Outfielder Lars Nootbaar has captured the hearts of St. Louis Cardinals fans everywhere.
His youthful energy, sense of humor, knack for clutch hits, and some truly great defense has put him on a high pedestal in St. Louis.
Last night in Cincinnati, he hit a two-run homer that proved to be the difference as the Cards pulled off a 5-3 comeback victory.
When the ball cleared the wall, it may have sounded like the crowd was booing.
Strange, because most of the people left in the stands were Cardinals fans.
But they weren’t booing.
They were “Nooting.”
Every time Nootbaar comes to bat, Cardinals fans serenade him with a long “NOOT” chant.
NOOOOT!
This is common for any player in sports who has a name with a long O or long U sound.
Nootbaar is just the latest example.
And no, it’s not a boo.
It’s a sign of respect.
Cardinals fans have hopped on the Nootbaar bandwagon and are forming a large gathering of supporters for Nootbaar.
There are so many reasons that Cards fans love him so much.
His name is just one of them.
But ask anybody around the Cardinals clubhouse, and they’ll tell you about how great his energy is, how he keeps things loose and simply has fun playing the game of baseball.
It’s the kind of spirit that the city of St. Louis loves to see out of their players.
And he can deliver in the clutch too.
He’s more than just a clubhouse presence.
He’s earned himself a spot on the Cardinals roster and he’s running with it.
Veterans love his energy and so do the fans.
Just remember though, fans aren’t booing him.
They’re “Nooting.”
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