2014 Seattle Mariners Opening Night

The Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks, including quarterback Russell Wilson, Super Bowl MVP Malcolm Smith, Jermaine Kearse, K.J. Wright, Bobby Wagner and others will be honored during a special pregame presentation and ceremonial first pitch on Opening Night for the 2014 Seattle Mariners home season.

The Mariners will be returning from a seven-game road trip to Anaheim and Oakland prior to the Tuesday, April 8, home opener against the Los Angeles Angels. Game time is 7:10pm, with pregame ceremonies scheduled to start at 6:30pm. Tickets for the game are still available at mariners.com/tickets.

Red Cross Donations
The Mariners, Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association are donating $225,000 to the American Red Cross Washington Mudslide Relief fund. Volunteers from the Red Cross will be outside the gates of Safeco Field collecting donations to benefit those affected by the Oso mudslide. Fans can donate on Opening Night, or can give at redcross.org, or by texting REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Pre-game Festivities
Opening Night festivities start at 4:40pm when the gates of Safeco Field open to the general public with a special countdown at the Home Plate Gate with Rick Rizzs and Aaron Goldsmith. All fans will receive a 2014 Mariners magnetic schedule, courtesy of Safeco Insurance. The pre-game ceremony will start at approximately 6:30pm. mariners.com will stream the pre-game live starting at 6:30pm, and ROOT SPORTS will air a live one-hour pregame program beginning at 6pm.

Here are some of the highlights of the pregame ceremony:

• The traditional christening of the field with the ceremonial first run around the bases by a Make-A-WishR child will feature 10 year old Avinash Day of Tacoma, who was diagnosed with familial polyposis, a life threatening medical condition. Avinash will be the first person to "touch them all" on Opening Night.
• The National Anthem will be performed by Navy Band Northwest, and the flags will be presented by the Lakewood Police Department and Joint Base Lewis-McChord I Corps Command Honor Guard.
• A moment of silence for the Oso mudslide victims and for Seattle sports legend Eddie O'Brien, who died at the age of 83 in February.
• Silver Slugger Award presentation to second baseman Robinson Cano.
• Former Mariners outfielder, now playing for the Los Angeles Angels, Raul Ibanez will be recognized as the 2014 recipient of the Hutch Award, which was presented in January at Safeco Field.

At the end of the fourth inning, Staff Sergeant Ty Carter of Spokane, a recent Medal of Honor recipient, will be introduced and recognized during a ¡§Salute to Those Who Served,¡¨ scheduled to be a regular feature during the 2014 Mariners season to pay tribute to the men and women who honor their nation through service.

Opening Series Highlights
Tickets for Opening Night and all games of the opening homestand are still available, including Safeco Insurance Grand Slam Family Package Night on Wednesday, April 9, with $15 View Level, $30 Main Level, and $35 Terrace Club tickets, as well as a three-game series against the Oakland'. A full list of 2014 Mariners ticket specials is available at mariners.com/specials.

Supreme Court
The Supreme Court will be in session at Safeco Field on Friday, April 11, when Felix Hernandez is scheduled to make his first home start of the season against the Athletics. For this special session of the "Supreme Court," the first 25,000 fans will receive a special t-shirt and commemorative K card. Special ticket prices for the game are $12 for all View Level seats and $25 for select Main Level, Terrace Club and Outfield Reserved seats.

SECURITY REMINDER
In compliance with Major League Baseball's mandate that all teams implement an enhanced security screening program by the start of the 2015 season, fans entering Safeco Field will be subject to enhanced screening procedures. Although metal detectors will be in place at all gates, fans will not be subject to secondary screenings on Opening Night. The Mariners will be phasing in the use of metal detectors at gates over the first few months of the season with the goal of being fully operational by All-Star break. All bags will still be subject to inspection, including women¡¦s purses. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to be in their seats for the pregame festivities starting at 6:30pm.