Minor League Hagerstown Suns Mark 35 Years In City

HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) -- The minor league Hagerstown Suns are celebrating their 35th season despite a sometimes rocky relationship with the western Maryland city they call home.

The Suns open the season's first home game Thursday with a ceremonial first pitch by former player Dane Anthony. He pitched the team's first game in 1981. He's now the sheriff of nearby Franklin County, Pennsylvania.

The event also includes the introduction of a locally produced craft beer called Bases Loaded from the Antietam Brewery.

Owners of the Suns and their major league affiliate, the Washington Nationals, have complained for years about the shortcomings of 85-year-old Municipal Stadium. The Suns were prepared to move to Fredericksburg, Virginia, before financing for a new stadium there fell through last fall.

(Copyright 2015 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)