Fan Fest a hit with Rays' faithful

Tampa Bay Rays players weren't the only ones running around Tropicana Field today with names and numbers on their backs.

Thousands of supporters turned out for Fan Fest as the Rays threw open the doors of their domed stadium and invited the faithful, many of them wearing replicas of their favorite players' jerseys, onto the artificial turf.

Visitors showed how baseball can unite the most diverse crowd - from the skinny, bearded guy with the "VegNews" shoulder bag to the tattooed guy with shaved head and bulging biceps.

As people entered Gate 1, door attendant Jim Adams greeted them as if they were entering his own house.

"Welcome home," the Cleveland transplant called again and again. "Welcome, guys. Good to see you."

As the crowd grew, the lines began forming: for children's activities; for locker room tours; and for autographs. Those last ones made the Fourth of July at Busch Gardens look easy by comparison.

Experienced autograph hounds brought books to pass the time. The rest stood patiently, sometimes for hours, waiting for a signature from the likes of outfielder Matt Joyce, first baseman Carlos Peña and third baseman Evan Longoria.

William Umberger and his three sons skipped the endless autograph lines in favor of the shorter wait at the pitching and batting cages.

Umberger's youngest son, Nathaniel, 7, tried his hand pitching to a catcher painted on a canvas a few feet away. The ball thumped against the backdrop and the radar gun reported his speed: 34 mph.

He might not be headed for the majors yet, but that's OK. Nathaniel's a soccer whiz, his dad said.

It was exciting to be standing on the field where the players usually walk, Umberger said.

"We try to come to as many games as we can," said the Sarasota resident. "Usually, we sit in the outfield.

"I'll come no matter what," he said, "whether they win or lose."