Fans Tagged for Tickets : Camping-Out Tradition Ends

Jim Reeves was first in line Wednesday at Anaheim Stadium to buy playoff tickets for the California Angels-Boston Red Sox games Oct. 10-12.

But there was no two-day growth of beard earned by camping out near the box office. Instead, he wore, as his badge of dedication to the Angels, an orange plastic wristband that read, “No. 1.”

Somehow, Reeves said, he felt cheated.

Long waits in line for tickets to concerts and sporting events may be in vogue, but the Angels’ front office has decided to get civilized. The 6,000 fans who showed up Wednesday morning to buy tickets had wristbands they had been given earlier, and their waits were short as a result.

Employees at the stadium began handing out the wristbands Monday to fans who showed up wanting to buy tickets. The fans were told to return Wednesday, in the order designated by the numbers on the wristbands, with their money. Each person was allowed to buy a maximum of four tickets, and officials said the stadium would be sold out before the box office closed Wednesday night.

Reeves--sporting a T-shirt emblazoned with “Mr. October” and No. 44, Reggie Jackson’s nickname and number--was elated about being the first non-season-ticket holder to buy tickets to the three playoff games scheduled for Anaheim.

“I think this is a good idea, and it seems to work,” said Reeves, of Orange. “But it would have been nice to camp out here for a couple of nights and still be the first in line.”

But he did concede advantages to the Angels’ plan: “Of course, I smell a lot better today.”

Reeves and his friend, Mel Marquez, of Seattle, were the first ones to receive wristbands Monday. Marquez, formerly of Orange, was here visiting Reeves when the Angels clinched the American League Western Division title last Friday.

“I decided to stay--and I’ll be sticking around until they win the World Series,” Marquez said after buying his tickets.

Despite the orderly fashion in which the 65,000 tickets for the three games were distributed, the stadium parking lot still looked like it was game day Wednesday. A few people lounged around reading newspapers and drinking hot coffee from their thermoses, waiting for their numbers to be called. A few even chugged beer in the early morning dampness.

The tickets, going for $20 and $25 each, weren’t exactly choice seats; the season-ticket holders already have most of those. Right- and left-field terrace seats were the best available Wednesday. Reeves got tickets on Aisle 55, Row F, between third base and the left field bleachers.

Greg Smith, director of stadium facilities, was overseeing Wednesday’s ticket transactions--for which only cash was accepted. And he marveled at how easily the tickets were being distributed.

“This is great,” he said “It couldn’t be better. I’m glad we can control the crowd this way. It’s well-organized, and they are a group of well-behaved people.”

Smith said the wristband system was devised a year ago when the Angels were contending for the division title. They were beaten out by the eventual world champions, the Kansas City Royals.

Not all the available tickets were being purchased at the stadium. Fans also queued up at Ticketron outlets across Orange County, hoping to capture the 5,000 slightly better seats available there.

“A few of the hard core were here when the sun came up, but we weren’t,” said Gwen Bieschke, assistant manager of Tower Records in El Toro.

But, although the wristband system was working well, there were a few disappointments.

Therese Johnson, of Anaheim, who had No. 140, was upset. She and her husband have season tickets behind home plate, but he forgot to order the choice playoff tickets to which season-ticket holders are entitled.

The four tickets Johnson bought Wednesday were behind the left-field pole.

“I am so mad,” she said. “I won’t get to see anything.”

Most of those in the enthusiastic crowd at the stadium Wednesday were fervent Angels’ fans. But Marcy Lowe, of Irvine, was not among them. She was having a tough time staying awake, yawning deeply every few seconds. She was there as her husband’s stand-in.

“He’s going to take me out for a free dinner for this one,” she said.