Pete Rose to Visit Coca-Cola Park on Father's Day
Pete Rose - Major League Baseball's all-time hit king and a member of the Phillies' first World Championship team in 1980 - will sign autographs and throw out a first pitch prior to the IronPigs' Father's Day game on Sunday, June 16 at 1:35 p.m. against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
Great seats are still available for all upcoming games, including Father's Day against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and can be purchased in-person at Coca-Cola Park (Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.), by calling (610) 841-PIGS (7447) or online at ironpigsbaseball.com. Two brand-new seating areas, the "Hot Corner" and the "Bacon Strip" have been added to Coca-Cola Park this season, offering IronPigs fans the most unique and distinctive seating and hospitality areas in all of Minor League Baseball.
All gates will open at 12 p.m. (noon) to allow for the Pete Rose autograph session in the Red Robin Tiki Terrace & Oasis lasting from 12 p.m. until 1 p.m. For a $20 fee, fans will receive an IronPigs logo baseball as well as an in-person autograph from Pete Rose (on a first-come, first-serve basis).To expedite the process and to allow as many fans as possible to receive an autograph, all fans will need to adhere to the following guidelines:
- Only one autograph per person will be permitted. The autograph will be provided on the IronPigs logo baseball.
- No photographs of any kind are permitted.
- The autograph session will end promptly at 1 p.m.
Please note that the $20 cost is only applicable to those fans that receive an autograph during the one-hour allotted time frame.
As an added Father's Day bonus, the first 2,000 men 18 and older will receive Bucket Cap keepsakes courtesy of Phoebe Ministries.
One of baseball's most iconic figures, Pete Rose is the all-time Major League leader in hits (4,256), games played (3,562) and at-bats (14,053) along with a three-time World Champion while playing with Cincinnati (1975, 1976) and Philadelphia (1980). Deemed "Charlie Hustle" for his hard-nosed style of play, Rose was a 17-time All-Star, the 1973 N.L. MVP and a three-time N.L. Batting Champion (1968, 1969 and 1973). Rose also challenged Joe Dimaggio's record 56-game hitting streak in 1978 -- compiling a 44-gamer -- the longest streak in the modern day history of the National League.
After a 16-year run with the Reds to begin his career, Rose inked a lucrative four-year deal with the Phillies in 1979 and later helped guide the Phillies to their first World Championship in 1980. The Phillies reached the postseason three times during his five-year stint with the club, winning the World Series in 1980 while advancing to another in 1983.
Rose surpassed Ty Cobb's hit record in September of 1985 with his 4,192nd career base knock and retired a year later having accumulated an unrivaled 4,256 hits.
Fans are reminded that there are three entry points for parking and are encouraged to use the Dauphin Street entrance when traveling from downtown Allentown. In addition to the Dauphin Street entrance, entry to Coca-Cola Park can be gained off American Parkway and Union Boulevard. Preferred/Handicapped Parking access is available via American Parkway only.
The cost of parking in Coca-Cola Park's "Pig Tail Porking Spaces" is $3 per vehicle for all IronPigs home games.
Don't forget to ask about the all-new four-person "islands" in the Red Robin Oasis located directly above the left field bullpens. Each island is covered underneath a thatched roof and includes a circular half-table, cocktail-style seating for the four fans in the party and wait service.
Single-game tickets, mini-plan packages and group tickets for all IronPigs home games presented by Capital BlueCross, are on sale now and can be purchased at the Coca-Cola Park Ticket Office, online at www.ironpigsbaseball.com or by calling (610) 841-PIGS.
The 2013 IronPigs baseball season is presented by Capital BlueCross.