DETROIT -- If the Detroit Tigers have spring training, and their front office has
winter meetings, then the devoted Tigers fan base has the day individual tickets officially go on sale.
Those tickets went on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at Comerica Park.
Although spring training is held in (usually) warm and sunny Lakeland, Fla. —
and the winter meetings took place in Dallas, within presumably
comfortable and cushy confines — the tickets were distributed in 36-degree weather, with stinging, snowy gusts of wind doing their best to
pester the fans in line.
"I was here for two and a half hours
yesterday for my wristband," said Sue Caporale of Dearborn, Mich., and
proud owner of wristband No. 791. "I was driving by and saw a huge line, so
I parked my car and waited in the pouring rain."
Was it worth it?
"Oh I
think so," she said.
Even with Mother Nature seemingly pitted against the
fans, there were nearly 1,000 wristbands distributed over the last two
days, according to team sources.
The wristbands were
individually numbered and dictated the order of the line, which nearly circled the entire stadium Saturday.
Prospective
buyers waited on Friday for upwards of three hours to receive a
guaranteed spot in line, the beginning of which was established by a
raffle this morning.
At around 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Austin Spencer, 12, was waiting in line with his dad, Michael, when Austin was randomly chosen to
draw the "winning" wristband number. He drew No. 111.
"When the guy
came up with the number I had drawn, he just said, 'Thanks!' and looked
really happy," said Austin, whose favorite Tiger is Miguel Cabrera.
That meant that No. 112 owned the second
position, No. 113 had the third and so on.
And, yes, it meant that, in some sort of reverse Price-is-Right format, No. 110 was dead last.
"I just got lucky I guess," said Sandy Wright, who had a great spot in line with No. 112. "I am a big Tigers fan, all Detroit sports, too. Can't wait to see Prince (Fielder)."
Even after the last wristband-clad fans assembled under
the sky-bridge on East Montcalm Street, more of those who had visions of
Opening Day gathered behind them, clinging to the thread of hope that
tickets would still be available.
"I'm here until someone says that they're all gone," said Steven Keller, 28, No. 101.
The season kicks off at Comerica Park against Boston on April 5, and thanks to the support of true snow-or-shine fans, it will be played in
front of a sellout crowd.
