NBA star Jayson Tatum and NHL player Matthew Tkachuk, both hailing from St. Louis, recently reunited to recreate a nostalgic photo from their childhood that has captured the hearts of fans. The two athletes, now both 26 years old, met up at Busch Stadium during a St. Louis Cardinals game on Sunday, August 18, to recreate a memorable photo that first went viral earlier this year.
Tkachuk, a forward for the Florida Panthers, and Tatum, a standout guard for the Boston Celtics, posed for the new photo, which was shared by the St. Louis Cardinals on their social media channels. The original photo, taken when the two were classmates, shows a young Tatum smiling brightly in an orange shirt, while Tkachuk, seated next to him, sports a serious expression in a blue-striped polo. Behind them, their classmate Jacob Bai can be seen peeking into the frame as the trio sits together on a school bus.
The Cardinals’ social media post featuring the new photo was captioned, “How it started ?? How it’s going,” and highlighted the special moment of Tatum, Tkachuk, and Bai coming together to recreate their childhood memory. The post read, “Jayson Tatum and Matthew Tkachuk reunited with childhood classmate Jacob B. to recreate their famous bus photo at the ballpark today! #ForTheLou.”
The original photo gained widespread attention in June 2024 during the NBA and NHL postseason, as both Tatum and Tkachuk were making significant playoff runs with their respective teams. The photo resurfaced online, quickly going viral as fans marveled at the connection between two of the sports world’s biggest stars. The inclusion of Jacob Bai, the third head peeking out in the background, added an extra layer of charm to the story, catching the attention of Bai’s friends and family who shared the image across social media platforms, including Snapchat.
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During that remarkable month, Tkachuk’s Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup, defeating the Edmonton Oilers on June 24, while Tatum’s Boston Celtics claimed victory in the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks on June 17. The shared success of the two athletes added to the excitement surrounding their viral childhood photo, making their recent reunion at Busch Stadium all the more special.
The recreation of the photo took place before the Cardinals’ game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Both Tatum and Tkachuk were presented with custom red City Connect jerseys bearing their names and numbers. In a gesture that further solidified the connection between their childhood and their current stardom, Bai was flown in from San Diego to St. Louis by the Cardinals, along with his fiancée, Rachel Anne Ramos, to join the athletes in recreating the iconic image.
After throwing ceremonial first pitches, Tatum and Tkachuk met up with Bai in a suite at the stadium, where they held up copies of the original photo and posed for a new one, capturing the moment for posterity. The image perfectly mirrored the childhood photo, with the trio now older but still sharing the bond that was first captured years ago.
Reflecting on their shared journey, Tkachuk had spoken about his connection to Tatum during the Stanley Cup Final Media Day in early June. “Yeah, it’s actually really cool when you think about it,” he said, according to NHL.com. “Everyone from St. Louis, whether they were going to watch or not, with having both of us in, I’d say there’s a lot of people, especially the kids we grew up with and families and people who know us, they’re pulling for both teams. It’s super cool to have that support back home for not only myself, but for the Celtics as well.”
The reunion at Busch Stadium not only celebrated the athletes’ incredible achievements but also highlighted the deep-rooted connections that continue to tie them to their hometown and each other.
