Will Ferrell to play for the Reds
12 Mar '15 02:57GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- For a brief moment Thursday, actor Will Ferrell will be a member of the Reds and playing in a game against the D-backs.
Major League Baseball announced on Wednesday that Ferrell, a former cast member on "Saturday Night Live" and star of films like "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy," will be at five Spring Training ballparks in Arizona on Thursday. He will be honoring the 50-year-old feat of Bert Campaneris by playing every position on the field, and maybe some off of the field, for 10 teams on the same day.
"That will be pretty cool. You laugh just when you hear his name," Reds third baseman Todd Frazier said.
The Reds play the D-backs at Salt River Fields at 5:10 p.m. ET. Ferrell's feat is part of a production of a new HBO special from Funny or Die, in a partnership with Major League Baseball. The show is dedicated to the fight against cancer.
#FerrellTakesTheField
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"We support this event not only because it is generating money and awareness for cancer charities, but it's a great way for our game to reach, through HBO, a huge audience," Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said. "Our players are very familiar with Will and his movies, and I think they are looking forward to having him on our team."
Besides honoring Campaneris, who played all nine positions for the Kansas City A's while going 0-for-3 on Sept. 8, 1965, Ferrell is trying to help organizations dedicated to fighting cancer, including Stand Up for Cancer and Cancer for College, a charity that helps those affected by cancer realize their dream of a college education.
Ferrell will be playing in the following games as part of the special (all times Eastern):
3:05 p.m.: Seattle Mariners at Oakland Athletics (Hohokam Stadium)
4:10 p.m.: Chicago Cubs at Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (Tempe Diablo Stadium)
5:10 p.m.: Cincinnati Reds at Arizona Diamondbacks (Salt River Fields at Talking Stick)
7:05 p.m.: San Francisco Giants at Chicago White Sox (Camelback Ranch)
9:15 p.m.: Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres (Peoria Stadium)
For most of the teams, including the Reds, Ferrell will be wearing No. 19, which was Campaneris' number for the A's. The number also belongs to Reds first baseman Joey Votto, who will be sharing it for part of the day.
I hope this dude doesn't take my job. #FerrellTakesTheField. pic.twitter.com/f9UxdaguRM
- Todd Frazier (@FlavaFraz21) March 12, 2015
"What's a better time to do it?" Frazier said. "It's going to be funny. Hopefully, Brandon [Phillips] will have his cellphone out so we can relive it on tape and watch it over and over.
"I'm very interested to see if he's that funny off camera, too. I'm sure that he is."
Reds lefty Paul Maholm, who pitched to actor Billy Crystal in Spring Training in 2008 while with the Pirates, has witnessed Ferrell's comedic talents on a Major League field.
Maholm on Ferrell's visit
Maholm anticipates fun-filled day with Will Ferrell
"It will be a circus, especially with Will," said Maholm, who was with the Cubs in 2012 when Ferrell announced the lineup at Wrigley Field. "He announced lineups in Chicago almost three years ago now. It's just entertaining. I'm sure he's going to enjoy it. Guys around him are going to have fun.
"I don't know if he's getting an AB or what he's doing in our game, but if you're the pitcher having to do that stuff, it's a lose-lose for you, so hopefully everyone just has fun with it."
Campaneris is expected to be there with Ferrell as he begins his journey Thursday. To accommodate the feat, the Reds and D-backs agreed to move the start time of their game back one hour from its originally scheduled first pitch.
Mark Sheldon is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Mark My Word, and follow him on Twitter @m_sheldon. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Major League Baseball announced on Wednesday that Ferrell, a former cast member on "Saturday Night Live" and star of films like "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy," will be at five Spring Training ballparks in Arizona on Thursday. He will be honoring the 50-year-old feat of Bert Campaneris by playing every position on the field, and maybe some off of the field, for 10 teams on the same day.
"That will be pretty cool. You laugh just when you hear his name," Reds third baseman Todd Frazier said.
The Reds play the D-backs at Salt River Fields at 5:10 p.m. ET. Ferrell's feat is part of a production of a new HBO special from Funny or Die, in a partnership with Major League Baseball. The show is dedicated to the fight against cancer.
#FerrellTakesTheField
Complete coverage
Ferrell to play every position for 10 teams in a day
Justice: No one has more fun than Ferrell
Cactus Leaguers excited to play with Ferrell
Prime 9: Few have played everywhere on diamond
Ferrell's funniest baseball moments
More Will Ferrell video
"We support this event not only because it is generating money and awareness for cancer charities, but it's a great way for our game to reach, through HBO, a huge audience," Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said. "Our players are very familiar with Will and his movies, and I think they are looking forward to having him on our team."
Besides honoring Campaneris, who played all nine positions for the Kansas City A's while going 0-for-3 on Sept. 8, 1965, Ferrell is trying to help organizations dedicated to fighting cancer, including Stand Up for Cancer and Cancer for College, a charity that helps those affected by cancer realize their dream of a college education.
Ferrell will be playing in the following games as part of the special (all times Eastern):
3:05 p.m.: Seattle Mariners at Oakland Athletics (Hohokam Stadium)
4:10 p.m.: Chicago Cubs at Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (Tempe Diablo Stadium)
5:10 p.m.: Cincinnati Reds at Arizona Diamondbacks (Salt River Fields at Talking Stick)
7:05 p.m.: San Francisco Giants at Chicago White Sox (Camelback Ranch)
9:15 p.m.: Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres (Peoria Stadium)
For most of the teams, including the Reds, Ferrell will be wearing No. 19, which was Campaneris' number for the A's. The number also belongs to Reds first baseman Joey Votto, who will be sharing it for part of the day.
I hope this dude doesn't take my job. #FerrellTakesTheField. pic.twitter.com/f9UxdaguRM
- Todd Frazier (@FlavaFraz21) March 12, 2015
"What's a better time to do it?" Frazier said. "It's going to be funny. Hopefully, Brandon [Phillips] will have his cellphone out so we can relive it on tape and watch it over and over.
"I'm very interested to see if he's that funny off camera, too. I'm sure that he is."
Reds lefty Paul Maholm, who pitched to actor Billy Crystal in Spring Training in 2008 while with the Pirates, has witnessed Ferrell's comedic talents on a Major League field.
Maholm on Ferrell's visit
Maholm anticipates fun-filled day with Will Ferrell
"It will be a circus, especially with Will," said Maholm, who was with the Cubs in 2012 when Ferrell announced the lineup at Wrigley Field. "He announced lineups in Chicago almost three years ago now. It's just entertaining. I'm sure he's going to enjoy it. Guys around him are going to have fun.
"I don't know if he's getting an AB or what he's doing in our game, but if you're the pitcher having to do that stuff, it's a lose-lose for you, so hopefully everyone just has fun with it."
Campaneris is expected to be there with Ferrell as he begins his journey Thursday. To accommodate the feat, the Reds and D-backs agreed to move the start time of their game back one hour from its originally scheduled first pitch.
Mark Sheldon is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Mark My Word, and follow him on Twitter @m_sheldon. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.