Sean Casey headlining Flying Squirrels' 2023 Hot Stove

RICHMOND, Va. – Former MLB All-Star Sean Casey will be the headline guest at the Richmond Flying Squirrels’ 2023 Charity Hot Stove event on Thursday, November 16 at the Altria Theater, the team announced on Wednesday.

The annual Hot Stove raises funds for the initiatives of Flying Squirrels Charities, which focuses on education, athletics, inclusion and social determinants. Tickets and sponsorship packages will be available at a later date.

“We’re excited to finally bring ‘The Mayor’ back to Richmond to help us raise money for Flying Squirrels Charities,” Flying Squirrels CEO Todd “Parney” Parnell said. “The funds raised during the Hot Stove help us with our efforts to make Richmond a better place 365 days a year. The stories are going to be FUNN and we’re sure our fans will love the entire event.”

Casey will take part in an entertaining conversation about his baseball career during the event’s main program, which begins at 7:30 p.m.

The event will also feature a VIP Meet & Greet and autograph session with Casey and other special guests. Additional guests for the program will be announced at a later date.

Prior to his major league career, Casey was a standout player for the University of Richmond, where he was picked as an All-American and helped lead the Spiders to their first-ever win in an NCAA Tournament game in 1995. That year, he also won the NCAA Division I batting title with a .461 average. He was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the second round of the 1995 MLB Draft. Casey was inducted to the Richmond Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2014.

Casey reached the majors with Cleveland briefly in 1997 before being traded to the Cincinnati Reds prior to the 1998 season. He spent eight years with the Reds, earning National League All-Star selections in 1999, 2001 and 2004. In 2012, he was inducted to the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame.

After being traded to his hometown Pittsburgh Pirates before the 2006 season, he was again traded later that year to the Detroit Tigers, reaching the World Series that season. After three years in Detroit, he finished his career with the Boston Red Sox in 2008

Nicknamed “The Mayor,” Casey developed a reputation for chatting casually with every runner who made it to first base. He also earned the nickname thanks to his work off the field. His charity work is on display in Upper St. Clair, Pa., thanks to the Miracle League of The South Hills and “Casey’s Clubhouse.”

Casey currently works as a broadcaster and analyst for MLB Network.

The Flying Squirrels are hosting the Bowie Baysox, Double-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, this week at The Diamond, including postgame In-Your-Face Fireworks on Thursday and Saturday. Tickets are available online at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets, by phone at 804-359-FUNN (3866) or in person at the Flying Squirrels ticket office.