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Old Forge HS student is a loyal Tampa Bay fan
Old Forge’s Billy Nocera has been a Tampa Bay Rays fan for the past five seasons.
photo by rick notari
His dad Bill Nocera Sr. is a New York Yankees fan. His grandfather Joe “Bobo” Nocera is a Boston Red Sox fan. And his uncle Frank Parente is a Philadelphia Phillies fan. So how did young Billy Nocera become a Tampa Bay Rays fan?
Here’s how…
The year is 2003. The New York Yankees finish the year 101-61 in first place in the American League East. Their highest paid player is Derek Jeter, a future Hall-of-Fame shortstop, who is making $15.6 million a season. The roster is loaded with all-stars, including Andy Pettitte, Mike Mussina, Jason Giambi and Mariano Rivera, all of whom are making more than $10 million a season. The total team payroll is more than $175 million.
But unlike his other 10-year old friends at the time, Billy is disgusted with the direction the Yankees are going in. In a few months, the Evil Empire will trade for Alex Rodriguez and his $250 million contract. It is the straw that breaks young Billy’s back.
“I wanted to root for an underdog, and I was sick of the Yankees buying players,” said Nocera, now a 15-year old sophomore at Old Forge High School. “(The Devil Rays) were the worst team in the league so I thought it would be a good fit.”
The Devil Rays – now just the Rays – finished 2003 with a 63-99 record, good for last place in the American League East. Their highest paid player was Rey Ordonez, a light-hitting shortstop, who was making $6.5 million a season. The roster was scattered with rookies, including outfielders Carl Crawford and Rocco Baldelli, who were each making just $300,000 per season. The total team payroll was less than $30 million.
So during that off-season, Nocera made the decision that is usually reserved for adults. He turned his back on his favorite major league baseball team because of principle. Fast-forward to October 2008, and the Tampa Bay Rays have rewarded one of their most loyal fans – if not the only true Tampa Bay baseball fan in Northeastern PA – with a trip to the Fall Classic.
The Rays finished 2008 with a record of 97-65 and won the AL East – beating out the Red Sox and Yankees – and Crawford and Baldelli, each of whom now make more than $2 million per season, have led Tampa into the World Series for the first time in the club’s 10-year history.
But staying loyal to the Rays wasn’t easy at first for Nocera. His first game seeing Tampa Bay in person was in the House That Ruth Built.
“My first Devil Rays game was at Yankee Stadium. I wore my (Carl Crawford) jersey and the Yankee fans harassed me,” said Nocera with a smile.
The experience however didn’t deter Nocera from wearing the jersey again in a visiting park, and when he visited Baltimore’s Camden Yards three years ago, Hazleton native Joe Maddon, in his first year of managing the Rays, rewarded the youngster for his devotion.
“Before the game started I was down near the dugout and one of the players spotted me,” said Nocera. “Everyone had Baltimore jerseys on, and I was standing there in my jersey. I was the only one with a Rays jersey on.
“Joe Maddon came over and gave me a ball, and some other players starting coming over and giving me autographs.”
Among those other players signing for Nocera was Rays ace pitcher James Shields, who made his first career start that day, and Baldelli – who along with Crawford – are the only players remaining on the Tampa Bay roster from 2003.
It was that day that Nocera really became enamored with the Rays, but it has been this season that has given the Old Forge baseball and basketball player reason to smile.
“I started to get excited after the all-star break,” said Nocera of his team’s performance this year. “I really became confident they could win the East early in September when they won the series in Boston.”
That series win in Boston kept Tampa in first place, and propelled the Rays into the American League Championship Series after they defeated Chicago.
“I watched the ALCS with my grandfather who is a big Boston fan,” said Nocera. “I didn’t bust him after we won in Game 7 because he was mad. But he was giving it to me when the Rays blew the 7-0 lead in Game 5.”
Now that the Rays are in the World Series, with games to be played in Philadelphia, Nocera is hoping his dad can get them to a game.
“We are trying to go Sunday for Game 4,” said Bill Sr. “Tickets are very expensive right now, but we are still looking. We had tickets for standing room only as of last week for about $400 per ticket, but when they started losing we passed on them. Right now we are waiting to see about a bus trip.”
Should they get to Philly, the younger Nocera said he will again wear his jersey in a visiting ballpark despite the reputation of Philadelphia fans.
“I will wear the jersey and the hat to Philly,” said Nocera, who as a Green Bay Packers fan once wore a Cheesehead to a pre-season football game against the Eagles. “I have experience (in Philly). Of course my dad did get into a fight with someone who was picking on me and it was only the preseason.”
But even if Nocera doesn’t make it to Philly, he will have a bunch of his friends over to watch the games.
“I might have some sort of party with some of my friends to watch the games. Only one Philly fan though,” Nocera said laughing.
Ultimately, Nocera would like to make a trip to Florida to see the Rays on their home turf; is also hoping to visit the Third Base Lunch in Hazleton which Maddon’s family runs; and believes the name change from Devil Rays to Rays was a big part of this season’s success.
“I am superstitious so I believe the name change worked,” said Nocera. “I wouldn’t change it back.”
Nocera also thinks the Rays will win the World Series in six games, and says he will remain loyal to this team even though they are winning now.
“This is not a fluke. They will remain a good team because all of their players are young,” said Nocera. “I am loyal to Tampa Bay. I am not going to change again.
“This is my team forever.”