BIRD LOVERS: CARDINALS CLINCHER BRINGS RECORD RATING

          Wednesday's Astros-Cardinals game on FSN, which saw the
     Cardinals clinch the NL Central division, received a 14.7
     preliminary Nielsen rating in the St. Louis market, becoming
     the highest-rated program in the history of FSN Midwest. 
     The rating includes the game broadcast and the subsequent
     on-field celebration.  The previous ratings record for FSN
     Midwest was a 14.1 in August '99, when Cardinals 1B Mark
     McGwire hit his 500th home run.  In the 10:00-10:15pm CT
     quarter hour, the telecast was the most-watched program in
     the St. Louis market, earning a 21.2 rating and topping the
     Olympics, which had a 19.8 in the same period (FSN).