CLEVELAND — As the Cleveland Guardians battle the Seattle Mariners in the 2023 home opener at Progressive Field on Friday, the team will honor iconic drummer John Adams in a few special ways -- including a tribute from Slider the mascot.
During the first inning, Slider will take Adams' seat under the scoreboard to bang the legendary drum to pump up the crowd as the Guardians prepare for their first at-bat.
“The drum beat will live on forever," explains Curtis Danburg, Vice President of Communications for the Guardians. "That was important for us to honor him.”
But that's not all.
The team will be wearing a "JA" patch that features Adams' bass drum mallets during the home opener. They will wear the patch again on Aug. 24 to mark Adams' 50-year anniversary.
A moment of silence is also expected as the entire ballpark remembers Adams and his legacy.
Danburg tells 3News it's going to be "a very touching day" at Progressive Field.
Adams passed away in January at the age of 71.
First pitch is set for 4:10 p.m. Don't have a ticket to the game? You can watch it all live on WKYC with expanded coverage starting at 1 p.m.