Baseball-Loving Senior Golden Retriever Tosses Adorable First Pitch at Pro Baseball Game
Whether or not you have any athletic ability, you can enjoy sports alongside thousands of other strangers, both in person or through the TV. In fact, watching sports brings people from all backgrounds together! More and more sports teams are introducing special campaigns to encourage new fans to try watching a game, and the Philadelphia Phillies' affiliate team is no different.
The Clearwater Threshers are based in Clearwater, Florida, though many of their players move on to play in the MLB in Philly. The Single-A team recently hosted a dogs' night out to welcome their four-legged fans to the field, and a baseball-loving pup named Raffi had the highest honor of all. He got to 'throw' out the first pitch!
Luckily for all of us who couldn't be there, Raffi's owner, Makenzie, made sure to share the June 1 moment on TikTok for everyone to enjoy. Raffi did such a great job!
What a good boy! Raffi is the MVP of the team if you ask me, but I think everyone's already in agreement about that. Even a professional catcher has to take a moment to give this first pitch honoree a proper pet! If that were me on the field, I would have done the very same thing when this Golden Retriever handed off the baseball.
Related: Dog's Begging Skills at a Baseball Game Hit a Home Run With Fans
After his moment in the spotlight, Raffi the hungry dog got to split a few fifty-cent hot dogs (yes, fifty cents!) with Makenzie. Now, that's what I call a win-win! He had a whole fan club of friends (both human and canine) to watch the game with, he got some adorable baseball merchandise, and best of all--everyone had a great time!
This isn't Raffi's first trip to the ballpark, either. Though he hasn't shared videos from a Threshers game before, he recently went viral after Makenzie pleaded for help in finding a pair of tickets to the Tampa Bay Rays' special dog game. Not only did they get tickets thanks to help from several viral videos, but they even got MVP treatment from the team! This senior dog is a long-time baseball fan, and the team wanted to say 'thank you' for 13 years of support. It's no wonder why he and Makenzie are visiting as many dog-friendly sports games as possible!
Attending Dog-Friendly Sports Games
Even though this Golden Retriever is a pro at attending sports games, it's important for dog owners to read up and think carefully before attending a dog-friendly sports game. Ballparks often do a great job of providing dogs with plenty of water bowls and places to relieve themselves, but be prepared for potential accidents! Bringing your own travel dog bowls and snacks will ensure your furry friend has all the snacks they need, but you'll still need to decide whether your dog can behave while meeting other dogs or sitting through a sports game.
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