Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sport
Karl Rasmussen

Cardinals Gave Adam Wainwright and His Family a Perfect Retirement Gift

Adam Wainwright’s 18-year MLB career came to a close on Sunday, as the longtime Cardinals starting pitcher made a pinch-hit appearance as a final sendoff to his time in the big leagues.

Prior to Sunday’s game against the Reds, the last game of Wainwright’s career, St. Louis held a 35-minute ceremony to honor his tenure with the franchise and his accomplished career in MLB. 

During the ceremony, the team presented Wainwright with the perfect parting gift; a puppy.

Wainwright has always told his family that they’d finally be able to get a dog when he retired from baseball. The organization held him to that promise by gifting one to the family ahead of his last game with the franchise.

Wainwright’s wife, Jenny, could be seen carrying a picnic basket onto the field, which carried a small lagotto romagnolo puppy, who they named Louie. 

The Wainwright’s have four daughters and one son, all of whom were excitedly gathered around the puppy after it was presented to their father.

Across 18 seasons in MLB, all of which he spent with the Cardinals, Wainwright recorded 200 wins, 2,202 strikeouts, and a 3.53 ERA. He made three All-Star appearances and won a World Series in 2006. 

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.