Play Ball! It's Detroit Tigers Opening Day
DETROIT (CBS Detroit) - The moment Tigers fans have been waiting for all winter long has finally arrived: Opening Day in Detroit.
The Tigers are set to kick off their 17th season in Comerica Park against the New York Yankees on Friday. Gates to Comerica Park open at 11 a.m. The first pitch is expected to be thrown at 1:10 p.m.
Getting to the ballpark could be a challenge, especially with the ongoing M-1 Rail work and other construction near the ballpark and downtown. Ron Colangelo, vice president of communications with the Detroit Tigers, said fans will need to bring plenty of patience.
"Give yourself more time and have that patience and come down early and enjoy all that downtown has to offer," he said.
[Opening Day Traffic Guide: How To Get Around Comerica Park]
Fans are also going to want to bundle up. Temperatures are only expected to hit the low 40s and there could even be some rain toward the end of the game.
Among the pregame activities will be a military flyover with two A-10 Warthogs from the 107th Fighter Squadron at Selfridge Air National Guard base. They just returned from a six month deployment to Southwest Asia. A 300-foot American flag will be unfurled on the field, held by volunteers from the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The national anthem will be performed by a Brass Ensemble from the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's Civic Youth Ensembles. The young musicians are part of the DSO's Wu Family Academy, which is a classical music training program.
The ceremonial first pitch will be thrown by 1984 Tigers star Kirk Gibson.
The game ball will be delivered by Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Justin Tyree from Rochester. Lieutenant Colonel Tyree is responsible for active duty Air Force recruiting for the entire state of Michigan. He has deployed to Iraq where he was in charge of 43 building projects to improve the everyday life for the Iraqi population.
Jordan Zimmerman will be on the mound for the Tigers. Luis Severino pitches for the Yankees. After the three games against the Yankees, the Tigers will play Pittsburgh Monday and Tuesday. You can hear all of the games on 97.1 The Ticket.
Along with the game, CBS Radio is hosting its annual Opening Day Block Party at Grand Circus Park starting at 10 a.m. The FREE event includes live music, interactive games for fans of all ages, food and merchandise. And if you don't have a ticket to the game, you can hang out in the Labatt Brew and View outdoor pub and watch the game on the big screen.