From the years carved into its band to the diamonds embedded behind the phrase "WORLD CHAMPIONS," the 73-gram ring the Cardinals will present to players today is crammed with history and ingenuity.

It may also be the first championship ring to feature a squirrel.

On the same side as the player's name, tucked between a home plate motif and the interlocking "STL" made out of African rubies, is a small, subtle squirrel. The "rally squirrel" is captured in full stride, same as he entered Cardinals' lore when he scampered across home plate during Skip Schumaker's at-bat in the National League division series against Philadelphia.

"For us, it is just a legitimate classic ring, and every time you look at, it you'll find something new," said Chris Poitras, director of sports marketing and sports for Jostens, the manufacturer of the ring. "Each element tells a story about the season or says something about the team's history."