Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball franchise based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in 1998, the club has played at Tropicana Field and has finished out of last place three times: once in 2004, when they finished fourth in their division; in

2008, when they won their first division title, entered the playoffs for the first time in team history, and qualified for the World Series; and in 2009. In November 2007, majority owner Stuart Sternberg made significant changes to his franchise's image, changing the club's name from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to the "Tampa Bay Rays", which he described as "a beacon that radiates throughout Tampa Bay and across the entire state of Florida." The teams' primary colors were also changed from black, green, and blue to navy blue, Columbia blue, and gold. Civic leader and St. Petersburg Times publisher, Jack Lake, first suggested St. Petersburg pursue a Major League baseball team. The notable influences Lake held in the sport are what led to the serious discussions that changed St. Petersburg from a spring training location to a major league city. He