ST. LOUIS — There's never a dull moment on the St. Louis sports scene, and 2021 was no exception.
While the COVID-19 pandemic dominated the sports landscape once again, there was no shortage of diverse stories that captured the interest of sports fans in St. Louis.
Let's take a look back on the 10 most-read sports stories on KSDK.com for 2021.
This was one of our first breakdowns of the case that would captivate St. Louis through 2021.
In the end, the price tag fell just short of $1 billion, with St. Louis settling against Kroenke and the NFL for $790 million.
In St. Louis, we know you shouldn't mess with Yadier Molina.
One young Houston Astro found out firsthand in spring training that it's not a good idea to mess with the legend.
The Tokyo Olympics were one of the big storylines of 2021, and there was no bigger spotlight than the one on gymnast Simone Biles.
Biles made international headlines for withdrawing from competition in Tokyo to focus on her mental health.
The lawsuit over the relocation of the Rams was one of the top stories in St. Louis all year long.
There were many theories and predictions, but the case ended up being settled before going to trial, with Rams owner Stan Kroenke and the NFL paying up to the tune of $790 million to end the case.
Former Cardinals manager Mike Shildt made national news when he called out pitchers using foreign substances on the mound.
Shildt's comments came after his own pitcher, Giovanny Gallegos, had his hat confiscated during a game against the Chicago White Sox for being "suspicious". The Cardinals said Gallegos was simply using a combination of sunscreen and rosin.
Not long after, MLB cracked down on the use of foreign substances and increased inspections of pitchers during games.
After being fired from the Cardinals, Shildt got a job working for the Commissioner's office.
The Cardinals' firing of Mike Shildt in October was likely the most shocking sports story of the year in St. Louis.
Shildt had just led his team to a historic 17-game winning streak and another postseason berth.
The former Cardinals manager told our Frank Cusumano that he was "still numb" after the firing, before going on to make a full statement a few days later.
The United States women's gymnastics team was the talk of the Tokyo games. But it wasn't just Simone Biles.
The U.S. sent Jade Carey to compete for an individual medal alongside the team, and won a gold medal for her floor exercise routine.
This moment of generosity from an opposing fan at a Cardinals game this summer certainly struck a chord with our readers.
A woman in the crowd wearing a Cubs jersey spread the joy in her section by buying food and merchandise for anyone she could.
RELATED: 'Please tell her thank you': Mystery Cubs fan spreads generosity to entire section at Cardinals game
One couple didn't just get engaged at Busch Stadium this summer. Their favorite player made it extra special.
Their engagement moment played out on the jumbotron at Busch Stadium and then cut to Yadier Molina smiling and laughing. The Cardinals' catcher then proceeded to belt a go-ahead home run against the Cubs that ended up being the game-winner.
"You can't make that stuff up," Jeremy Gregge, who proposed, said. "You definitely can't plan it that's for sure."
The tragic loss of Saint Louis University assistant basketball coach Ford Stuen was our most-read sports story on KSDK.com in 2021.
Stuen, 29, had been diagnosed with an infection and placed in a medically-induced coma before dying in May.
Stuen left behind a wife, Courtney and a stepdaughter, Lucy. Courtney gave birth to the couple's first child, a son, after Stuen passed away.