Ceremonial activities aplenty have been scheduled for the Minnesota Twins' second home Opening Day at Target Field next week, with prominent roles given to Twins family members sporting such names as Pohlad, Puckett, Oliva and Versalles.
The children of Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett -- Kirby Jr. and Catherine -- will ceremonially open Gate 34 at noon, three hours before the Twins host the Oakland A's next Friday.
The pregame national anthem will be performed by Rick Oliva, son of Twins legend Tony Oliva, and Maria Versalles, daughter of former Twins shortstop and 1965 American League MVP Zoilo Versalles.
During the seventh-inning stretch, "God Bless America" will be sung by recording artist Sara Pohlad, wife of Twins executive Joe Pohlad.
Among the other highlights:
• A bronze statue of Tony Oliva will be unveiled outside Gate 6 (Oliva's jersey number).
• Gen. John Vessey, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a Minnesota native, will raise the American Flag.
• The ceremonial first pitch will be thrown by Twins Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew.
