Kids: FanFest rocks

Take me out to the ballpark.

Strike that. Take me to Cobo Center.

John Hancock All-Star FanFest opens Friday morning in downtown Detroit with more than 40 exhibits and attractions that put baseball fans in the game. Last year, 94,000 fans attended FanFest in Houston.

To get a taste of the action, the Free Press invited five team members, ages 8 to 15, from the Yak testing panel to preview FanFest on Wednesday.

Crews were still putting the massive event together, but after seeing a few things, the FanFest testers had a clear message for their parents: We want to come back!

All of the testers enjoyed the interactive displays. They couldn’t wait to take swings in video batting cages, get clocked in the steal home challenge or throw pitches in the video bullpens.

You can throw and hit baseballs anytime, but FanFest adds a twist, said Drew Miller, 15, of Troy. In the video bullpens, participants throw balls at images of big-league players at the plate. “It’s not just throwing at a target,” Drew said.

The historic displays also were a hit. Lauren Smith, 8, of Detroit enjoyed the Negro Leagues display that tells the story of African-American players before the major leagues were integrated. “It showed the history of baseball,” Lauren said. “It showed how it all happened.”

The Build-A-Bear Workshop was the one station that divided the group.

The boys could have done without it. The girls felt differently. “I think it’s cool that you can dress them in your favorite team,” said Abby Miller, 10, of Troy.

From what they saw, the Free Press panelists predicted a home run for FanFest. Most of all, they liked the variety. “I think it was cool that you can do so many things,” Abby said.

– Source: written by Joe Guy Collier, Detroit Free Press