Sea Dogs Order "Sunshine" For Opening Day
April 9, 2010 - Eastern League (EL1)
Portland Sea Dogs News Release
Portland, Maine- The Portland Sea Dogs have finalized plans for Opening Day ceremonies at Hadlock Field. The Sea Dogs 2010 home opener is Thursday, April 15th at 6:00 PM at Hadlock Field against the Trenton Thunder (Yankees). The Sea Dogs enter their 17th season of play and eighth as the Double-A Affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.
Singer-Songwriter Jonathan Edwards, best known for the 1971 hit "Sunshine", will perform the National Anthem. "Sunshine" hit # 4 on the Billboard pop charts in 1972 and earned a gold record. It has been featured in commercials and on the soundtrack for the film Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. Since 1971, Edwards has released 15 albums, including Blue Ridge, his standard-setting collaboration with bluegrass favorites the Seldom Scene, and Little Hands, his collection of children's songs, which was honored with a National Library Association award. Edwards now makes his home in Portland, Maine.
Former New York Yankees Manager and Maine native Stump Merrill will throw out the ceremonial first-pitch. Merrill, a catcher at the University of Maine, was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1966. He reached as high as Triple-A when his playing career ended in 1971. His managerial career began in 1978 with the West Haven Yankees in the Eastern League. For over 30 years, Merrill has worked in the Yankees organization including a stint as the manager of the New York Yankees in 1990 and 1991, where he compiled a 120-155 record. He managed the Trenton Thunder, the Sea Dogs Opening Day opponent in 2003 and 2004. Today, Merrill serves as a Special Assistant to Yankees' General Manager Brian Cashman. Merrill born in Brunswick, Maine now makes his home in Harpswell.
The Sea Dogs will be providing over 450 Portland students with tickets to Opening Day. The Sea Dogs partnered with the Portland Recreation Department and the Portland Public Library to have students 'Read Their Way to Opening Day" through a reading challenge put forth by Slugger and the Sea Dogs. The 450 students who met the Sea Dogs' challenge will participant in an on field parade on Opening Day.
As fans enter the park they will be greeted by the Bellamy Jazz Band. Gates will open at 4:00 PM. Pre-game ceremonies will begin at approximately 5:50 PM, with the first pitch scheduled for 6:10 PM.
Schedule of Events:
4:00 PM- Gates Open
5:15 PM- Read Your Way to Opening Day Parade Around the Warning Track
5:50 PM- Team Introductions
6:00 PM- National Anthem
6:08 PM- Team takes the field
6:09 PM- Ceremonial First-Pitch
6:10 PM- Game Time
Tickets for Opening Day and all Sea Dogs' home games are available and can be purchased by calling the Sea Dogs Ticket Office at 207-879-9500 or online at www.seadogs.com.
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