Tampa Bay Rays 2008 Fan Fest to Be Held at Tropicana Field Feb. 23

02/20/2008, ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Rays 2008 Fan Fest, presented by MetroPCS, will be held Saturday, February 23 at Tropicana Field. Rays single game tickets for the regular season will also go on sale that day.

Fan Fest hours will be 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for the general public, with 9:00 a.m. admittance for full season ticket holders. Admission and parking is free, as it has been every year. Rays players, coaches, 19 former major leaguers, including former American League Rookies of the Year Gary Peters and Tom Tresh and former Ray and "The Rookie" Jim Morris will be signing autographs throughout the day. Also, MLB.com analyst Harold Reynolds will be available for a Q&A at 1 p.m.

Article continues below...

Fans of all ages will have the opportunity to take a swing in a big league batting cage, test their fastball in the speed pitch booth, hit a home run in the Wiffle Ball Home Run Derby, take the Home-to-First Speed Challenge, and tour the Rays clubhouse. Panel discussions will be held with various MLB alumni, coaches, broadcasters and front office executives throughout the event.

Artifacts from the Ted Williams Museum and Hitters Hall of Fame will be showcased as well as artifacts from the world's largest autographed baseball collection, including balls signed by Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb and many others. There will also be a baseball card show.

The team will honor their most loyal and diehard fans by inducting seven new members into the Rays/Pepsi Fan Wall of Fame during a ceremony at noon on the field. The Rays Touch Tank will be open for fans to pet and feed live cownose rays. Kids will have the opportunity to run the bases. A silent auction will take place with proceeds benefiting the Rays Baseball Foundation.

Single game tickets will go on sale starting at 9:00 a.m. at the Tropicana Field box office, Tampa office, and all TicketMaster locations. Tickets can also be purchased online (www.raysbaseball.com or www.raysbeisbol.com) or by calling 888-FAN-RAYS. Additionally, fans will have the chance to purchase season tickets and mini-plans inside the ballpark throughout the day.

Fans are encouraged to stop by the MetroPCS Call-A-Friend Stage from 1:00-3:00 p.m. to receive the most up-to-date information on MetroPCS products and have the opportunity for a Rays player to call a friend or family member.

Fans may call 888-FAN-RAYS or log on to www.raysbaseball.com for more information.

RAYS 2008 FAN FEST AUTOGRAPH SCHEDULE*

Rays Manager, Coaches & Players:

* (9am-10am)-Gaetti, Niemann, Davis
* (11am-noon)-Shields, Garza, Glover, Salas, Talbot, Dohmann, Ryu
* (Noon-1pm)---Zimmer, Kazmir, Percival, Price, Jackson, Hammel, Sonnanstine, Miller, Howell, Balfour, Reyes, Wheeler, McGee
* (1pm-2pm)---Upton, Iwamura, Baldelli, Zobrist, Ruggiano, Birkins, Cannizaro, Brignac, Munter, Hinske, Spring, Richard
* (2pm-3pm)-Pena, Floyd, Longoria, Bartlett, Medlock, Rodriguez, Houser, Johnson, Weber, Orvella, Anderson, Perez
* (3pm-4pm)-Crawford, Gomes, Guzman, Navarro, Aybar, Mason, Gimenez, DiFelice, Mason, Jaso, Paul, Riggans
* (4pm-5pm)-Maddon, Foley, Ramos, Hendrick, Bogar, Martinez, Hickey, Henderson

Former Ray and "The Rookie":

* Jim Morris will be signing autographs from 10am-2pm

Major League Baseball Alumni:

* (10am)---Billy DeMars, Milt May, Jim Morrison, Tom Niedenfuer, Dennis Rasmussen, Tom Tresh
* (1pm)---Carl Boles, Rich Folkers, Dick Lines, Dennis Menke, Mark Whiten
* (2pm)---Bill Denehy, Ken Frailing, John O'Donoghue, Gary Peters
* (3pm)---Casey Cox, Darold Knowles, Jeff Torborg

*Autograph schedule is subject to change

Source: MLB