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Fans Relish The Rays' First Day In The October Sun

TBO.com photo by SCOTT BUTHERUS

Fans file through the gates of Tropicana Field for the Rays' first ever ALDS appearance against the Chicago White Sox.

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By STEVEN GIRARDI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 2, 2008

Updated: 10/02/2008 06:34 pm

ST. PETERSBURG - With cowbells clanging and 36,000 people screaming wildly, Lou Venere looked up at the crowd in amazement.

Venere, 73, has ushered fans to their seats at Tropicana Field for six years. He has never seen anything like this.

"This is a playoff atmosphere. I feel like I'm at Yankee Stadium," the Bronx native said, with one notable exception. "I've never seen so many Rays jerseys in my life. It's wonderful."

It indeed was a playoff atmosphere as the Tampa Bay Rays played their historic first-ever postseason game today, sending their raucous fans home with a 6-4 victory against the Chicago White Sox.

James Shields made the opening pitch at 2:38 p.m., a strike that was hailed loudly throughout the ballpark – nowhere louder than in Section 300, permanent seat location of Kathy Plank, a k a the "Cow Bell Queen."

Plank, 62, has two seats in the section high above home plate, but she said her husband quit coming "because I make too much noise." Today she brought along a friend, Pieter Wiemken, 16.

Dressed in Rays gear, with Rays tattoo stickers on each cheek, Plank attracts plenty of attention – even from opposing teams. White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen, distracted by the "left-right, left-right" cheer Plant leads as opposing batters walk back to the dugout, invited her to the dugout during the fourth inning of a game in 2007.

He gave her two autographed baseballs, and they exchange gestures each time the team comes to the Trop. After a first-inning strike out today, Guillen looked her way and motioned to "zip your lips." She laughed.

The Rays in the playoffs is a dream come true for Plank, a 10-year ticket holder. "I would have been happy with .500," she said.

After witnessing 10 years of futility, with seemingly little hope at the beginning of this season, fans were not going to lose one moment of this celebration.

The start of the game came about four hours after fans starting filling the parking lots for a late-morning party. Barbecue grills were smoking, beers were chilling and fans were revved up.

Mohawk hairdos and anything with "Rays" written on it were the prevailing fashions of the day.

The festive atmosphere circled the dome as people lined up to get in. Television stations set up remote and standup telecasts, and Gov. Charlie Crist greeted fans and reporters outside the main entrance.

"This is great for Tampa Bay and for all of Florida," Crist said.

Ken Betz, 45, of St. Petersburg, expected it would be a great, too. He has waited a long time for a playoff game, but when Rays rookie star Evan Longoria hit a home run in the second inning, Betz was in the beer line.

"I bring a high school friend to the ballgame. You gotta get a cold beer between innings, and I miss the home run," Betz said. "Just my luck."

Out in the far corner of the stadium, in the left field upper deck, best friends Sarah Martinez and Amy Lounsbury of St. Petersburg peered through a row of people and the bars of a railing to see the game. They couldn't see the pitcher.

Martinez said they got the tickets from a friend of her husband. So where was her husband?

"Oh, he's sitting down there," she said, pointing. "Right behind the Rays' dugout."

But not to worry. "It's still fun," she said. "We're happy here."

The game had special meaning for Christopher and Madison Griffin of Brooksville. "I didn't have to go to school," said Christopher, 9.

He and Madison, 7, got the good news Wednesday night after their father, Bryan, got tickets online.

"I like for the kids to see the way these guys get treated," said Bryan Griffin, a Little League coach.

Their mother, Bonnie Griffin, didn't object, either. "Why not?" she said. "It's not like they're going to fail."

For some, the game was exciting for other reasons.

Rolo Rosado, working the taps at the Guiness, Harp and Smithwick Ale concession, said business for the $9 beers was three-times normal. Proceeds from the beer stand benefit the Seminole High School marching band.

"It's going to be an excellent day," Rosado said.

Fans came from near and far to see the Rays' historic game.

David Gonos, 37, has lived in Fort Lauderdale for the past five years, moving there from Lakeland. He never figured he would have to make the trip this year.

"Not even close," Gonos said of whether he figured the Rays would be in the playoffs.

Gonos attended the Ray's second game ever, their first victory, in 1998. He arrived at Tropicana about 11:30 a.m. with tickets from a friend at MLB.Com.

"He said, 'You're the only Rays fan I know who was a fan when they were no good,' " Gonos said.

He and Jason Nightlinger, 36, of Lakeland, were enjoying the morning in the Tropicana Field parking lot, sipping cold beer. "They're light beers," Nightlinger explained.

Recent Eckerd College graduates Seth Hagler and Ben Victor had a miniature grill heated up in the parking lot, but it was their headwear that was drawing stares.

They each sported what they called a "faux Rayhawk" – a scruffy strip of blue fur running down the middle of their heads that looked something like a spray-painted squirrel. It was their version of the mohawk haircut craze the Rays players started.

"I'll probably wear it home on the plane Sunday morning," said Hagler, 23, who works with the Presbyterian campus ministry at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga. He plans to be home in time for church, but will leave the faux hair behind.

The piece cost him $17 -- not the best deal he's made. "Actually, the best $17 I spent was on the grill," he said.

Reporter Steven Girardi may be reached at (727) 451-2333 or at sgirardi@tampatrib.com.

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