A family affair, featuring a familiar face to many baseball fans, will kick off the Victoria HarbourCats series against Nanaimo on Tuesday.
Former Major League Baseball star Manny Ramirez will throw out the first pitch before Tuesday night's game at Royal Athletic Park.
The former Boston Red Sox slugger's sons Manny Jr. and Lucas currently play for the HarbourCats, with both taking to the outfield just like their father.
The elder Ramirez recorded 555 home runs and more than 2,500 hits in his almost two decades in the majors, which saw him capture two World Series titles. Aside from exciting fans with towering home runs, he also became well known for his personality and antics, such as when he briefly dipped inside Fenway Park's Green Monster during a mound visit.
Manny Jr. hit three home runs and had 23 RBIs in 29 games with East L.A. College before coming to Victoria for the summer. Lucas is committed to the University of Tennessee for the fall and is poised to be a potential high pick in the upcoming MLB draft.
Victoria is 5-4 to start the season and is set to begin a three-game set with a Nanaimo NightOwls team that currently has an identical record.
The HarbourCats host their up-Island counterparts at Royal Athletic Park on Tuesday before the teams face off in Nanaimo on Wednesday and finish the series back in Victoria on Thursday.
Tuesday's game starts at 6:30 p.m.
