ANAHEIM — Baseball jerseys ranging from the hometown Los Angeles Angels, cross-town rival Los Angeles Dodgers, and even the Pittsburgh Pirates, littered the Anaheim Convention Center this weekend.
Even Mickey Mouse was sprinkled throughout the facility.
Major League Baseball’s 20th annual All-Star FanFest, the five-day appetizer to Tuesday’s All-Star Game, gave thousands of fans the opportunity to meet a slew of Hall of Famers and Angels legends, as well as live the major league experience through more than 40 attractions.
With Disneyland just down the street, the atmosphere was predominantly family oriented, but it wasn’t just the children swinging for the fences in the batting cages, stealing bases and clocking their fastballs.
Long Beach State alum Dan Merrell, a 32-year-old who graduated in 2002, brought his 2-and-a-half- and 1-year-old children to soak in Saturday’s festivities.
“It’s pretty incredible, a lot of fun things for the kids … and adults, too,” said Merrell, an Orange County resident who was just around 11 years old when Anaheim last hosted the All-Star Game in 1989. “I was not expecting this much, that’s for sure. It’s fun to get out here.”
Children packed the videogame arcade, playing popular baseball titles such as Major League Baseball 2K10 and The Bigs 2. Meanwhile, the grown-ups turned into children again, anxiously waiting in snaked lines for free autograph sessions with legends like Juan Marichal and Lou Brock. The hometown crowd flooded the lines for Angels greats such as Rod Carew, Fred Lynn, Tim Salmon, Chuck Finley and Chili Davis.
“I think this event really appeals to families because there’s something for everyone here — whether you’re 7 years old or 70 years old,” MLB director of special events Jackie Secaira-Cotto told MLB.com. “Baseball is a sport that connects generations.”
The National Pastime’s history was on display through 104 artifacts from the National Baseball Hall of Fame, including exhibits dedicated to the Negro Leagues and Latin ballplayers. The Angels used a wall to detail the team’s history on a timeline, starting with the franchise’s inaugural season in 1961.
Vendors packed the 450,000 square-foot venue, selling everything from baseball cards dated as far back as the early 1900s to autographed jerseys and murals of sports legends. Some items were available for direct purchase while the rest were being auctioned off on various days.
The MLB Network and MLB.com allowed visitors to test their broadcast skills and take part in their own mock All-Star red carpet interviews and call the play-by-play for a highlight reel.
Disney, which owned the Angels from 1997 to 2005 before Arte Moreno bought the team, made its presence with 36 baseball-themed Mickey Mouse figures scattered around Southern California. The life-sized characters were placed around Anaheim, Newport Beach, Hollywood and Long Beach, among other cities.
The National League will attempt to win its first All-Star Game against the American League since 1996. The 81st Midsummer Classic is scheduled for a 5 p.m. PDT start at Angel Stadium and will air on FOX.
Among the players selected are former Dirtbags teammates Troy Tulowitzki (National League’s Colorado Rockies) and Evan Longoria (American League’s Tampa Bay Rays). Tulowitzki will have to sit out his first All-Star Game with a fractured left wrist. Longoria, a three-time selection, was voted by fans to start at third base for the second consecutive year.
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