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Rays Fans Head Downtown For Game Party

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TBO.com

Published: September 26, 2008

Updated: 09/26/2008 09:36 pm

The Tampa Bay Rays fans could have stayed home to watch Friday night's baseball game.

But after a whirlwind season, where the team already has earned its way into the playoffs, many fans, including Mayor Pam Iorio, chose camaraderie over privacy.

Fans gathered at Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park in Tampa, setting up shop near a giant TV screen to watch the Rays face the Detroit Tigers.

Even with Friday's 6-3 loss, the Rays still had a shot at making the playoffs with a Boston Red Sox loss against the New York Yankees.

The video feed didn't work for the first three innings, and several people who attended were upset. Some left, but several of those who stayed said they had a good time.

The Rays finished last in the standings last season.

Austin Chapman, 6, came to the party sporting a Carl Crawford shirt and a Mohawk haircut his father gave him. Kevin Chapman, 27, of Sarasota said his son wanted the haircut for months, but it wasn't until Saturday that dad gave in, thinking the new do would be more socially acceptable now.

"It's starting to grow on me," Kevin Chapman said.

Claire Garcia, 53, of Seffner, and Lucie Paulucci, 52, of Brandon, arrived carrying stuffed animals. Paulucci said her cheetah is named Kazadee, after Rays' pitcher Scott Kazmir.

The two said they've been to 70 to 80 Rays games and always take the animals with them.

Garcia said she wanted to come to Tampa to watch Friday night's game because "if we clinch, we want to be with other Rays fans."

The best-of-five American League Division Series will begin next week, and the Rays' first playoff game is slated for Wednesday or Thursday.

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