public memorial service Wednesday at Busch Stadium for pitcher Darryl Kile, and a pre-game tribute was scheduled before tonight's game.

Some current and past teammates and coaches of Kile, found dead Saturday in a Chicago hotel room, will participate in the memorial service at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Cardinals spokesman Brian Bartow said Monday. Stadium gates will open at noon.

An autopsy showed that Kile, 33, likely died of heart disease.

It will be the second memorial service in a week at Busch, where longtime Cardinals broadcaster Jack Buck lay in state for a public visitation and ceremony last Thursday.

A 15-minute tribute to Kile was planned before Tuesday night's series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers. To accommodate the tribute, the first pitch was rescheduled for 7:20 p.m., Bartow said.

As they have since hearing the news of Buck's death Tuesday night, fans continued to leave personal mementos -- signs, Cardinals ballcaps, photographs -- at Buck's statue outside the stadium. Not far down the sidewalk, fans since Saturday evening have left items at a similar shrine for Kile.

In lieu of flowers, the Kile family has asked that memorial contributions be made to Cardinals Care, 250 Stadium Plaza, St. Louis, Mo., 63102.

-- AP