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The St. Louis Cardinals are attacking the shirtless fans who have rocked Busch Stadium.
The Cardinals are dedicating an entire section in the upper right field stands of Busch Stadium for fans to watch the game shirtless.
“Starting tonight, the upper right field bleachers at Busch Stadium will become a dedicated high-energy fan section, inspired by the Tarps Off atmosphere fans have brought to the stadium,” the Cardinals posted on social media.
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A group of shirtless fans applaud during the 11th inning of a game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Kansas City Royals at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, on May 15, 2026. (Jeff Curry/Image Images)
“Any fan in the stadium, regardless of seating location, can join in the fun. T-shirts are optional.”
The “Tarps Off” movement began last Friday during the Cardinals’ 5-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals. A group of fans headed to an empty section. About 100 fans started the movement and as the game went into extra innings, the entire section filled with shirtless fans.
When the Cardinals defeated the Royals in the 11th inning, the section went wild.
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 received praise from Cardinals manager Oli Marmol for the energy they brought, crediting them for creating an incredible atmosphere.
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Shirtless fans celebrate after the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Kansas City Royals at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, on May 16, 2026. (Jeff Curry/Image Images)
“Whoever started in right field, I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure they come to every game,” Marmol said. “Because it was amazing. Not just them, but everyone who attended today. It was a fun atmosphere.”
Mármol kept his word and bought tickets for them to stay for the team’s game over the weekend. He even took them to the clubhouse after the team’s win on Saturday.
“What you guys did for them was really, really special. Because you fed off of it, you loved every second of last night. And then when you all showed up there, around the third, the place went crazy,” Marmol told the kids in his office on Saturday.
The shirtless section has also caught the attention of the players. Iván Herrera greeted shirtless fans by pretending to wave his jersey after hitting a home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday.
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Iván Herrera of the St. Louis Cardinals celebrates after hitting a three-run home run to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 10th inning in St. Louis on May 19, 2026. (Jeff Roberson/AP)
After Herrera stepped on home plate, his teammates immediately began removing his uniform.
Now that the shirtless section is becoming a staple in St. Louis, Marmol and the Cardinals hope to bring that same energy to every home game throughout the season.
The Cardinals (28-20) will look to give their rowdy fans a win on Wednesday when they play the Pirates (25-24) in the final game of a three-game series at 1:15 p.m. ET.
