Photographer: WFTS
Copyright 2011 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Posted: 09/28/2011
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - On a night this big for the Rays, it might be surprising how many fans arrived at the Trop two hours early Wednesday to root for another team.
"I'm a Red Sox fan and I'm faithful to my team, so I'll take whatever people say to me," Stephanie Day said.
Same goes for Ernesto Urdaneta, here all the way from Venezuela.
"I like Yankees," he said.
Urdaneta continued in Spanish with his friend translating.
"It's a good team, but the Yankees are the best."
With so many enemies at the Trop, a little extra luck from Rays fans couldn't hurt.
"I'm so excited," said Kara Beth Schleich. Schleich wore her lucky jersey. "Because when I wear it, we win," she said.
Her 82-year-old husband, Carl, wore his lucky socks. "I do wash them occasionally," Carl laughed.
But perhaps what may be more important than Rays fans' superstitions on a big game night is what is behind the superstitions -- love for the team.
Just ask Kristine Briggs, who sweated under a catchers helmet with no superstitious value at all, simply to show solidarity with her favorite players.
"Go Rays! Let's do it! Let's go to the World Series!" she shouted.
Copyright 2011 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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