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St. Louis Cardinals are going all in on the shirtless fans who have given Busch Stadium a jolt.
The Cardinals are dedicating an entire section of the upper-right bleachers at Busch Stadium so fans can watch the game shirtless.
“Beginning tonight, the upper right bleachers at Busch Stadium will become a dedicated high-energy fan section, inspired by the Tarps Off atmosphere fans have brought to the ballpark,” the Cardinals posted to social media.
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A group of shirtless fans cheer during the 11th inning of a game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Kansas City Royals at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Mo., on May 15, 2026. (Jeff Curry/Imagn Images)
“Any fan in the ballpark, regardless of seat location, can join in on the fun. Shirts are optional.”
The “Tarps Off” movement began last Friday during the Cardinals’ 5-4 win over the Kansas City Royals. A group of fans came to an empty section. About 100 fans first started the movement, and by the time the game went into extra innings, the entire section was packed with shirtless fans.
When the Cardinals walked away from the Royals in the 11th inning, the section went ballistic.
Caleb Cummings, a 20-year-old on the Stephen F. Austin club baseball team, came up with the idea, and it has since taken on a life of its own.
The crowd of shirtless fans drew praise from Cardinals manager Oli Marmol for the energy they brought, crediting them for creating a great environment.
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Breadless fans celebrate after St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Kansas City Royals at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Mo., on May 16, 2026. (Jeff Curry/Imagn Images)
“Whoever started it in right field, I’m going to do whatever I have to do to make sure they get to every game,” Marmol said. “Because it was great. Not just them, but everyone who showed up today. It was a fun environment.”
Marmol stayed true to his word and bought tickets so they could stay at the team’s game this weekend. He even brought them down to the clubhouse after the team’s win on Saturday.
“What you guys did for them was actually pretty damn special. Because they got their fill of it, they loved every second of last night. And then when you all showed up around the third, the place went wild,” Marmol told the kids in his office Saturday.
The shirtless section has also attracted the attention of the players. Ivan Herrera greeted shirtless fans by pretending to wave his jersey after hitting a walk-off home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday.
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St. Louis Cardinals’ Ivan Herrera celebrates after hitting a three-run walk-off home run to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 10th inning in St. Louis. Louis on May 19, 2026. (Jeff Roberson/AP)
After Herrera stepped onto home plate, his teammates immediately began removing his uniform.
As the shirtless section now becomes a fixture in St. Louis, Marmol and the Cardinals hope they bring that same energy to every home game during the season.
The Cardinals (28-20) will look to deliver a win to their raucous fans on Wednesday when they play the Pirates (25-24) in the final game of a three-game series at 1:15 PM ET.
