It was 'Bring Your Dad to Work Day' in Vancouver

You’ve heard of "Bring Your Child to Work Day," but how about the reverse?

In honor of Father's Day on Sunday, High-A Vancouver’s broadcaster Tyler Zickel did just that.

In the High-A Blue Jays affiliate's matchup against the Hillsboro Hops, Zickel’s father, Mark, joined the broadcast -- a tradition the two have shared since Tyler’s days with the Lake Elsinore Storm, the Single-A affiliate for the Padres.

“Father’s Day 2015 was the first time he came on the air with me,” Tyler said. “So whenever he joins me for a game over the course of Father’s Day weekend, I try to get him on the broadcast."

This year's edition was extra special because Mark threw out the first pitch with Tyler catching. The visit itself came about because Tyler is getting married next month.

“He wanted to come up and hang out before I got married, and just be a part of just him and I up here, which was great,” Tyler said. “I figured, you know what, Father’s Day, no better time to bring in the guy who gave me my love for baseball on the broadcast.”

Mark sounded like a natural behind the mic, as the two chopped it up about everything from how their hometown Padres are playing to Mark’s favorite Minor League Stadium that Tyler has worked at – spoiler, it was Vancouver’s own Nat Bailey Stadium.

Tyler has been the broadcaster for the Canadians for three seasons, but this was the first time his father was able to make the journey north of the border. He attended the team's weekend slate and got to spend a “guys' weekend” with his son. For Tyler, their collaboration in the booth marked a “full circle moment.”

“He has always been the biggest supporter of my baseball career on the field at first, and then once that came to an end, he fully got behind my idea of chasing this broadcasting dream,” Tyler said. “Nine seasons into Minor League Baseball, he is still my No. 1 fan, and I wouldn’t be sitting in this broadcast booth if it wasn’t for him.”

The broadcast’s special guest stayed for the sixth and seventh innings and must have been a good-luck charm because the Canadians not only won the game, 5-1, but clinched a spot in the Northwest League playoffs in the process.