RedsFest II as much fun as No. 1
Larkin big draw on first night
BY JOHN ERARDI
The Cincinnati Enquirer
RedsFest '98 at the Albert B. Sabin Convention Center got off to another rousing start Friday night for season ticket-holders and wraps up today for the general public.
Jake Counts, 4, of Sidney, Ohio, points out trading cards he would like to have at RedsFest Friday.
(Ernest Coleman photo)
| ZOOM |Cal Levy, the Reds marketing director, said he expects to match or perhaps go a little bit beyond last year's total of 12,000 fans over the same Friday-Saturday time period.
The Reds added pitching, hitting and fielding clinics this year and expanded to another 22,000 square feet of room by using the third floor at Convention Center. The Reds have 102,000 square feet for the show.
The longest lines for player autographs and photo shoots were for shortstop Barry Larkin. Friday's show ran from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. The line for Larkin's autograph was 500 fans deep at 5:45 p.m. for his 6-6:45 p.m. session. He also posed for photographs for 45 minutes.
Among those getting autographs were 12-year-old buddies Collin Churchill and Brandon Foster. Both were wearing red jerseys with ''Larkin - 11'' on the backs, and both proclaimed the 75-minute wait in line to be worth it.
Lines for other players were nowhere near as long as they were for the Cincinnati native, the 1996 National League Most Valuable Player.
Jim Magrish of Madeira looks over some Johnny Bench posters for sale.
(Ernest Coleman photo)
| ZOOM |''We'll be back (today),'' said Brandon's father, Doug. ''We like to get the autographs and photographs the first day, and then hit the memorabilia tables the second day. I liked it last year, but this year it's even better. It's very well-organized this year.''
Larkin told reporters after the show that his desire is to be a Red until his career his over. The only things he could envision that might change that would if the Reds dismantled their club to the point it couldn't compete or if he had an opportunity to play with his brother, Stephen, in the big leagues in another city. Stephen is a Reds minor-leaguer.
''It's a wait-and-see situation,'' said Larkin, about the Reds' competitiveness. ''We were very competitive at the end of last year (33-30 under new manager Jack McKeon).''
Asked about the thinness of the starting rotation, Larkin said there is never enough pitching going into any season. He said he is not one to judge the Reds as being non-competitive at this time. It's always a matter of seeing what holes develop and how those holes are addressed, he said.
Larkin won't be able to do today's show, but there are 14 other Reds players who will be on hand, including Bret and Aaron Boone, Brett Tomko, Jeff Shaw, Jon Nunnally, and first-round draft choice Brandon Larson. Also involved are manager Jack McKeon and the coaching staff, General Manger Jim Bowden, Managing Executive John Allen and Reds broadcasters Marty Brennaman and Joe Nuxhall.
Tickets are $8 for adults, and $5 for children 12 and under. Only cash will be accepted. Today's show runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Fans wanting photographs should bring their own cameras. No autographs on bats, gloves or clothing. Only one item per person.
