Serenaded by Christmas carols, charmed by Santa Claus, warmed by coffee and muffins, hundreds of Reds (and Indians) fans braved the cold and wind to buy tickets Saturday morning at Cinergy Field.
It was the first day of Reds tickets sales to the general public.
The first fan at Cinergy was river pilot Rodney Pickett, 32, of Aurora, Ind., who arrived at 4 a.m., but stayed warm in his car until the head lights of a car pulling up behind him were his cue to get in line outside. It was 5:45 a.m.
He already had company: Keith Dunham, 34, of Newtown, had been in line since 5 a.m.
''I parked down at the wharf and walked up,'' Dunham said. ''Next year I'll be smarter and park up here and wait in my car.''
By 8:30 a.m., the free coffee and donuts had arrived, and the SportService workers personally delivered it in steaming cups and trays piled high to the 100 people in line.
''A cup of coffee never tasted so good,'' said Debbie Edwards, 46, of Hyde Park. She had the last - and coldest - of the front spots in the four rows, because hers was closest to the wind off the river. She arrived at 6:05 a.m. to wait for eight Opening Day tickets.
''This is part of that whole experience, coming down with the crowd,'' Edwards said. ''This is what it's all about.''
Those were warm-sounding words to the Reds front office.
Mingling among the fans were Reds managing executive John Allen, marketing director Cal Levy (who came up with the Santa-and-goodies theme) and publicity director Rob Butcher, as Santa Claus, appropriately clad in the home team's colors as he handed out Reds' key chains and schedules from his red-velvet bag.
''It's a great to see this,'' said Allen of the fans' turnout. ''I give the tickets away as Christmas gifts,'' said Dave Wimmers, 34, of Finneytown. ''There are other people here doing the same.''
Another theme that every Reds' fan mentioned was this: they didn't mind being cold and standing in line to get tickets for games in which there would be Reds players who were lean and hungry.
''Jon Nunnally, Chris Stynes, Eduardo Perez, Brett Tomko are a good group,'' Dunham said.
Less hardy fans ordered by phone or visited the Reds gift shop inside the Westin Hotel. Tickets went on sale at all these places and Ticketmaster outlets at 9 a.m. In the first half hour, 6,500 tickets were sold; 11,000 by 10 a.m.; 14,300 by 11 a.m. Last year's entire first day ticket sale was only 14,800.
By 5 p.m. Saturday, more than 24,000 Reds tickets had been purchased.
The hot sellers were Opening Day and a three-game weekend with the Cleveland Indians, June 5-7.
That's why Brent Giffen, 26, of Canton, was here: tickets for the Reds series with the Tribe. He'd driven to Pittsburgh last year to see the Indians play their first interleague series. He left Canton at 3 a.m. Saturday for the drive to Cinergy.
What time had he gotten up to make such an early getaway?
''I didn't get up,'' he said. ''I never went to bed. But this is the only way I was going to get to see the Indians.''
Levy projected that by today's end, each of the Indians' games here will have sold 35,000 tickets.
By 9:30 a.m. at Cinergy, there were about 250 people in four-abreast lines that stretched 30 yards back to the curb.
The pods at Cinergy reopen at 10 a.m. today and remain open until 4 p.m. The gift shop at the Westin won't be open today. Fans can also phone 421-REDS or, from out-of-town, 1-800-829-5353.
Tickets also can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com
Prices remain the same as last season: $14 for blue-level box seats, $11 for green- and yellow-level box seats, $9 for red-level box seats, $8 for green-level reserve seats, $6 for red-level reserve seats and $3 for Top Six reserved seats. Add $1 to the price for Opening Day seats.
Customers will be limited to eight tickets per purchase of Opening Day $7 red reserve tickets and $4 Top Six tickets.
OFFSEASON STORIES
REDS PAGE