Detroit Tiger Ryan Raburn Serves Up Floats to Fans

Why does Harlee Voris think Detroit Tiger Ryan Raburn is so awesome?

"Because he is just gorgeous," the 15-year-old Sterling Heights resident said. "He is cute and a good baseball player."

After saving every Tigers game on her DVR and rewatching games by fast-forwarding to each Raburn appearance, Voris saw her favorite Tiger in person for the first time today at the Berkley A&W, where the outfielder was serving and preparing root beer floats Tuesday afternoon for fans and the Detroit Tigers Foundation. 

"It is awesome," Raburn said of the event, which ran from noon-12:40 p.m. "It's an opportunity to make a kid's day."

As a part of the event, customers who donated any amount of money to the Detroit Tigers Foundation, a nonprofit devoted to children's athletics, were rewarded with a root beer float served by Raburn himself.

The Detroit Tigers Foundation has also partnered with A&W on a home run promotion, offering 25 cent Coney Dogs any day after Raburn hits a home run.

Not just children came to the event Tuesday. Stacey Mundt, a 43-year-old from Royal Oak, said she gladly came out to Berkley to see Raburn but wouldn't make the trip for anyone else. The reason for her admiration: He hit a grand slam on her 40th birthday.

"I wouldn't mind talking to him," she said of the opportunity to meet her favorite Detroit Tiger.

After the 40-minute stint in Berkley, Raburn was off to a franchise in Dearborn. As this is his first time doing this promotion, he said he had a hard time making the root beer floats look pretty, but gained an appreciation for workers in the service industry.

"It is hard work," Raburn said. "It is different kind of work — these people are nonstop on their feet all day."