Hundreds welcome Rays home

ST. PETERSBURG - Scott Young tallied up the wait: three years of stadium construction, eight more years waiting for a ball club, then 10 seasons without making it to the playoffs.

“It was 21 years in the making,” said Young, 49. “This is the biggest thing that’s ever happened on this side of the bay, sportswise.”

So when the Tampa Bay Rays filed into St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport Sunday night as the American League East champions, Young was there to meet them.

He had plenty of company.

Several hundred fans of all ages waved banners, cheered and danced while they waited for their favorite team to arrive.

They rang cowbells en masse and waved signs with messages such as “All I want is just 1 picture Evan!” and “Can anyone say ‘Hello October?”

They broke into spontaneous “Let’s go Rays” chants and jumped onto counters for a better view.

“The Rays have brought excitement back to baseball,” said Nina Morningstar, 48, of St. Petersburg.

Most fans said they planned on attending the Rays rallies scheduled this week.

Many said they intended to take advantage of the free mohawk haircuts that will be given out at Straub Park on Monday.

Michael Zabriskie, 40, of Clearwater, got his last Wednesday.

“It’s electric,” Zabriskie said of the crowd. “Even if I didn’t have a mohawk, my hair would still be standing up.”

- Rita Farlow, Times staff writer