By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged
DETROIT — The preacher made his pitch like a pro.
Frank Tanana held a Bible in his left hand — the one he used to strike out 2,773 batters in a 21-season major league career — as he urged a pregame crowd of 3,074 fans to follow Jesus.
“I beg of you, today is the day of salvation,” Tanana told the throng clad in navy, orange and white Detroit Tigers attire. “If you don’t know Christ, won’t you give your life to Christ?”
On a recent 78-degree Saturday afternoon, a U.S. flag and the Tigers’ four World Series championship banners — from 1935, 1945, 1968 and 1984 — flapped in the Comerica Park breeze.
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Butterflies fluttered amid the spectators gathered along the first-base line during an annual Christian outreach called Home Plate Detroit. A blue sky dotted with cottony white clouds framed the downtown skyline just beyond the outfield bleachers.
Tanana’s ballpark sermon capped an hour-long special program led by Tigers chaplain Jeff Totten and featuring testimonials by outfielder Kerry Carpenter, pitcher Tyler Holton, infielder/outfielder Zach McKinstry, shortstop Trey Sweeney and pitcher Will Vest.
This story appears in the online magazine Religion Unplugged.
Faith. Family. Fastballs. 