Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
Band members declined an anthem gig when told they had to buy tickets. The Rays say it was a mistake.
By STEPHEN HEGARTY
© St. Petersburg Times, published October 6, 2000
ST. PETERSBURG -- The St. Petersburg High School band will perform the national anthem at a Devil Rays game after all, and the members won't have to pay to get in.
On top of that, the band's fundraiser got a significant boost.
The high school band had planned on performing The Star-Spangled Banner at Sunday's Devil Rays game, after engaging in a fundraiser with the team that helped the band raise $400. But the performance didn't work out after the school learned the band members would have to buy tickets to perform and watch the game.
On Thursday, a day after a story about the school's decision not to perform appeared in the Times, the Devil Rays contacted the school and smoothed some ruffled feathers.
"He apologized, said it was all a misunderstanding and invited us to perform at a game next season," said St. Petersburg High School principal Linda Benware. She spoke with Rick Vaughn, the team's vice president in charge of public relations.
That wasn't the only call the school got Thursday.
Benware said local television stations came by to interview band members. And one radio station, Mix 100.7, WMTX-FM, arranged to have the students play the national anthem on the morning radio show at 7:45 this morning. The station also vowed to donate $500 to the band.
The Devil Rays did their best to fashion a happy ending Thursday. In addition to inviting the St. Petersburg High band to perform, the organization also offered to reimburse Lakewood Ranch High School in Bradenton for any tickets band members bought when they performed at a game Saturday.
"The Devil Rays management did not intend for the students in the bands to have to pay for tickets," the Devil Rays said in a statement Thursday. "This is not in line with our policy. Regrettably, there was a miscommunication that resulted in this situation."
Benware said the school band will pick a date early in the season and happily perform the national anthem for the Devil Rays.
"I'm just glad the kids will get a chance to play at a Devil Rays game," Benware said. "That's all we really wanted."