DETROIT — It will be the 47th annual Polish-American Night at Comerica Park featuring the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers on Friday May 19th. Before the game the baseball field will be filled with Polish culture including costumed dancers and musicians. Ted Klamerus who was on the original committee will be honored during the pregame extravaganza.
Wally Ozog who is directing the activities announced that besides the musicians throughout the stadium there will be nearly 400 dancers on the field. The Polish Scouts will be honor guard for the flags.
Paul Solarski the head coach of the Polish National Team will be introduced before the game. He is a veteran administrator, educator and coach at Brebeuf College School in Toronto, Canada. Last year under his direction, the Polish National Team won the C-Championship of the Confederation of European Baseball and they were regulated up. This season they will host the B-Championships in Miejska Gorka, Poland July 24-30. The other countries participating will be Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Lithuania, and Slovakia. Another regional will take place in Belgrade, Serbia consisting of Austria, Bulgaria, Greece, Israel, Switzerland and host Serbia. The two winners will compete in the A-Pool which will be held in Germany in 2018.
The honor to throw out the first pitch will go to Rose Ann Lackey. She has been director of the PRCUA Tatra Dancers for the last 28 years. Robert Szczublewski will sing the Polish National Anthem and the American National Anthem. Chris Qzog will emcee. The National Polish- American Sports Hall of Fame will have an educational booth in the right field foul-line concourse. The 45th Annual Induction Banquet will take place, Thursday June 22, 2017 at the American Polish Cultural Center in Troy, MI. http://www.polishsportshof.com/
The PEPSI postgame fireworks show will start immediately following the game.
The special ticket package includes a game ticket and premium souvenir Polish-American Night hat and a three-dollar donation to the Polish Roman Catholic Union of America #1593 Scholarship Fund. A ticket package of $45 or $37 is available 586-751-8168 wozog@wowway.com These will also include the special souvenir cap.
Live Polka music will be scattered around the stadium:
- Kielbasa Kings (Gate B)
- The Steve Drzewicki Band (Brushfire Grill)
- Big Daddy and the La De Dahs (Gate C)
- The Natural Tones (Big Cat Court inside Comerica Park)
- Strolling accordion music by John Orischak
For groups of 15 or more please contact corey.bell@tigers.com .