You already know we have great prizes through our MyLotto Rewards program, and on September 22 one of those prizes took Daniel Sifferlin and his family to Progressive Field for an unforgettable night. This prize didn't just put them in the seats to watch the Indians play, they got to watch batting practice from the dugout and Daniel's mother-in-law, Marie, who was celebrating her 94th birthday threw out the first pitch!
Daniel used his MyLotto Rewards points to enter the drawing for the Cleveland Indians VIP Box Seat Experience which included watching batting practice from the dugout, scoreboard greetings, promotional items, autographed items and the chance to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Daniel said when he found out he won a trip to the game, as luck would have it the game was also on Marie's birthday. He said Marie has watched every Indians game on TV for more than 20 years and she knows all the players' names. She's truly a big fan, and he couldn't think of a better person to give that first pitch opportunity to other than Marie.
Marie, along with her granddaughter and daughter, stood along the dugout during batting practice, and she did not go unnoticed. Her favorite player, Michael Brantley, stopped to chat along with several other members of the team. Marie loved every second!
As if that wasn't enough, Marie's family arranged to have her grandson flown in from California to surprise her. She was overwhelmed with joy. Her grandson and granddaughter escorted her onto the field to throw the ceremonial first pitch, and Marie didn't disappoint. Wind up and all, this 94-year-old pitched like a pro with applause roaring from the stands!
To top it all off, the Tribe won with a hit by Marie's favorite player to bring in the winning run. As the Indians and post season baseball gets underway, we're sure Marie will be watching!