Prince will bat leadoff at Target Field on Friday, when the Twins roll out the proverbial purple carpet for festivities celebrating his 60th birthday.
Inflatable purple guitars, fireworks highlight Friday's 'Prince Night' at Twins game
June 8, 2018 at 5:46AM
This is the second Prince Night at the Twins' home stadium for the Minnesota music legend, who died in April 2016 from a drug overdose. His birthday was June 7.
The bright spot of the night is scheduled for the seventh inning. The Twins will hand out inflatable Prince-like guitars to the first 10,000 fans who enter the ballpark. Those fans will be asked to remain standing during the seventh-inning stretch and illuminate those purple replicas for a moment of remembrance.
Among the other special touches:
• Twins players and staff will wear Prince-themed T-shirts during batting practice. The shirts will be auctioned off at twinsbaseball.com to fund music grants for the Minneapolis Public Schools.
• A Prince Model C guitar will be on display on the Home Run Porch in left field in the high-tech Digital Clubhouse.
• Omarr Baker, Prince's younger brother, will throw out a ceremonial first pitch before the Twins play the Los Angeles Angels.
• Prince collaborator J.D. Steele of "The Steeles" and Olivia Gorden of Rochester, Minn., will perform the national anthem.
• Postgame Prince-themed fireworks.
Last season's Prince Night giveaway was a hit with fans. Some of the 10,000 umbrellas given away were listed on eBay for more than $100.
Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482
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