2010 RAILCATS FAN FEST

Saturday, February 20
10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Radisson Hotel at Star Plaza
Merrillville, Ind.

Thanks for making Fan Fest great, RailCats fans!

CHECK OUT:
2010 PHOTO GALLERY
2010 Fan Fest Recap
Willie Glen Signs 2010 Contract at Fan Fest
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Final Details Announced - Major Signings to Highlight Closing Ceremonies
RailCats Radio Challenge Could Put You on the Air!
Wallace Johnson, Tommy John Headed to Fan Fest
Allensworth, Haake, Beachum Join Cast
Willie Glen, Zach McClellan to Appear
Three New Additions to Celebrity Lineup
Get Discount Tickets During Presale
Online Ticket Sale Now Underway
First-Ever Fan Fest Draws Nearly 1,000 Fans

For the second winter in a row, a crowd of 1,000 Gary SouthShore RailCats fans celebrated summer at the Radisson Hotel in Merrillville during Fan Fest, a fun-filled day of baseball that featured current and former ‘Cats players, a pair of celebrity guests and a handful of surprise announcements.

“What another great day for our fans,” RailCats President/General Manager Roger Wexelberg said. “To have an even better response to Fan Fest this year is a testament to the connection our fans have to RailCats baseball. We’re happy to have this event become a tradition that means so much not only to our fans but to our players, coaches and staff as well.”

A one-of-a-kind event in minor league baseball, the second RailCats Fan Fest built on the success of last year, recapturing a feverish RailCats crowd that lined up more than an hour ahead of its opening to guarantee some of the free giveaways and get the first look at The Stadium – Fan Fest’s main ballroom. With ballpark games, several photo booths, face painting, a live radio broadcast on 89.1 FM, The Lakeshore, appearances from Radio One Communications personalities (including Mike “The Mullet Man” Summers and Tom Lounges) and even more, The Stadium was the hub of Fan Fest.

After the Opening Ceremonies, in which the 15 RailCats players and coaches in attendance were introduced one-by-one, fans broke out across the Radisson to take part in a wide range of activities. Down the hall, RailCats players participated in hour-long autograph sessions throughout the day and taught five different baseball clinics for the future RailCats in attendance. Players, team administrators and special guests Wallace Johnson and Tommy John also took part in lively Question and Answer forums, and Johnson and John each had their own autograph sessions back inside The Stadium in conjunction with First Midwest Bank.

Fan Fest was also a day of contests, with Post-Tribune Photo Contest winners Wesley Davis and Jennifer Santaquilani each feted for their submissions during the weeks leading up to the event. Their winning photos were on display in the Hall of History, and they each won a free suite night at U. S. Steel Yard this summer. The RailCats also held phase one of the RailCats Radio Challenge, presented by The Lakeshore. Three finalists – Brandon Vicksey, Jordan Galligan and Mike Elledge – were chosen from a talented pool of more than 20 entrants to advance to the second round of the competition. Each finalist will be profiled on www.railcatsbaseball.com and have their chance to campaign for fan votes in March on The Lakeshore. The ultimate winner will get to broadcast a RailCats game this summer at U. S. Steel Yard and co-host a sports talk show on The Lakeshore.

As promised throughout the week, Fan Fest also ended with a bang. As hundreds of fans stuck around for the Closing Ceremonies, the RailCats announced three major pieces of news. Two will be finalized later this week, but the RailCats made their biggest splash last, signing former ace pitcher Willie Glen to a 2010 contract, a bit of news that drew a roar from the crowd when announced by sixth-year manager Greg Tagert.

The entire RailCats organization wishes to thank every sponsor, player, coach, staff member and, most of all, fan who made the 2010 Fan Fest a tremendous success.

The RailCats thank the following guests for being part of the 2010 Fan Fest:

Wallace Johnson - Gary, Indiana native and 10-year major league veteran
Tommy John - Left-hander won 288 games in 26-year big league career
Greg Tagert - Two-time Northern League Manager of the Year
Willie Glen - 2007 Northern League Pitcher of the Year
Jay Pecci - All-Star shortstop and franchise hits leader
Tony Cogan - 2009 Full-Season All-Star LHP and former Kansas City Royal
Jermaine Allensworth - Former Pittsburgh Pirate, Kansas City Royal, New York Met and RailCat
Zach McClellan - Former Colorado Rockies hurler and RailCats signee
Steve Haake - Franchise’s all-time leader in doubles, triples, stolen bases, and games played
Travis Kerber - 2006 All-Star and two-time NL Champion
Mike Rohde - 2008 Northern League Rookie of the Year
Jeff Beachum - Rookie super-sub who hit .309 in 2009
Jamie Bennett - Former pitcher (2005) now pitching coach
Joe Gates - Assistant Coach and longest tenured member of the RailCats
Mick Curran - 2010 Hitting Coach and 2009 Utility Coach
Tom Nichols - Broadcaster (2005-07) now with Dayton Dragons

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RELIVE THE 2009 FAN FEST:
Read the Press Release Announcing Fan Fest
Check out the preliminary Fan Fest lineup
Tommy John to Appear as Special Guest
Wille Glen and Four Others Added to Lineup
Complete Schedule Announced
2009 Fan Fest Photo Gallery