Parker has his eyes on a banana as Sacramento River Cats' Manny Ramirez smiles before the game against the Fresno Grizzlies, Monday, June 11, 2012, in Fresno, California. (John Walker/Fresno Bee/MCT)
The Fresno Grizzlies are taking the term "ring bearer" to a whole new level.
Parker T. Bear, the furry mascot for the Houston Astros' triple-A affiliate, has become an ordained minister and will be available to perform in-ballpark weddings starting Thursday, when the team hosts a promotion called "My Big Fat Fresno Wedding Show" during its game against the Oklahoma City Dodgers.
According to a press release issued by the team, "Parker will legit marry anyone" during the game and will also officiate vow renewals for already-married couples. The cost is $20, which includes two tickets, and all the team asks is that prospective couples understand that this is an actual, legal ceremony and arrive with a marriage license in hand.
Combine that with the team's regular Tecate Thursday beer special (24-ounce Tecate and Tecate Light cans for $2!) and a Brady Rodgers-Julio Urias pitching matchup and you've got yourself quite the deal on the ceremony, reception and entertainment -- if you don't mind being married by a man in a sweaty bear costume, that is.
"People get married without a big wedding all the time, we're just providing the most colorful backdrop for it," Grizzlies marketing director Sam Hanson said in a statement. "Getting hitched by Parker at a Grizzlies game will be a memory that lasts a lifetime."
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