Adam Wainwright wasn’t going to let his last Opening Day go by without providing some entertainment.
The St. Louis Cardinals right-hander is on the injured list with a groin injury and was originally scheduled to make the start for St. Louis.
Ultimately, Miles Mikolas drew the start.
But the veteran right-hander surprised everyone when it came time for the national anthem.
Wainwright himself sang the anthem with a guitar accompaniment, which drew a raucous ovation from the Busch Stadium crowd on Thursday.
On Twitter, the Cardinals posted a video of the two-time World Series champion singing the anthem and giving fans a moment they’ll never forget.
ADAM WAINWRIGHT! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/Z77qGTRo5r
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) March 30, 2023
As it turns out, Wainwright is something of a musician himself.
The three-time All-Star can certainly carry a tune.
In recent months, Wainwright has been playing the guitar and singing some country music, which potentially lines him up for a second career once he officially retires.
The news of the 41-year-old singing the anthem came as a pleasant surprise to everyone at Busch Stadium, including his own teammates.
And so, Wainwright stole the show with a memorable performance.
He may not have been able to pitch, but he was at the very least able to contribute.
Unfortunately, the Cardinals fell to the Toronto Blue Jays by a final of 10-9 after an offensive explosion from both sides.
But that didn’t take away from what Wainwright was able to do on Thursday, as he began the final season of his storied career in style with a performance Cardinals fans will never forget.
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Tuesday Marked A Special Anniversary For The Cardinals
