Wrexham co-chairman Rob McElhenney brought his love of American sport to Wales as he ‘baseball-ized’ a game at the Racecourse Ground.
The Philly national teamed up with Major League Baseball to show Wrexham fans what America’s favourite pastime is all about ahead of his beloved Philadelphia Phillies’ trip to the UK this year.
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The Philles will take on historical rivals New York Mets in the 2024 edition of the MLB World Tour: London Series on June 8 and June 9 at West Ham's London Stadium - which undergoes a major transformation each year for the event.
It will be the third time MLB has brought a regular season game to the capital, following New York Yankees vs Boston Red Sox in 2019 and Chicago Cubs vs St Louis Cardinals in 2023.
It’s another chance for UK baseball fans to get a taste of the game - quite literally, have you seen what's on the menu? - a little closer to home, rather than fly over to the United States.
And one person who seems very excited is Wrexham chief McElhenney who, along with his team at More Better Industries, invited a number of friends to join the MLB party at the STōK Cae Ras.
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US chat show host Jimmy Kimmel was spotted in the stands in a video, which was jointly voiced by MLB Network announcer Matt Vasgersian and Wrexham AFC commentator Mark Griffiths - who fans of the 'Welcome to Wrexham' documentary series will know well.
Red Dragons manager Phil Parkinson and striker Ollie Palmer were also roped into star, as was Wayne Jones, owner of the now-famous pub, ‘The Turf’.
Phillies legend Chase Utley also made an appearance, along with a couple of current MLB stars in Phillies designated hitter Bryce Harper and Mets home run king - and Chelsea fan - Pete Alonso.
Fans of ‘Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ will be familiar with Utley’s name - McElhenney’s character, Mac, famously wrote a letter to the World Series winner, and the two have hit it off in real life with numerous appearances at the Phillies’ Citizens Bank Park stadium.
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Utley has now returned the favour and was seen at the Racecourse earlier this season to watch his friend’s team, on their way to sealing a second straight promotion, with McElhenney and co-chairman Ryan Reynolds overseeing the club’s rise from National League to League One.
McElhenney has certainly come a long way during his three years at the helm, admitting he was clueless about football before his decision to invest in a forgotten-about team in north Wales, who also just so happen to be the third oldest professional football team in the world.
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"I didn't know the first thing about football," McElhenney said, expressing his gratitude for the generosity shown to him by the Wrexham community.
And in return for Wrexham fans teaching him everything he knows about the beautiful game, the American owner thought he’d bring a sport he loves to Wrexham.
“It's a childhood dream to partner with Major League Baseball and share my love of America's favourite pastime with the world,” he added.
And so it was out with the Welsh cakes and in with the hot dogs, which were served in the traditional American way - right to your seat.
There might have been some crossed wires over what exactly the ‘pitch’ was, and fans were pictured holding beers in the stands - which is definitely not allowed over here - but, with celebrities in attendance and a bizarre mascot race at half-time, it appeared to be all in good fun.
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The celebration of American sport will be cranked up to 11 at the London Stadium in June, where fans can experience the game, enjoy all the classic ballpark food and drink from their seas and enjoy the party atmosphere as baseball returns.
Ben Ladkin, Managing Director MLB Europe said: "Rob and his team at More Better understand true fandom and how the universal stories that come from the love of sport can translate across oceans and cultures.
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“We look forward to seeing all the different types of fans come together this June to experience the excitement of the games, and we look forward to continuing to tell those stories together in the future.”
The MLB World Tour: London Series takes place on June 8 - 9, when the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies play a two-game series at London Stadium. Tickets are available now at Ticketmaster.