Today's paper | eEdition | Subscribe
The Truth-O-Meter
Latest print edition
St. Petersburg Times
Special report
Video report
  • Friday Night Rewind
    It doesn't matter which team you cheer for. We've got video previews of every high school football program in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando County.
  • More video reports
Multimedia report
Fill out this form to email this article to a friend
Your name Your email
Recipient email
You may enter up to 20 multiple email addresses, separated by commas.
Your message
Validation Code
Hear
validation
code
  Enter validation code
Game time

Rays fans will be there with bells on

By Sharon Kennedy Wynne, Times Staff Writer
In print: Thursday, April 24, 2008


Fan Morgan Hickey knows how to handle a cowbell.
Fan Morgan Hickey knows how to handle a cowbell.
[Dirk Shadd | Times (2006)]
Social Bookmarking
Digg Facebook Stumbleupon
Reddit Del.icio.us Newsvine
ADVERTISEMENT

Saturday's Tampa Bay Rays game against the Boston Red Sox marks the return of Cowbell Night. Fans dressed in Rays gear will be given a clanging cowbell to be shaken only when the opposing batter has two strikes or the other team's fans decide to start up a cheer.

The cowbell promotion was the idea of principal owner Stuart Sternberg, who picked it up from a classic Saturday Night Live skit. But its loudest proponent is "The Cowbell Kid" otherwise known as Cary Strukel, 38, a bartender and small-business owner who has become a one-man marching band of Rays fanfare, complete with giant blue afro wig and scuba flippers.

Strukel's proudest achievement is a clip from ESPN where Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay was heard saying about him, "I want to go down and make that guy eat the cowbell!"

But even Strukel realizes cowbells must be used with care.

"When you're beating it for absolutely no reason," that's not good, Strukel said, "but if it's in the ear of a Yankee fan, that's okay in my eyes."

The Rays take on the Red Sox at 7:10 p.m. Friday at Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg. Tickets start at $14 advance, $16 door. Toll-free 1-888-326-7297; raysbaseball.com. The Rays play Boston at 7:10 p.m. Saturday and 1:40 p.m. Sunday.



[Last modified: Apr 25, 2008 12:54 PM]



Comments on this article
by Kyle Apr 25, 2008 12:54 PM
Too bad Raymond James will not allow cowbells. Especially for a BULLS game. Cowbells and BULLS would seem kind of natural!
by Mark Apr 25, 2008 12:44 PM
Long live the Kid!
by Craig Apr 24, 2008 4:36 PM
Such a well-researched story... by the way, cowbell night is Saturday, not Friday. a-Dur!
Subscribe to the Times
Click here for daily delivery
of the St. Petersburg Times.

Email Newsletters

ADVERTISEMENT

 
ADVERTISEMENT