Rays dedicate Pride Night to victims of Orlando’s Pulse shooting
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The Tampa Bay Rays announced that Friday’s Pride Night will be dedicated to the victims of the shooting that took place at the Orlando nightclub Pulse over the weekend.
The worst mass shooting in the United States happened on Sunday as a gunman opened fire inside a gay night club and killed 49 people and wounded another 53. The gunman was also killed.
The Rays will play the San Francisco Giants on Friday and the proceeds from the remaining available tickets will go to the victim fund, which helps assist the victims’ families. Open seats are available for $5.
The team will also hand out “We are Orlando” t-shirts to all fans in attendance as “a symbolic gesture of unity and inclusion,” according to the Rays’ website.
There will also be blood drives at Tropicana Field ahead of Friday and Saturday’s games.
MLB vice president of social responsibility and inclusion Billy Bean will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
The Rays and Giants will observe a moment of silence as the names of the Orlando shooting victims scroll across the video board.
The Oakland Athletics will also dedicate their Pride Night on Tuesday to the Orlando victims.
