Chipper Jones is a Braves legend. The Hall of Famer was the first overall pick in the 1990 Draft and went on to become an eight-time All-Star, MVP Award winner and a World Series champion with the franchise.
So when the club’s Triple-A affiliate in Gwinnett adopted a rescued cat in late August, they took to the internet to come up with a name for him. The runaway answer was a perfect fit: ChipPurr Jones.
The feline phenomenon quickly became a fan favorite in the weeks since, so when the Stripers hosted a pet supply donation drive at Gwinnett Field on Tuesday night, they brought in the star of the show to “throw” out an unconventional, but relentlessly cute first pitch.
As ChipPurr trotted toward home plate in search of both the strike zone and treats, the puns were aplenty, including from Gwinnett public address announcer Cary Clayborn:
“Meow, that was some first pitch!”
Bark in the Park nights have become ubiquitous throughout baseball, both at the Minor League and Major League level as dog-loving owners bring their best friends to the yard. But the Stripers dipped their proverbial paws into the water by hosting Purr in the Park, which has served as catnip in getting feline owners down to the yard.