NFL Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis to throw out first pitch at Richmond opener

The Richmond Flying Squirrels will open the 2016 season with Hall of Fame running back Jerome Bettis ushering in Opening Night on April 14 at The Diamond.

Bettis will throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the game as well as participate in impactful community endeavors while in Richmond. Tickets are available early online and at The Diamond starting at through 8 p.m. Wednesday.

All single game tickets will go on sale at the Squirrels Fan Fest at The Diamond on Feb. 27.

“I love baseball and I am thrilled to be part of Opening Night in Richmond,” said the Hall of Fame Running Back Bettis. “I’m very excited about throwing out the first pitch for The Flying Squirrels and making an impact in Richmond during my time there.”

“We have set a high bar here in Richmond for exciting opening nights and certainly having Jerome here April 14^th will bring great electricity to our anticipated 7^th straight Open Night sellout crowd,” said Squirrels VP & COO Todd “Parney” Parnell. “We are grateful to him for coming and being a part of the RVA community.”

About Jerome Bettis

The former Pittsburgh Steelers Running Back is one of the best all-time running backs in the NFL (6th overall in rushing). Bettis was elected into the Football Hall of Fame last year and was also the recipient of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 2001. 2006 Super Bowl XL champion Jerome Bettis, one of the National Football League’s most popular retired players, the sixth best rusher of all-time and a six-time Pro Bowl selection, Currently Jerome serves as a Studio analyst for ESPN on all their main shows SportsCenter, Numbers Never Lie, and NFL Live. He is also one of the most sought after corporate spokesmen for some of the largest Fortune 500 companies in this country.

“The Bus” finished his NFL career in January 2006 after 13 seasons, retiring immediately following the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 21-10 win over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL in his hometown of Detroit. Bettis is the founder of the Bus Stops Here Foundation, an organization dedicated to improving the overall quality of life for troubled and underprivileged inner-city youth. The Bus Stops Here accomplishes this by providing financial resources, educational, mentoring, and recreational programs that will assist youth in learning to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy choices. 

The Flying Squirrels 2016 home schedule begins April 14^th at 6:35 PM against the Altoona Curve. Season tickets, mini plans and group packages are currently available by contacting the box office at 804-359-FUNN or online at www.squirrelsbaseball.com. The Squirrels will be the visiting team at The Diamond on April 7^th-9^th for a three-day, four game series against the Hartford Yard Goats due to uncertainty surrounding the Hartford ballpark opening date. April 7^th will be the first game in Hartford Yard Goats history.