'It really has a wow factor' - MLB's UK return

West Ham's 66,000-seater stadium has been transformed into a ballpark for the weekend

Four years after Major League Baseball first arrived on British shores, 'America's pastime' is finally back in England this weekend.

But the rivalry between the St Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs is even older and now, after the coronavirus pandemic put paid to a scheduled visit in 2020, it's their turn to slug it out on UK soil.

Over two days more than 130,000 fans will pack into London Stadium, which has undergone an 18-day transformation to become a state-of-the-art ballpark - and it won't just be east London enjoying a slice of Americana this weekend.

Trafalgar Square is set for an MLB takeover and both games will be streamed live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.

'Route 66' rivalry arrives in E20

Since 1916, the Chicago Cubs have played at Wrigley Field, five miles from the start of Route 66. Drive another 334 miles south in America's Midwest and St Louis is the first major stop.

Yet the 'Route 66' rivalry between Chicago and St Louis actually predates both the legendary US highway and the Cubs' historic home.

The two cities were trade rivals before becoming sporting rivals, and the Cardinals and Cubs have been battling for bragging rights for more than 130 years.

Chicago have won more games, but St Louis have more championships - only the Yankees (27) have won the World Series more times than the Cardinals (11).

The Cubs have won it just three times but have done so most recently in 2016, ending baseball's longest title drought (108 years) and slaying a 71-year curse.

A rivalry spanning 2,494 meetings has been punctuated by walk-offs, riots and mass brawls, and in 1998 the US was gripped as St Louis' Mark McGwire and Chicago's Sammy Sosa chased the single-season home run record (61).

Naturally, McGwire broke the record against Sosa and the Cubs, before finishing the season with 70. Barry Bonds set the current record of 73 in 2001.

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St Louis' current star is Paul Goldschmidt, who was named the National League's Most Valuable Player last season, with the seven-time All Star hitting 35 home runs.

That helped the Cardinals win their division, with the Cubs third, but St Louis lost in the first round of the play-offs.

Nolan Arenado is another big hitter in the Cardinals' dugout while catcher Wilson Contreras, a World Series winner with Chicago in 2016, crossed the divide in December.

Chicago pair Ian Happ and Dansby Swanson became All Stars for the first time last season and won a Gold Glove Award for their fielding, along with Arenado.

Both teams have a losing record so far this season, but earning a series sweep in London could be the boost they need to go on and snatch a wildcard spot for this year's play-offs.

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Added 'wow factor' for UK fans

MLB were granted access to London Stadium on 5 June to carry out the pitch transformation and, at the peak, about 400 people were working on it night and day.

More than 144,000 square feet of artificial turf tiles and 345 tonnes of infield clay have been installed on top of 4,000 tonnes of UK-sourced aggregate.

The clay and turf, which sits on top of West Ham's playing surface, will be stored and reused for future series, with MLB set to return to London in 2024 and 2026.

After the 2019 series, players said they wanted the foul territory, to each side of the home plate, to be narrower. Therefore more seats have been added to fill the gaps, which cover what's normally the football pitch and athletics track.

"It makes it more baseball-like and brings fans closer to the action," said Murray Cook, president of Brightview Sports, official MLB field consultants.

"When I walked out to home plate for the first time this year I couldn't believe the difference to 2019. You can see the dugouts and the players much more, which is a huge part of the game. It really has a wow factor."

After the series, it is expected to take five days to return the stadium to its normal state.

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What else is happening?

Some big names will be there this weekend, with cricket stars James Anderson and Nathan Lyon set to throw the ceremonial first pitch on Saturday before renewing their Ashes battle at Lord's on Wednesday.

But their nutritionists may suggest they avoid some of the ballpark cuisine on offer at London Stadium.

The menu reflects Chicago and St Louis' culinary heritage and includes a cheese brisket sandwich and donut burger, which features two 4oz beef patties topped with a glazed donut bun.

There will also be two-foot servings of chilli nachos and a two-foot hot dog - packed with 2,500 calories and designed for four people.

Ballpark food and drink will be available at Trafalgar Square as well, with the iconic London landmark transformed to host a free-to-attend baseball festival from Friday to Sunday.

MLB legends and fans will be taking part in a mixed-reality game and skills challenges, plus you can watch all the weekend's action on the three outdoor screens.