February 17: The Florida Power Walkway is unveiled at Tropicana Field. The walkway is a 900-foot tropical ceramic tile mosaic, the largest of its kind in Florida and among the top five in the United States. With special lights and music it serves as a one-of-a-kind entrance to a major league ballpark. It is made up of 1,849,091 tiles.

February 26: In their first Spring Training game, the Devil Rays defeat Florida State University at Al Lang Stadium. The Rays use 30 players in the win over Florida State, rallying from a 3-1 deficit with a five-run eighth inning. Right-hander Matt White is the Rays starting pitcher and right-hander Jason Johnson gets the win. Quinton McCracken leads off the game for the Rays with a single to right field.

February 27: Al Lang Stadium is renamed Florida Power Park, Home of Al Lang Field. The Rays lose, 2-1, to the Florida Marlins in their first Major League Spring Training game. Bubba Trammell's home run completed the scoring for the home team.

March 2: Tampa Bay wins its first Major League Spring Training game, 6-2, over visiting Kansas City. Left-hander Ryan Karp is the winner as the Rays win it with a four-run rally in the seventh inning.

March 26: The Devil Rays finalize their 1998 Opening Day roster:
Pitchers (11): Wilson Alvarez, Rolando Arrojo, Dan Carlson, Rick Gorecki, Roberto Hernandez, Albie Lopez, Jim Mecir, Tony Saunders, Dennis Springer, Ramon Tatis, Esteban Yan
Catchers (2): John Flaherty, Mike DiFelice
Infielders (7): Wade Boggs, Miguel Cairo, Aaron Ledesma, Fred McGriff, Bobby Smith, Paul Sorrento, Kevin Stocker
Outfielders (5): Rich Butler, Mike Kelly, Dave Martinez, Quinton McCracken, Bubba Trammell

March 27: In the first exhibition game at Tropicana Field, the Rays beat Atlanta, 5-0, in front of 26,519. Rolando Arrojo beats Tom Glavine and Russ Mormon hits the first home run, a 380-foot shot to left-center.

March 31: It all begins. The Rays lose to the Detroit Tigers 11-6 in Tampa Bay's first regular season Major League game. Hall-of- Famers Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Al Lopez and Monte Irvin throw out ceremonial first pitches. Tampa Gospel singer Belinda Womack sings the National Anthem for a capacity crowd of 45,369. Wilson Alvarez throws the first pitch in Devil Rays history - a ball to Detroit's Brian Hunter.

April 1: Paul Olden's "Say hello to victory Tampa Bay" hits the airwaves as the Rays defeat Detroit, 11-8, for their first-ever victory. Cuban ace Rolando Arrojo earns the victory in his first Major League game.

April 8: The Rays record 10 hits but strand 13 runners on base, losing to Detroit in their first road game, 3-1, at Tiger Stadium.

April 11: Chicago area native Rick Gorecki leads the Devil Rays to their first road victory with a 5-1 win over the White Sox at Comiskey Park.

April 19: The Devil Rays improve to 10-6 with a 6-0 victory at Anaheim, becoming the first expansion team ever to be four games over .500 at any point in their inaugural season.

June 21: Raymond, the team's mascot, debuts prior to the Devil Rays-Red Sox game at Tropicana Field.

July 1: Rookie Rolando Arrojo is named to the American League All-Star team. Arrojo becomes just the second rookie from an expansion team to be named an All-Star and the first Cuban pitcher since Luis Tiant in 1976.

The Devil Rays sign free agent Jose Canseco.

August 7: Third baseman Wade Boggs becomes the first player to reach 3,000 hits with a home run, homering off Cleveland's Chris Haney at Tropicana Field.

September 7: The Devil Rays extend the contract of Chuck LaMar, senior vice president for baseball operations and general manager, through 2004.

September 14: The Devil Rays extend the contract of manager Larry Rothschild through 2001.

November 11: Wade Boggs announces his retirement during a press conference at Tropicana Field, ending his sure-to-be Hall-of-Fame career.

December 13: The Devil Rays trade pitcher Rolando Arrojo and infielder Aaron Ledesma to the Colorado Rockies for All-Star third baseman Vinny Castilla and 7-1/2 hours later sign free agent slugger Greg Vaughn.

June 2: First baseman Fred McGriff becomes the 31st player in Major League history to reach 400 career home runs, homering off New York's Glendon Rusch at Shea Stadium.

August 10: Hudson Valley righthander Doug Waechter throws the first 9-inning no-hitter in the history of the Devil Rays organization. Waechter beats Pittsfield (Mets) at Hudson Valley.

September 17: The game at Tropicana Field between the Devil Rays and Oakland Athletics is postponed because of weather conditions related to Hurricane Gordon. It is believed to be the third game in a domed stadium postponed by weather. The others: June 15, 1976 a game between Houston and Pittsburgh is postponed when the city of Houston is hit by 10 inches of rain making transportation to the Astrodome impossible. Also on April 14, 1983 the roof of the Metrodome collapses under the weight of heavy snow forcing the postponement of a game between the Twins and Angels.

September 23: First baseman Fred McGriff homers off Toronto's Roy Halladay at SkyDome, joining Frank Robinson as the only two players in Major League history to hit 200 home runs in both leagues.