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Rays tickets are a piece of historyBy John Cotey © St. Petersburg Times, published April 1, 1998 "I've had 20 calls today already, people looking for plastic to put their tickets in," said Dan Helman, owner of Triple Crown Baseball in Clearwater. "For their tickets and their game programs." The reason is simple: protection. No one wants to, 10 years from now, look back at a bent and tattered ticket. And if you plan to sell that ticket, it had better be in mint condition. Most area store owners say the special commemorative ticket, handed to all fans entering Tropicana Field, will be the hottest memorabilia item from the season opener. The uniqueness of the ticket -- the Devil Ray shape and color -- combined with the magnitude of the game, make it a collector's dream. "Well, think about this for example: the Rockies ticket stub is already going for $50," Helman said. Considering the Devil Rays' design, store owners say you can expect a ticket in good condition to fetch more than $100 within years. If you can find one. Roberta Pletcher, who works at AAA Baseball Cards in St. Petersburg and is a season-ticket holder for the Boston Red Sox, thinks that few people will be willing to part with the commemorative tickets. "I wouldn't sell it," Pletcher said. "It's just going to have so much sentimental value. Why would anyone want to sell it?" Pletcher said two customers from California came in Tuesday morning looking for plastic ticket holders. "They said they didn't even dare bring their tickets in with them because they were afraid someone would kill them," Pletcher said. Programs will be another hot item, said Ron Danno of Mr. D's Baseball Cards on Seminole Boulevard. As long as you didn't score the game inside or have it autographed, it should hold its resale value. Danno estimates that programs from the inaugural New York Mets season in 1962 are worth $100 or more. But program values only reach that level after decades. Otherwise, area owners don't see much of a market for the free seat cushions. But for those looking to make a buck off the opening night items, this advice from Ron Guest of Baseball Cards Etc. in St. Petersburg: "Grab what you can get."
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here are Devil Rays pennants and cards and inaugural baseballs, all of which require you to reach into your wallet. But the hottest thing selling at area baseball card and memorabilia stores won't cost you any more than pocket change: plastic sleeves.
