Wow! What a fun day! Today started with Caden, Cami and I picking up Caden’s friend Cayden and heading to the Minneapolis Convention Center for the 2014 All Star Fanfest. We got there at 7:30am and were about number 15 or so in line. When we entered, the kids each got a mini bobblehead of TC, the Twins mascot. We then walked around to get an idea how things were laid out. We then got in the line for Juan Berenguer’s autograph. Cami got him on a mini bat (a Fanfest theme of hers) and Caden and I got him on a card. He inscribed “Senor Smoke” on mine as requested. Then we went to Tim Laudner‘s line and again, Cami got him on her bat and Caden and I on cards. We then got Corey Koskie’s autograph on each of the same three things (bat and cards). After this we got Frank Quilici. Cami got him to sign her mini bat and he signed a card for me. Frank saw I had my phone out and invited Cami around the table to take a picture. He is ALWAYS one of the nicest people to meet. People always talk about how nice Brooks Robinson and Harmon Killebrew are/were to fans. To me, Frank is right up there with those two guys. He is truly a nice man! Later we got Kevin Tapani on the same items. I spotted Scott Leius walking around and Cami asked if he would sign her mini bat. With a wink and a smile he nodded yes and signed it for her. That was pretty nice. Also, at some point during the day Caden and Cami was able to get Jack Morris for their collections.
In between all this we made Pepsi Can Coolers with our pictures on them, played Home Run Derby and fielded grounders in the activities areas and checked out a whole bunch of stuff. Cami made the first of two Topps baseball cards with her picture on it. Caden did a pitch speed contest and hit 59 mph which was good enough for third place in the kids age group. Cami also did a diamond clinic and was featured on the big screen! Cami did the Under Armour station where she ran, jumped for a ball and swung a bat and each station was photographed and she got a picture at the end of doing it.
We all stayed the entire time… from the opening moment to when they announced they were closing up shop for the day. We did not want the day to end!