Rally Squirrel Makes A Cameo Appearance On Cardinals' World Series Rings

By: Kelly York

St. Louis Cardinals players received their 2011 World Series championship rings at Busch Stadium before their victory over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday. And these rings are heavy on the bling. Each 14-karat white gold ring weighs 73 grams and features 103 round diamonds with a total weight of 2.62 carats. The rings are steeped in symbolism, and even the infamous Rally Squirrel is immortalized in precious metal. Highlighting the face of the ring are 50 custom-cut rubies: 28 rubies make up the "STL" on one side, eight rubies form the "11" (signifying their 11 World Series wins) on the other, and 14 rubies make up the plumage of the cardinal sitting on a 14K yellow gold bat on face of the ring. Also on the face of the ring are raised letters spelling out the words "World" and "Champions" hovering over a ground of small diamonds. One side of the ring includes the player's name and jersey number, and the Rally Squirrel makes a cameo appearance as he streaks across the space just above the home plate emblem. For those who don't remember the story, the little varmint interrupted a Skip Schumaker at-bat during the playoffs and became a mini marketing sensation. The underside of the band lists all the years that the Cardinals won the World Series. The interior of the ring recounts the Cardinals' series wins against the Philadelphia Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers and the Texas Rangers. Also in the interior is the slogan, "Happy Flight," which was coined by shortstop Rafael Furcal that signified success in getaway day games and also became part of the Cardinals' experience. The rings were designed by Bill DeWitt III, president of the Cardinals, and crafted by Jostens. Visit Ben David Jewelers on Facebook Visit BenDavidJewelers.com