A well-known Cleveland slugger is returning to the baseball field, albeit a much smaller one.
Former Indians designated hitter Travis Hafner will play one game for the Lake Erie Crushers of the independent Frontier League on June 16, when the team will celebrate "Travis Hafner Day." The 40-year-old will take batting practice (which will be open to the public) and sign autographs before being penciled into the lineup at DH.
Hafner played 10 of his 12 Major League seasons in Cleveland, where he became a fan favorite and was one of the most feared hitters in baseball for a period of time. "Pronk" even equaled a big league record in 2006 when he belted six grand slams in one season.
While injuries slowed Hafner down later in his career, his 200 home runs as an Indian are still eighth-most in franchise history.
"We are so excited to have Travis join us for our June 16th game", Crushers co-owner Tom Kramig said. "We believe the fans will really enjoy watching Travis return to the field and take a few swings. He played so many great seasons in Cleveland and it will be great to see him take the field one more time."
Tickets for the game at Sprenger Stadium in Avon are available now at lakeeriecrushers.com, as well as the team box office.
