The Clearwater Threshers will present Veterans and Military Appreciation Night with superstar wrestler Sgt. Slaughter and post-game fireworks on Saturday, June 3, at Spectrum Field. The evening is presented by Bosley and Bratch, Lawyers for Veterans. The night will also feature a hero card set giveaway, on-field ceremonies, military vehicles and equipment on display, a silent auction, and vendors on the concourse.
Professional wrestling star Sgt. Slaughter will be participating in the pregame program, and available for autographs on the concourse. Sgt. Slaughter rose to stardom in the WWE in the 1980s and 90s with his enthusiastic brand of American patriotism and his “Cobra Clutch” finishing move. Sgt. Slaughter is currently a member of the WWE Ambassador program.
The Threshers solicited nominations of local military personnel, both active and veteran, to be featured in a baseball card set of heroes that will be given away to guests as they enter the ballpark. A total of 1,000 card sets will be distributed, courtesy of Bosley and Bratch. Heroes selected for the card set, or their representatives, will be honored on the field prior to the game.
The evening will also include parachute jumpers, a swearing-in ceremony for recruits, and a silent auction fundraiser. Threshers players and coaches will be wearing special camouflage jerseys that will be included in the silent auction; winners will meet the players on-field after the game to receive their autographed jersey.
Veterans and Military Appreciation Night is in its seventh year at Spectrum Field. Representatives from the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard will be on-hand for the event. Many veterans groups and support organizations will also participate.
Returning for a second year is a softball tournament in the afternoon of Veterans and Military Appreciation Night. Four teams from the USCG Air Station Clearwater, USCG Sector St. Petersburg, VETSports Tampa, and a team of veterans from several branches will play three games starting at 1 p.m. Tickets are available for the afternoon softball games and include admission for the Threshers game and food from the Hot Corner Café.
The gates for the public will open at 5 p.m. on June 3 for the 6:15 p.m. game against the Charlotte Stone Crabs, followed by a post-game fireworks display. A portion of the proceeds from the day will benefit two local charities, the Haley House Fund and the Injured Warriors Fund. For ticket information, visit the Spectrum Field ticket office or call 727-467-4457.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.