There is a high level of baseball going on at AutoZone Park in Memphis but not many people got to see it this past week. STLSportsPage.com was there checking out the Cardinal prospects and it was surprising how the usually energy-filled stadium was lacking in fans. Rocky– Memphis’ counterpart to Fredbird– did all he could to create enthusiasm, but the Memphis Redbirds are having the same problems as the Cardinals (and every other professional baseball team): ticket sales are down, Whether it is due to fear of the pandemic, the August heat, or other reasons, there were a lot of empty seats.

The promotional team provides a fun atmosphere with games and promotions between innings. Memphis Redbirds baseball games are a lot of fun for baseball fans with the quality competition and getting to see the young players

With players like Matthew Liberatore, Nolan Gorman and Nick Plummer waiting in the wings in Memphis, the Cardinals look to be strong as they go forward. When STLSportsPage.com goes to these minor league towns it is to report back on the teams and work on features.

We just posted Rob Rains’ feature on Nolan Gorman. To read that CLICK HERE.

We encourage fans to mask up and go to the ballpark. Because Memphis is so close to St. Louis it’s a great road trip. It’s only about five hours away and you take highway 55. While we were there, we ran into two fans who had done just that.

Sammye and Bernie LaRose of St. Louis decided to take a last-minute getaway trip and chose Tunica and Memphis. They enjoyed sitting on the third row at AutoZone Park right behind the Redbirds dugout. With the low numbers, great seats are there to be had.

Besides the Memphis Redbirds, there is a lot to do in Memphis– even during the pandemic.

Beale Street was going strong and it’s an exciting area with all the bright lights and music coming out the doors of the restaurants and bars.

Memphis is a city with rich history. Its history includes the Mississippi River — from cotton tycoons to enslaved people, to the musicians who sounded the first notes of songs that still echo around the world today, to civil rights icons including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

While some communities around the country taking down monuments or historic markers with regards to race Memphis embraces all aspects of their heritage. Examples of that are how the Lorraine Motel, where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King was shot is still there. Visitors can drive up to the famous hotel and it looks exactly as it did that tragic day April 4, 1968. The Lorraine Motel is part of the Civil Rights Museum area.

As with many attractions, the National Civil Right Museum is open but wants visitors to make reservations ahead of time. They say they are committed to maintaining a safe experience for guests during the pandemic by managing a flow of guests every 15 minutes. Guests are required to purchase timed tickets online prior to visiting the Museum to maintain social distancing and capacity guidelines provided by health officials.

About 10 minutes from the National Civil Rights Museum is a historic home called Slave Haven. It is just a small house but it has a big history. It was a stop on the Underground Railway.

To read about Slave Haven, check out their website where they give the history including that Africans were auctioned off to the highest bidder, doomed to a life of slavery and stripped of their freedom. “Whenever possible, individuals attempted to liberate themselves by running away. Many runaways were aided by abolitionists who gave them safe passage on the Underground Railroad,” says their website. While every school-age child learn about the Underground Railway it is especially touching to actually see a home that was used– and it is much like it was in the 1860’s.

Along with the Civil Rights history and music, Memphis also has the unique Bass Pro Shops Pyramid that is worth visiting. Bass Pro Shop bought the old Pyramid building which was a venue for concerts and turned it into a large hunting and fishing destination. There is an elevator which visitors can ride to the top of to look out the Pyramid.

There is still time to plan a short trip to Memphis to watch a Redbirds game. We’ve just scratched the surface with these suggestions. The Memphis Travel website suggests there are many ways to tour the city: “riverboats, coaches, carriages, classic cars, bikes, kayyaks.”

There are famous recording studios and of course there’s Graceland– the home of Elvis Presley. Graceland has been in the news recently as August 16, 1977 was his death and people all over the country make pilgrimages to Memphis where for this time, they open the gates and let fans visit his grave.

To plan your trip contact Memphis Travel.

Below is the remaining schedule for September: