Even people who don't care about sports were able to get behind a recent first pitch at a Gwinnett Stripers game in Georgia on Sept. 15. An adorable kitten, ChipPurr Jones, stole the show when he took the mound.
© @gostripersThe tiny orange rescue kitten made his pitching debut, leading the team's first-ever “Purr in the Park” night.
The Stripers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, shared footage of ChipPurr's ceremonial first pitch, which quickly gave fans another reason to pay attention to the team's smallest celebrity.
Wurmstein used a treat to coax the kitten across the field toward home plate as Ozzy Osbourne's “Crazy Train” played inside the stadium.
ChipPurr wasn't particularly interested in the baseball itself. He was much more focused on the treat, but the crowd didn't seem to mind.
“Honestly, it went so much better than I anticipated,” Wurmstein told Today. “He was ready for the moment.”
How ChipPurr Jones was rescued
ChipPurr's unlikely journey to the ballpark began when a Stripers employee spotted the kitten in traffic while driving to work in August.
Stripers marketing manager Tricia Wurmstein told Today that a staff member was driving to work when he saw the kitten in traffic, pulled over, and rescued him.
Once the kitten was brought to the stadium, Wurmstein quickly became attached. “I was like, ‘Yep, we will be keeping this cat,’” she told the outlet. “By ‘we,’ I mean me.”
ChipPurr eventually became something of an unofficial mascot for the team, living at the stadium in his own space filled with toys.
Wurmstein, who lives only minutes away, has also used a camera to keep an eye on him when she's not there, according to Today.
Why is he called ChipPurr Jones?
© Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta BraveThe Stripers asked fans to help come up with a name for their new feline friend before putting suggestions to a vote on X in late August.
The winning choice was ChipPurr “CJ” Jones, a playful tribute to longtime Braves star Chipper Jones.
His new name came with a fitting opportunity to make his baseball debut.
ChipPurr wasn't the only cat at the game
His first pitch was part of “Purr in the Park,” an event that invited fans to bring their cats to Gwinnett Field.
The Stripers also held a pet-supply donation drive benefiting a local animal shelter. According to the team, each donated item earned a voucher for a free hot dog, with donations going to a local shelter after the game.
Fans who brought their pets were required to keep them on a leash, harness, or inside a carrier for the duration of the game, while ChipPurr got a little more freedom during his moment on the field.
ChipPurr is getting a happy ending
The Stripers may not have gotten the win that night - they lost 8-6 to the Indianapolis Indians - but ChipPurr's story is ending on a much happier note.
After spending weeks at the stadium, the kitten is expected to eventually go home with Wurmstein, who plans to introduce him slowly to her other cat. She told Today that she plans to bring him home after he gets through his vaccinations.
