I am as surprised as you that the Dodgers continue to offer free signing opportunities with some old-time Dodgers before their home game. I had thought they were going to forgo those events, but I am happy to report that that appears to not be the case. Below are the scheduled autograph opportunities and other odds and ends for this upcoming homestand against the Diamondbacks this weekend.
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Friday, April 18th
This Friday will be Friday Night Fireworks, so fans will be able to go down onto the field after the game. Actor Marlon Wayans will throw the ceremonial first pitch and officially start the game with “It’s Time for Dodger Baseball!” Former Dodgers
Dennis Powell (in right-field pavilion plaza) and
Billy Ashley (in left-field pavilion plaza) will be signing autographs for fans from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. There will be face painters, caricature artist and a balloon maker in a pavilion areas.
From a press release:
- The Dodgers announced yesterday that auto gates will now open 2.5 hours
before game time on a permanent basis and the stadium gates will open
two hours before the scheduled first pitch. All auto gates on Friday open
at 4:30 p.m. and all stadium gates open at 5:00 p.m.
- The Veteran of the Game presented by Bank of America is U.S. Army Specialist Monica Faraldo of Los Angeles. Faraldo enlisted in 2005, served with the 7-101 Aviation Battalion 101st Airborne as a Chaplain Assistant and has been stationed at Fort Campbell and deployed to Bagram, Afghanistan. Her accolades include the Army Commendation Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal.
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Saturday, April 19th
Saturday's game starts at 5:10 PM. All auto gates open at 2:30 PM. and all stadium gates open at 3:00 PM. The first 40,000 fans will receive a Dodgers Welcome Mat. See it on the right. The national anthem will be performed by saxophonist and Copenhagen, Denmark native Michael Lington.
Former Dodgers
Al Downing (in right-field pavilion plaza) and
“Sweet” Lou Johnson (in left-field pavilion plaza) will be signing autographs for fans from 3:00 PM to 5:10 PM.
From a press release:
The Veteran of the Game presented by Bank of America is U.S. Marine Corps Corporal Ryan Provasi of Santa Clarita. Provasi enlisted in 2008 and served with the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Division based out of Camp Pendleton as an Infantryman. In 2009, his unit was deployed to the Sangin Valley in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan in which his unit suffered tremendous loss with more than 20 members killed in action and 200 wounded. Provasi was honorably discharged in 2013 and his accolades include the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Combat Action Medal and the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal.
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Sunday, April 20th
Sunday's game is at 1:10 PM. All auto gates opening at 10:30 AM. and all stadium gates open at 11:00 AM. Viva Los Dodgers begins at 10:30 AM in lot 6 and will feature autographs by
Derrel Thomas. A band named RENZO will perform.
The national anthem and “God Bless America” will be performed by Luz Rios, Latin GRAMMY® Award Nominated singer. Former Dodgers
Kenny Landreaux (in left-field pavilion plaza) will be signing autographs for fans from 11:00 AM to 1:10 PM.
From a press release:
The Veteran of the Game presented by Bank of America is U.S. Army Reserves Specialist Jaime Fernandez, Jr. of Downey. Fernandez enlisted eight days after the September 11 attacks and serves with the 394th Adjutant General Company in Long Beach. He was deployed to Iraq in 2003. Fernandez had an L.A. Dodger flag on the ½ ton truck he drove in Iraq and his accolades include the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Army Commendation Medal.
This weekend is the second annual 'Players Weekend' throughout the Major Leagues. All teams will be wearing special uniforms with unique nicknames on their backs and have the opportunity to wear and use uniquely colored cleats, bats and other equipment. Each player will also have the opportunity to recognize someone who was instrumental in his personal development, or a baseball player who inspired him, on a jersey patch on his right sleeve (see that patch on the right). Check out the Dodger duds for this weekend below. Anthony Castovince at MLB.com provides more detail about this event here. This unique happening coincides with the Little League World Series championship in Williamsport, PA. Go here for the 2018 list of Dodgers' nicknames, via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com.
