US News

Disney-inspired streaker halts Cardinals-Phillies game

ST. LOUIS — The Cardinals-Phillies game was interrupted prior to the start of the seventh inning Thursday night when a fan jumped over the wall, took off his clothes and went streaking across the field at Busch Stadium.

Fans cheered, flashbulbs popped and security hurried after him as the man, identified in a police report as 22-year-old Collin Grundstrom of Jefferson City, Mo., made his way from the right-field foul line way out into left field.

“I’ve never seen that in my life,” Cardinals rookie outfielder Adron Chambers said after the Phillies recorded a 10-9 win. “Somebody yelled about a naked guy on the field. That’s the last thing I’m expecting to see, a naked guy running across the field.”

The man made it to left field before a group of stadium ushers and police officers finally corralled him and pinned him to the ground. His clothes were brought from right field and he was forced to put on his shorts before rising to his feet.

As he jumped to acknowledge the cheering crowd, the man was body-slammed to the ground by a police officer. A second officer helped as the man was walked out through the Cardinals bullpen.

A photo showed him sporting an upper-body tattoo that read “Hakuna Matata,” a phrase meaning “no worries” made famous by a song in Disney classic “The Lion King.”

It was the second incident involving a fan running onto the field in a game between the two teams in barely two years. A fully-dressed 17-year-old boy was Tasered on the field by security at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia when the Cardinals were in town on May 3, 2010.

“There’s something going on with us and Philly,” Cardinals third baseman David Freese said. “That’s [two] streakers between the two of us.”

Asked if he was concerned or scared, Freese said, “He’s naked so I don’t think he’s carrying much. That relaxes that bit of the drama. I guess naked is better. Less to worry about.”

Grundstrom was arrested and charged with two city-ordinance violations, being a spectator on a playing field and lewd and lascivious behavior.

Cardinals director of security Joe Walsh said Grundstrom “appeared to have been drinking” and that he explained to police that he ran onto the field because he “lost a bet.”

According to Walsh, Grundstrom was kept in a holding cell at Busch Stadium before being transported to the city jail, where he is expected to stay until late Friday afternoon should he not post bail.

A male and female both ran onto the field at Busch Stadium on July 31, 2011, during a nationally televised Sunday night game. The man was quickly caught while the female ran free in the outfield for several seconds. Thursday’s game was broadcast nationally on the MLB Network.