Two summers ago, Pat and Christin M., a mother and daughter pair of local baseball fans took in 40 baseball games in 13 major league ballparks. (The word "Fan" is derived from "Fanatic" for those who may be interested.)
Last summer they had tickets for 70 games in 15 parks. By the time this summer is over (50 games in 8 ballparks) they'll have missed appearing at just four parks as they continue their journey.
Along the way they became avid fans of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, who returned their zeal by placing their names on the Pepsi/Devil Rays Fan Wall of Fame at Tropicana Field earlier this year in front of 20,000 fans.
Their names, with those of five others, were hand-picked and will be a permanently attached part of the wall. According to the Devil Rays press release, they are known in Florida as "The Inseparables."
"Pat and Christin have been spotted at Rays games all over the country while chronicling their travels on their website. They have been featured in numerous newspapers articles and interviewed on FSN by Todd Kalas. The mother/daughter team always travels and attends games together," the release reads.
"It was so exciting," Christin writes on the website. "Matt Silverman, president of the Rays, called us 'Goodwill Ambassadors' for the Rays."
Christin works as a registered nurse at Fairgrounds Middle School. Pat retired as director of administration for a professional ballet company and works as a fitness trainer, a classroom volunteer in a local elementary school, and is on the Nashua SummerFun Committee.
Last year, they spent about $20,000 on travel, hotels and game tickets. They save a lot on Rays games, however, for they told the Nashua Telegraph that because of their intimacy with the team, the Devil Rays refuse to let them by tickets anymore.
Their website (www.Patchristin.com) contains their private collection of photos taken at ball games, in the locker room, the bullpen, and with most of the players.
As local residents, they are in the heart of Red Sox nation, but they were long-time Yankee fans. Pat was born in New Jersey. Christin was a Tino Martinez fan. When the now retired Martinez went to the Devil Rays, the ladies followed him.
In their attempts to gain his autograph, they met and continued contact with team members, many of whom are now friends. They said they had no problem duping the often-inaccessible Yankees, preferring to follow the dedication shown by Rays players.
"They appreciate their fans," Christin said. "And they're up and coming," Pat added. "You've got to start somewhere."
While in college, Christin worked at Nashua Sports Collectibles, working with professional athletes when they came in for autograph signings, which got her hooked into memorabilia collecting.
When the ladies visit a ballpark, for example Fenway, which they say is a great place to get visiting team autographs, Christin wears the visitor's hat and shirt. She also cheers for the visiting team, to the chargrin of Sox fans. She owns a hat and shirt for every major league team.
"Christin loves getting autographs, talking with the players, and having her picture taken with them," Pat writes on the website. "Her knowledge of baseball is unbelievable, loves to talk baseball to anyone who will listen. You can find her scoring the action at every game we attend."
They have amassed more than 600 autographed baseballs, hundreds of photographs with baseball, basketball and football players, and other memorabilia. They have more than 1,750 baseball themed items alone. All are stored in safe places, but the pair will take interested visitors to their location to share the passion.
"Christin goes to batting practice and is always one of the first ones in," Pat said. "She heads for the visiting team's dugout, which usually has far less of a crowd. She stands her ground until the players come back in from the field and nicely asks for a signature."
Their love of the Devil Rays was acknowledged two years ago when, during a Red Sox game at Fenway, and wearing Devil Rays shirts, they ran into FSN Florida television commentator Todd Kalas and showed him a picture they had taken of him at a Yankees game a few week before.
Kalas remembered them, and amazed they would wear Devil Rays shirts at Fenway, interviewed them as Rays fans of the game.
In the sixth inning, Kalas again put them on television again, telling them Devil Rays owner Vince Naimoli had asked them to be his guest in the owner's seats for the next game. Out of money, the ladies would not have been able to buy tickets for the game on their own.
Christin and Pat have met many Red Sox, Patriots and Celtics players while working at Nashua Sports Collectibles. Patriot Rodney Harrison signed a bobble-head doll, and Derek Jeter signed Christin's first autographed baseball.
In January, Pat and Christin attended the 2007 Granite State Baseball dinner in Manchester. Photos on their website show them with players as well as Governor and Mrs. John Lynch.
In February, the pair went to the Ted Williams Museum Hitters Hall of Fame induction dinner in St. Petersburg. Christin is shown arm-in-arm with many notables.
In April, they were displayed on the Jumbo-tron at the Rays home opener, and later, Christin's 24th birthday was announced on the screen.
They attended 11 games in June, 12 more in July, and plan to see 16 more before the end of the baseball season, most of them Devil Rays games, of course.
