ST. LOUIS, MO (March 29, 2013) – Two of the most storied English Premier League clubs  Manchester City and Chelsea, announced today that they will travel to St. Louis for an exhibition match this Spring.  The teams will meet on Thursday, May 23rd at Busch Stadium.  Kickoff is set for 7:30 PM CST (#socceratbusch).

“We are honored to host this historic match,” said Bill DeWitt III, President of the Cardinals. “This is a wonderful opportunity for St. Louisans to see some of the best soccer players in the world.”

This is the first professional, non-baseball sporting event hosted at the new Busch Stadium.  “We look forward to showcasing the versatility of Busch Stadium as a multi-use sports venue,” DeWitt said.

“Passion and excitement for soccer in the United States continues to grow exponentially and we’re proud to bring two of the most recognized teams in Europe to such an iconic venue in Busch Stadium,” said Charlie Stillitano, CEO of Relevent Sports.

Manchester City, the 2012 Premier League Champions and five-time FA Cup winner returns to North America for the first time since their 2011 summer pre-season tour.  City traveled to Los Angeles, Vancouver and San Francisco, winning games against the Galaxy, Whitecaps and Club America (Mexico City) respectively. Featuring stars with countless European and international caps including Ivorian Yaya Toure, Spaniard David Silva and Argentine Sergio Aguero, City has skyrocketed to the highest echelons of English soccer.

“The summer visit to St Louis is tremendously exciting for Manchester City Football Club,” said Ferran Soriano, Chief Executive for Manchester City Football Club.  “The Club’s first US tour was in 2010 and we have continued to develop a close relationship with our fans in North America ever since. You will now find Manchester City soccer fields in some of the most deserving communities of New York, Miami, LA and Chicago, and loyal supporters clubs in major cities across the continent.  All the first team players are really looking forward to the opportunity to play in the iconic Busch stadium, and bringing Manchester City even closer to their North American fans.”

Chelsea is one of the most successful teams in England with four Premier League titles and seven FA Cups.  The Blues also boast two UEFA Cup Championships, one UEFA Super Cup and one UEFA Champions League title. In 2012 Chelsea, with the help of Spaniards Juan Mata and Fernando Torres, as well as English International and three-time Chelsea Player of the Year, Frank Lampard, became the first London club to win the Champions League.

“It’s an excellent opportunity for the club to be able to return to America so quickly after the last tour,” said Chelsea Chief Executive Ron Gourlay.  “We will face the strongest opposition in Manchester City and I am sure we will provide a competitive and entertaining match in St Louis.”

Tickets start at $30 and go on sale April 2 at 10AM CST at cardinals.com/Soccer or the Busch Stadium Box Office.  There will be a limit of 8 tickets per purchase.  A special pre-sale will be held April 1^st for Cardinals Season Ticket holders.  Additional details can be found at cardinals.com/soccer. Be sure to join the conversation with #socceratbusch.

About Manchester City Football Club

Informally known as “The Blues” or “The Citizens”, Manchester City FC is an English Premier League side, founded in 1880 as St Mark’s West Gorton. The Club currently holds the title of Premier League champions and has won 25 major trophies. It counts the European Cup Winners’ Cup, three League Championship titles, and five FA Cups amongst its honors. Under manager Roberto Mancini, the Club plays its domestic home fixtures at the Etihad Stadium, a spectacular 47,500 seat arena, which the Blues made their home following the successful Commonwealth Games in 2003. For more information, please visit www.mcfc.co.uk.

About Relevent Sports

Relevent Sports brings the excitement and intensity of international soccer to the United States by showcasing the best clubs in the world through premier tournaments and events. Going beyond the game, Relevent provides an innovative approach to building international soccer presence by utilizing brand development, grassroots planning, corporate sponsors, international touring and philanthropic initiatives for the soccer organizations.

1985 World Series

Kansas City Royals vs. St. Louis Cardinals

Game 5 – October 24, 1985

Location: Busch Stadium, St. Louis, Mo.

Attendance: 56,634

Recap: A day after John Tudor’s brilliant complete game for the Cardinals, placing Kansas City on the brink of elimination, the Royals bounced back with their own strong pitching performance to stay alive in the series. Danny Jackson threw a five-hit, one-run complete game at Busch Stadium, sending the series back to Kansas City. Offensively, the Royals put up an 11-hit attack led by Willie Wilson, who knocked in two runs and collected two hits, including a triple. Leadoff hitter Lonnie Smith smacked two singles, scored two runs and stole a base. Willie McGee had two hits for the Cardinals, while cleanup hitter Jack Clark drove in St. Louis’ only run.

Line Score:

TEAM R H E

Kansas City 6 1 2

St. Louis 1 5 1

Winning pitcher: Danny Jackson

Losing pitcher: Bob Forsch

Notables: Royals manager Dick Howser shook up the lineup a bit in Game 5, starting Pat Sheridan in right field over Darryl Motley, and Sheridan responded by collecting two hits and an RBI; Buddy Biancalana also had two hits, drove in a run and scored for Kansas City; The Cardinals’ offense received no production from the bottom half of the lineup; St. Louis starter Bob Forsch lasted only 1.2 innings, giving up four runs on five hits and leaving the game in the hands of the bullpen, and for their part, four relievers (Horton, Campbell, Worrell and Lahti) allowed only two runs the rest of the game; the Cardinals’ pitching staff struck out 15 KC batters, compared to Danny Jackson’s five strikeouts.

Tomorrow: Off day

Tuesday: A recap of Game 6

Matt Kelsey is a Royals writer and the content editor for I-70 Baseball. He can be reached at mattkelsey@i70baseball.com.

1985 World Series

Kansas City Royals vs. St. Louis Cardinals

Game 4 – October 23, 1985

Location: Busch Stadium, St. Louis, Mo.

Attendance: 56,634

Recap: John Tudor dominated the Kansas City Royals’ lineup in Game 4, throwing the best game of any Cardinals pitcher in the 1985 World Series. Tudor, the St. Louis ace, allowed only five hits (just one for extra bases) and one walk while striking out eight. Offensively, St. Louis finally found their power stroke – Tito Landrum and Willie McGee hit solo home runs early to set the tone for the game. Royals pitcher Bud Black lasted five innings and gave up three runs on four hits. With the win, the Cardinals were just one victory away from securing a World Series title.

Line Score:

TEAM R H E

Kansas City 0 5 1

St. Louis 3 6 0

Winning pitcher: John Tudor

Losing pitcher: Bud Black

Notables: The Royals’ only extra base hit came from the bat of pinch hitter Lynn Jones; Willie McGee had the only multi-hit performance of the game with a home run and a single; Joe Beckwith and Dan Quisenberry combined to pitch three scoreless innings of relief; Tudor’s shutout was the only complete game for the Cardinals’ pitching staff in the series.

Tomorrow: A recap of Game 5.

Matt Kelsey is a Royals writer and the content editor for I-70 Baseball. He can be reached at mattkelsey@i70baseball.com.

1985 World Series

Kansas City Royals vs. St. Louis Cardinals

Game 3 – October 22, 1985

Location: Busch Stadium, St. Louis, Mo.

Attendance: 56,634

Recap: The Cardinals went into Game 3 with a 2-0 advantage and the opportunity to play three straight in front of a home crowd, but Game 3 was all Kansas City. Bret Saberhagen was brilliant, throwing a complete-game six-hitter and giving up just one run. On the other side of the ball, Joaquin Andujar fell apart and was lifted after just four innings of work. The Cardinals’ bullpen was no help, either. Offensively, the Royals got a boost from cleanup hitter Frank White, who went two for four with three RBIs and the series’ first home run.

Line Score:

TEAM R H E

Kansas City 6 11 0

St. Louis 1 6 0

Winning pitcher: Bret Saberhagen

Losing pitcher: Joaquin Andujar

Notables: Saberhagen struck out 8 and allowed only one walk, while the Cardinals’ pitching staff struck out 8 and allowed 8 walks; no Cardinals batter had more than one hit; Jack Clark knocked in the Cards’ RBI; on the Kansas City side, White, Lonnie Smith, Willie Wilson, George Brett and Buddy Biancalana had two-hit games.

Tomorrow: A recap of Game 4.

Matt Kelsey is a Royals writer and the content editor for I-70 Baseball. He can be reached at mattkelsey@i70baseball.com.