Saturday’s Mud Hens game at Fifth Third Field welcomed not only the Indianapolis Indians to T-Town, but a well-known television actor: Oscar Nuñez.
Nuñez is known for his role as Oscar Marinez in “The Office” and “The Paper.” The two mockumentary sitcom series showcase office workers in their daily lives.
“The Office” follows employees working for Dunder Mifflin Paper Company in Scranton, Pennsylvania, with “The Paper” featuring journalists at the Toledo Truth Teller, a fading newspaper in Toledo, Ohio.
“I always liked acting,” Nuñez said. “I always liked messing around with people. I’ve always been that way. I remember watching the Carol Burnett show with my dad, she’s the best.”
Burnett, known for her trailblazing role in comedy, was popular in the 60s and 70s and acted as one of Nuñez’s inspirations.
“I remember saying to myself, ‘I want to do that,’ when I was like five or six years old,” Nuñez said.
As Nuñez made his way to Toledo from Los Angeles for The Paper Night, existing fans of the baseball team and both shows flocked Fifth Third Field.
Activities included Nuñez throwing what he hoped to be a “90 mile per hour” honorary first pitch, music and soundclips from both shows and postgame fireworks.
“With Oscar being one of the prominent stars of the show we just started making some contacts and seeing what opportunities might be there,” Troy Hammersmith, Director of Events and Fan Entertainment for the Hens, said. “One thing that we've learned really quickly with Oscar is that he loves to engage with his fans.”
A line of nearly 500 people stretched through Hensville Park for a pregame meet & greet with Nuñez. The TV star also made his rounds through the ballpark, stopping on the suite level, the Hens' locker room and weight room, and batting cages.
“Everything was great, but I did a joke that didn’t go over, but that is okay,” Nuñez said with a laugh in regards to meeting the players. “It was fun.”
Although Nuñez said he had never heard about the Mud Hens before his invitation to the game, he grew up in New Jersey as a New York Yankees fan.
“I went to a couple of Mets games, I've been to Yankees games, and back home I've been to a couple of Dodgers games, so I've always been lucky enough to be in a city that has a good baseball team,” Nuñez said.
While his first pitch might not have reached 90 mph, Nuñez said he was grateful for the invite to Toledo and experience at the Hens game.
“I was excited, like ‘I'm going to Toledo, this is cool,’” Nuñez said. “And then we worked out the dates, and it happened. I’m having a great time.”
If Hens fans missed The Paper Night, additional themed game nights include 80s Night on June 12, WWE Night on June 13, Peanuts Night on July 19, Harry Potter Night on July 24, and more.
“When you do nights like this or bring in celebrities you get that, hopefully, larger scale impact that you're looking for,” Hammersmith said. “It was an all encompassed night, embracing Toledo, the show, Oscar being a part of it, and then also the great community members, partners, and organizations.”
Written By: Gina Napoli