The First Pitch | |
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Artist | William Koch |
Year | 2012 |
Medium | Bronze |
Location | Buffalo, New York |
42°52′53.09″N78°52′28.54″W / 42.8814139°N 78.8745944°W | |
Owner | Buffalo Bisons |
The First Pitch is a 2012 bronze statue of James D. Griffin, by William Koch. [1] It is located at Swan Street and Washington Street, outside Sahlen Field in Buffalo.
Griffin, the former Mayor of Buffalo, was instrumental in getting Sahlen Field built and bringing the Buffalo Bisons franchise to the city while he was in office. Following his death in 2008, Griffin was posthumously honored by the Buffalo Common Council after they voted to change Sahlen Field's address to One James D. Griffin Plaza. [2]
The work depicts Griffin throwing the ceremonial first pitch at Sahlen Field's inaugural game on April 14, 1988. [3]
Warren Edward Spahn was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a left-handed pitcher in 1942 and then from 1946 until 1965, most notably for the Boston Braves, who became the Milwaukee Braves after the team moved west before the 1953 season. His baseball career was interrupted by his military service in the United States Army during the Second World War.
The Trenton Thunder are a collegiate summer baseball team of the MLB Draft League. They are located in Trenton, New Jersey, and play their home games at Trenton Thunder Ballpark.
The Buffalo Bisons are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen Field, the highest-capacity Triple-A ballpark in the United States.
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The Thruway Cup is an annual competition between Minor League Baseball's Buffalo Bisons, Rochester Red Wings, and Syracuse Mets of the International League. The Cup standings are compiled from the games the teams play against each other through the course of the regular season. The team at the top of the standings at the end of the season is crowned the Thruway Cup champion and wins the Thruway Cup trophy. Unique to this competition, it was agreed that any team winning the trophy three times would get to "retire" the cup and keep it as their own. As of the end of the 2021 season, Rochester has won ten times, Buffalo nine times, and Syracuse four times.
Sahlen Packing Company Inc. or Sahlen's, is an American meat packing company headquartered in Buffalo, New York. The company was founded by Joseph Sahlen in 1869. Sahlen's specializes in smokehouse deli meats as well as hot dogs and sausages. Sahlen's products can now be found in over 30 states across the US.
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