Sports | Toledo Mud Hens opening day less than a month away
This season comes in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic.
TOLEDO, Ohio — The Detroit Tigers, Cincinnati Reds and more have already held their opening days, but in less than a month, it’s the Toledo Mud Hen’s time to shine.
It was announced in early March that the team’s home opener had been rescheduled to May 4th, due to the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic. But now, with vaccinations ramping up, hope is on the horizon for normalcy to return.
Due to restrictions set by the Ohio Department of Health, the Hens will open at 30% capacity, meaning 2,700 to 4,000 fans will be allowed entry.
Due to the lack of baseball action the year prior, the Hens will be holding a series of opening days to make up for lost time, and to celebrate the resilience of the team and its fans.
“We thought what a better way to celebrate the start of the season, coming off a missed year, is to have a celebration for that entire first six game home stand, and that’s the story behind opening days,” said Erik Ibsen of the Toledo Mud Hens.
Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said he expects normalcy to return this summer, and capacity within large venues to expand, but ultimately, those decisions will be made by the ODH, and any significant changes are determined based on vaccine availability and vaccination rate.
