ST. LOUIS – While some cities claim to be the City of Champions, St. Louis can now add the title of the City that Makes Champions, most recently thanks to NBA star Jayson Tatum and NHL star Matthew Tkachuk.
The title was on full display as the former Chaminade College Preparatory School classmates made their long-awaited reunion at Busch Stadium on Sunday for the first time since becoming champions in June.
From working on class projects together to the now-iconic bus ride photo, the St. Louis natives both became champions at the highest level of their sports in back-to-back weeks. Tatum won the 2024 NBA Finals with the Boston Celtics, while Tkachuk won the 2024 Stanley Cup Final with the Florida Panthers last June.
With Tatum holding the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy and Tkachuk holding his Stanley Cup Final Championship belt, the two reunited for a victory lap around the diamond and had the honor of throwing out the first pitch during the St. Louis Cardinals’ game Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
While attending the game, the two champions met in a suite to recreate their now-notorious bus ride photo, even featuring their former classmate Jacob Bai, who was sitting in the background of the original photo. As the two posed for the photo, they held up the old picture in comparison.
The reunion was very much anticipated, as the St. Louis crowd praised the stars with a well-deserved ovation for their recent accomplishments.
