Monday's celebration at St. Petersburg's Pier was a study in sensory overload. Thousands of Rays fans crowded the downtown location taking up the ground and top levels of the building.

There was an earnest but comical rendition of "Take me out to the ballgame," performed by members of the St. Petersburg City Council. And Mayor Rick Baker took to the stage armed with a guitar and performed with the Sunburn band.  A fan on a unicycle rode through the crowd tossing baseballs and other trinkets honoring the Rays win. Blue and yellow streamers were thrown through the air throughout the festivities.

Some in attendance wondered if the Rays would show up at the event. The players were not scheduled to attend. Still the crowd exuded excitement and pride.

"We're not going into this as the underdogs," said Jill Marie, a Pinellas Park resident. "We're solid!"

-- Nicole Hutcheson, Times Staff Writer