February 8, 200422 yr Sure there were adults. And lots of them. From what Flamarlins.com says there were 30,000 in attendance today at FanFest, but what I saw and what gave me hope for the future of this franchise was wave after wave of kids, their parents being dragged along from booth to booth, from the batting cages to the wiffleball stadium to the pitching station, to the autograph lines, kids everywhere. This is great news for the Florida Marlins and reinforces why the Marlins say they have to have a domed stadium. Families were everywhere today and families will be the backbone of increased attendance for our Fish. I say this is great news! Kids with their Marlins t-shirts and hats, kids with their gloves, kids talking about players like they grew up on baseball. When I was one (more than a half century ago, OMG am I really that old?) we lived for baseball. As good as the New York football Giants were (there was no AFL back then), football really existed as something to watch when there was no baseball. We lived for Ted Williams and Jackie Jensen and Jimmy Piersall and Sammy White, and Curt Gowdy on the radio (you guessed it I grew in New England) and the day the ground was finally thawed enough that we could get out our cleats and oil up our gloves and start playing ball was the best day of the year. And that includes Christmas. I sensed today something I never thought I'd see in South Florida. Kids celebrating baseball. All of you who throw around the term bandwagon jumpers are missing the point. Baseball is back. Bigtime. Last summer was the emancipation of millions of fans in South Florida. Finally, young and old alike rose up and shed the yoke of embarrassment that Marlins fans have had bear since you know who sold off the '98 Marlins. No more were fans looked at as kooks if they wore a Marlins cap in public. People didn't look down their collective noses at you when you proclaimed your love of the game above football. Last summer was a turning point, not because of the world series, but because Marlins fans finally stood up to be counted. PPS (or hopefully a new stadium they'll call home) may never be the same. Thanks to Jeffrey and Admin and David and Jack and 25 guys working together this tide cannot and will not be stemmed. Today proved it. But it was the kids that made this memorable. A year ago it was all crusty baseball diehards (like myself I admit), transplanted from accross America who made up the crowds at FanFest, this year it was the kids. A new generation of baseball fans were born, who will carry with them into adulthood love of the game and love of all things Marlin. These kids will lead us to the promised land. Baseball is a game you don't have to be 6'7" or 300lbs to play and these kids know it. So I say hooray for the kids. Hooray for Baseball. Hooray for the Florida Marlins.
February 8, 200422 yr thats a really good post marlins2003, its a beautiful thing seeing kids with their dads (me!! although im 20, but still), hanging out, looking for ball players and autographs and having a good time based on baseball. hopefully those kids will keep the love of the team and game and not forget the good times as they grow up like i did and obviously like you did.
February 8, 200422 yr This ownership came in and made kids their mission statement with the foul ball certificates so you can prove to friends it was a real foul ball and all the autograph sessions and if you catch the homer they let you meet the player and get the autograph. also, the Marlins are inexpensive to go see and they televise 55 games on free tv in Miami and the Palm Beaches every year without blackouts so any kid with rabbit ears can catch them.
February 8, 200422 yr Good post Marlins2003, and I have to agree. My kids literally dragged me down there. They were talking about it all week. My son ran into one of his classmates No more were fans looked at as kooks if they wore a Marlins cap in public. One fan stood up during the press conference, and thanked Sampson, McKeon and Beinfest for bringing the excitement back into baseball in South Florida. He said he has been a season ticket holder since he was 5 years old. In 2002 people used to make fun of him for wearing his Marlins shirt, but this year they are all wearing them with him!
February 8, 200422 yr Good post Marlins2003, and I have to agree. My kids literally dragged me down there. They were talking about it all week. my dad would say the samething :whistle
February 8, 200422 yr LOL i sat right behind that fan during the conference LOL The herald and the media cant deny that fanfest was a HUGE success. I was there with 3 of my friends (including juanky) and we had an awesome time. We felt close to the players and felt really good to sit down in the stands and eat our food like if we were at a game again. The Confereneces were more like pep rallies. Off course there are some questions repeated (why is pudge gone, why didnt we get him, blah blah blah) But many of them were good, especially the ones about the new stadium and the future of the team. Also seeing the players devoting time to answer personal questions was awesome. Today was an awesome day, it cant be denied, and it WONT be denied.
February 8, 200422 yr excellent post 03, excellent. If I had kids, I'd hug one of em. Then I'd make him do something funny.
February 8, 200422 yr i do have one negative story. after i walked out of the clubhouse, me and my dad were walking up the ramp to the 100 level when we saw pavano, aj, and redmond going to a car (im guessing it was pavs or aj's car, probably showing off the new car because they just sat there for a minute) and i just stood against the fence watching and these little kids next to me were yelling out carls name, loud and repeatedly trying to get his attention and he just walked by continuing to talk to the guys. no hi or any acknowledgment. i want to think that he was going back to the clubhouse knowing they would follow and then sign stuff for them, but it didnt look right to me or my dad.
February 8, 200422 yr Yeah, a lot of kids. They mobbed Billy the Marlin. :lol and those over 13 mobbed the Mermaids lol
February 8, 200422 yr Sure there were adults. And lots of them. From what Flamarlins.com says there were 30,000 in attendance today at FanFest, but what I saw and what gave me hope for the future of this franchise was wave after wave of kids, their parents being dragged along from booth to booth, from the batting cages to the wiffleball stadium to the pitching station, to the autograph lines, kids everywhere. This is great news for the Florida Marlins and reinforces why the Marlins say they have to have a domed stadium. Families were everywhere today and families will be the backbone of increased attendance for our Fish. I say this is great news! Kids with their Marlins t-shirts and hats, kids with their gloves, kids talking about players like they grew up on baseball. When I was one (more than a half century ago, OMG am I really that old?) we lived for baseball. As good as the New York football Giants were (there was no AFL back then), football really existed as something to watch when there was no baseball. We lived for Ted Williams and Jackie Jensen and Jimmy Piersall and Sammy White, and Curt Gowdy on the radio (you guessed it I grew in New England) and the day the ground was finally thawed enough that we could get out our cleats and oil up our gloves and start playing ball was the best day of the year. And that includes Christmas. I sensed today something I never thought I'd see in South Florida. Kids celebrating baseball. All of you who throw around the term bandwagon jumpers are missing the point. Baseball is back. Bigtime. Last summer was the emancipation of millions of fans in South Florida. Finally, young and old alike rose up and shed the yoke of embarrassment that Marlins fans have had bear since you know who sold off the '98 Marlins. No more were fans looked at as kooks if they wore a Marlins cap in public. People didn't look down their collective noses at you when you proclaimed your love of the game above football. Last summer was a turning point, not because of the world series, but because Marlins fans finally stood up to be counted. PPS (or hopefully a new stadium they'll call home) may never be the same. Thanks to Jeffrey and Admin and David and Jack and 25 guys working together this tide cannot and will not be stemmed. Today proved it. But it was the kids that made this memorable. A year ago it was all crusty baseball diehards (like myself I admit), transplanted from accross America who made up the crowds at FanFest, this year it was the kids. A new generation of baseball fans were born, who will carry with them into adulthood love of the game and love of all things Marlin. These kids will lead us to the promised land. Baseball is a game you don't have to be 6'7" or 300lbs to play and these kids know it. So I say hooray for the kids. Hooray for Baseball. Hooray for the Florida Marlins. What a great post Marlins2003! Hopefully, this showing is a wake-up call to the City of Miami and South Florida in general, that there IS a market for Major League Baseball, and a much deserved new stadium is put in place.
February 8, 200422 yr Yeah, a lot of kids. They mobbed Billy the Marlin. :lol and those over 13 mobbed the Mermaids lol So there's going to be a Marlins dance team this year, instead of the Marlins Mermaids??? I wonder how that is going to work, and if they will all be able to fit in the hot tub together??? :whistle
February 8, 200422 yr One fan stood up during the press conference, and thanked Sampson, McKeon and Beinfest for bringing the excitement back into baseball in South Florida. He said he has been a season ticket holder since he was 5 years old. In 2002 people used to make fun of him for wearing his Marlins shirt, but this year they are all wearing them with him! I was right behind him I was the guy who asked the last question of that meeting.
February 8, 200422 yr One fan stood up during the press conference, and thanked Sampson, McKeon and Beinfest for bringing the excitement back into baseball in South Florida. He said he has been a season ticket holder since he was 5 years old. In 2002 people used to make fun of him for wearing his Marlins shirt, but this year they are all wearing them with him! I was right behind him I was the guy who asked the last question of that meeting. Oh yeah, they made a point that you would have the last chance at a question. I was just to your left. It was my younger son who raised his hand and asked Sampson if the Marlins were ever going to get a stadium.
February 8, 200422 yr children children future future children children future future children are the future
February 8, 200422 yr Excellent post 2003 :thumbup . I agree that there is hope due to the younger generations. On my son's little league team, kids ramdomly were assigned a team (Marlin, Pirates, Cardinals, etc), every kid out there was beging for being a Marlins and wearing a Marlins uniform. You gotta believe :thumbup
February 9, 200422 yr Woohoo. Maybe their fathers and mothers who still love their Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, Giants, Cards, Cubs, etc. will bring them to more games.
February 9, 200422 yr I wonder if I would be considered an original fan or a part of the "new wave of kids."
February 9, 200422 yr I grew up with the Marlins - ever since they entered MLB over 10 years ago, they have been my favorite team.
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.