ST. PAUL, MINN. -- The St. Paul Saints will be hosting the Amarillo Sox baseball team on the same night they plan to change their name for a game sponsored by an atheist group.
An independent minor-league team, the St. Paul Saints, will call itself the "Mr. Paul Aints" this Friday as it takes on the Amarillo Sox.
According to the CBS Sports, the team is calling the evening "A Night of Unbelievable Fun," and will be sponsored by Minnesota Atheists.
"I think our message here and our brand of entertainment has always been one that's been inclusive," Saints GM Derek Sharrer told Tyler Mason of FOXSports North. "When we were approached by the Minnesota Atheists, we felt like it was within our nature to be inclusive and certainly work with them to provide them the opportunity to provide their message in the same way that we have worked with hundreds and hundreds of faith-based groups over our 20 years here in St. Paul."
The St. Paul Saints have been known to host creative promotions. For example, the team gave away Michael Vick dog-chew toys.
Tossing out the ceremonial first pitch at the game with be Dave Silverman, president of American Atheists.
The Star Tribune reported the baseball club has no intention of mocking or making fun of anyone's faith. Sherrer said several faith-based organizations have sponsored its games before and to tell the Atheists no would be hypocritical.
The game has sparked controversy over whether or not the Amarillo Sox should travel and participate in the game.
"I know a lot of people in Amarillo are not for it," said Amarillo Sox Director of Publication Ben Miller. "We don't have any say over it so it's not something we can say we're not going to do."
Miller said there has been a lot of confusion over the location of the game. He said some people thought the game was in Amarillo but the game is actually in St. Paul.
"We're going to play the game regardless because it's on the schedule," Miller added.
