Photos: Fans Line up for Matt Kemp

More than 300 people showed up at in North Redondo Beach on Friday night and early Saturday morning, eager to meet Dodger centerfielder and 2011 All-Star Matt Kemp.

Kemp, who has been a Dodger since 2006, is a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger award winner and a member of the 2011 National League All-Star team. He also competed in this year's Home Run Derby in Phoenix, AZ.

Kemp's popularity was evident in the number of fans who lined up.

Lake Forest resident Chuck Ellis, who described himself as a "baseball fan," though not necessarily a Dodger fan, nabbed the first spot in line.

He arrived at 8 p.m. Friday.

"Dodger fans show up early, and if you're going to beat them, you've got to beat the worm," he said.

Ellis is relatively new to the autographed-baseball game, he said. He has about 30 autographed balls; others have hundreds.

The same people tend to show up at autograph sessions, Ellis and others in line noted.

"It becomes a family after awhile," said Bill Sanford of Lakewood.

Further down the line were Whittier resident Angel Gonzalez and his friends. The trio arrived at about 3:45 a.m. After the Matt Kemp event, they planned to head over to Lawndale, where Tony Gwynn Jr. was signing autographs.

Gonzalez said he had "too many"—more than 100—baseballs. His favorite is the one signed by announcer Vin Scully.

El Monte resident Emma Amaya brought a bobblehead for Kemp to sign.

"We came right after [last night's] game," she said. "We skipped the fireworks."

Jose Alvarez of Los Angeles was the last person in line; he arrived at about 7:30 a.m.

He and his family received the last four wristbands designating they were part of the first 300 people, he said. Living Spaces had said earlier that only the first 300 people would be permitted to stand in line.

The store allowed the first 100 fans in at 9 a.m.; Kemp arrived at 10 a.m.

After an introduction by local radio personality Vic "The Brick" Jacobs, fans cheered as Kemp walked through the store to the table and chair set up for him.

The baseball star was gracious as he signed baseballs, posters, photographs, bats, shirts and even the back of someone's wheelchair.

He joked with fans, telling one shy child that he wouldn't bite; posed for a few photographs; and even tried on one fan's Mickey Mouse hat from the 2010 All-Star Game in Anaheim, CA.

Kemp left a little after noon, but not before he posed for a photograph with the staff of Living Spaces.