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| April 14, 2005 - It’s one of the oldest adages known to man: the early bird gets the worm. On Sunday, May 8, the St. Paul Saints intend to add a codicil to that: the early bird hits the fast ball and curveball, too. On this morning, you can get to Midway Stadium bright (well, sort of) and early, see a ballgame, have breakfast and still have time to enjoy most of Mother’s Day. The Saints are hosting Sioux Falls in a Northern League exhibition game at Midway that will have the earliest starting time ever registered for a pro baseball game: 5:30 a.m. For perhaps the first time in history, a game will start under the lights and finish in daylight. “I’m a morning person,” said Mike Veeck, Saints’ team president. “But I will admit it is unusual – even for a Veeck – to have a game start before my newspaper is delivered.” There is a method to what some people might consider to be madness: A portion of the ticket proceeds from the game will go to Darkness to Light, a national non-profit organization dedicated to teaching adults simple, pro-active steps to protect children from sexual abuse and the Foundation Fighting Blindness. The Saints are offering a special $15 package that includes a General Admission ticket to the team’s pre-season opener on Saturday, May 7 against the Canaries at 4:05 p.m. as well as a free hot dog and soda as well as a ticket for the Sunday game and a Saints’ cap – to keep the sun out of your eyes. |