Fans, Bradenton step up to plate

By MIKE HENRY
mhenry@bradenton.com

BRADENTON -- A crowd of 5,336 that attended today's 2008 spring-training finale against the Twins at McKechnie Field raised the Pirates' total attendance for 15 games to 81,067, the second-highest figure since the team started tracking spring attendance figures in 1988.
The Pirates celebrated their 40th year in Bradenton this month.
This year's average of 5,404 was the highest ever and represented a 5.5 percent increase from 2007, when a record total of 81,967 streamed through the turnstiles in 16 games.
There were seven sellouts at McKechnie, tying last year's record. The Pirates also demonstrated their commitment to the community, hosting the inaugural Pirates Charities Spring Training Golf Classic that benefited the Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County.
"We want to thank all of our fans who helped us celebrate the club's 40th anniversary of holding spring training in the city of Bradenton," Pirates president Frank Coonelly said in a statement.
"With the grand opening of the new Pirate City, the first night game at McKechnie Field (March 19 against the Yankees) and our numerous community initiatives, the 2008 spring-training season was in many ways symbolic of the ongoing partnership between the Pirates and the city of Bradenton."