Parade, and a plea

A red sea of fans jammed downtown St. Louis to honor the World Series champion Cardinals and send a clear message to Albert Pujols: Please stay. An official crowd estimate was not immediately available for Sunday’s parade through the streets of St. Louis and the celebration at Busch Stadium, but city officials expected several hundred thousand. Pujols drew a long standing ovation at the stadium. When asked if he’d like to be back for another celebration next season, he smiled sheepishly and said, “Hey, why not?” Pujols is a free agent. The Cardinals hope to keep him but it isn’t clear if they’ll be able to do so. Earlier, about a dozen Cardinals drew huge cheers at the NFL game between the St. Louis Rams and New Orleans Saints. – AP