When you walk into the Convention, you immediately see a large baseball with the FanFest logo on it. Dubbed the "World's Largest Baseball", it is a main place for photo-ops. However, there was a much more attractive and much cooler ball. This ball was made by Charles Fazzino. Fazzino's work was on display during FanFest and his baseball was one of his many excellent pieces of art. He also made an official commemorative poster. His work is fantastic, especially his baseball themed work.
FanFest is not just exhibits, there are many activities to do. Two different miniature baseball diamonds were put up for events for kids. Taco Bell sponsored an event named "Steal a Base, Steal a Taco" where people pretended to "steal a base". There was a "Home Run Derby" activity where, like the actually Home Run derby, you would try to hit a ball over a wall.
They also had a location where little kids could participate in baseball mini-games. There also was a fielding event.
A big part of FanFest was the Collector's Showcase and FanFest Auction. The Collector's Showcase had all different types of collectables. There were baseball cards, pins, figurines, photos, autographed baseballs, and magazines, among other things. They had something for everyone. The FanFest Auction had some amazing antiques. Some of my favorites were a 1921 World Series presentational pocketwatch, a "Red Sox Rooters" pin from 1916, a wooden carved Tiger with autographs on it, a Whitey Ford credit card and a 1892 Brooklyn Grooms vs. New York Giants scorecard. Some of the items that looked to be very expensive include a poster of the movie "Play Ball" with Babe Ruth on it, a baseball attributed to Babe Ruth's 701st homer and is also a ball autographed by Ruth, a Mickey Mantle 1959 All-Star Game bat, a Ty Cobb bat and a Ted Williams road jersey. It was great to look around. Along with the showcase and Auction, there was were 2013 All-Star Game kiosk full of programs and clothing and a Clubhouse Store. The Clubhouse Store was not just All-Star Game apparel, it also had non-All-Star Game items.
In the All-Star Clubhouse, former Mets were interviewed in a Q&A. I saw Art Shamsky and Ed Kranepool, both members of the 1969 Miracle Mets. I heard them talk about their Major League experiences. Shamsky was a member of the Mets from 1968-71. He is well-known for having the dog on "Everybody Loves Raymond" being named after him. He went into detail on his career. An interesting fact I learned about Shansky is; Pete Rose and Tony Pere were his teammates on his first professional team (A Class D team from Geneva, NY). Kranepool spent his entire career with the Mets, from 1962-79. He has appeared in the most games ever in a Mets uniform. Kranepool was very open about his career and was very opinionated. He was very interesting to listen to his story.
The FanFest would not be a FanFest without former All-Stars, Hall of Famers, and legends attending and giving out autographs. When I went, I had four players who where great players from who to get an autograph. They were Gaylord Perry, George Foster, Bert Campaneris, and Rollie Fingers. Perry is in the 300 Win Club and a Hall of Famer who had a controversial career. Foster was a member of "the Big Red Machine" in the 1970s and was a 1977 NL MVP. Campaneris was a six-time All-Star and was the first player ever to play all nine positions in one game. Fingers is a Hall of Famer and was the 1981 AL MVP and Cy Young Award winner and is well-known for his handlebar musche. That was a great experience. Not only to get to meet the legends, but to see them all together was great.
