The Push To Make Opening Day A National Holiday

Ozzie Smith doing his famous back flip before the start of a game. Mandatory Credit: John Swart/AP

St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith and Budweiser are partnering up with a petition in an attempt to make Major League Baseball’s Opening Day a national holiday, recognized by the federal government. If the petition gets the required 100,000 signatures, the Obama Administration will review the request, and if successful, Opening Day would be recognized as a full national holiday in the United States. The “Mr. Smith Goes To Washington” campaign while most likely unsuccessful, will be traveling between St. Louis and Washington, D.C. in an attempt to garner support for the project. Click below to view one of three promotional spots that “The Wizard of Oz” filmed:

Smith, a 19-year big league veteran having played for both the San Diego Padres along with the Cardinals, has been an active ambassador of the game since his retirement at the end of the 1996 season. He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year eligible in 2002. Smith is considered one of the greatest defensive shortstops of the live ball era.

To sign the petition, you must be 21 years of age, and you can do so by clicking here:  http://www.budweiser.com/opening-day.html. As of this writing, the petition has just over 1,600 signatures, but the campaign just launched within the past week. Let’s help Ozzie get his 100,00 signatures!