PawSox to Hold First-Ever Deaf Awareness Night

PAWTUCKET, RI — PAWS and SOX, the Pawtucket Red Sox mascots, learned a new routine in advance of tomorrow's game against the Rochester Red Wings. The duo picked up a bit of American Sign Language. They're going to teach it to the crowd at Thursday's game, during the first ever Deaf Awareness Night to be held at McCoy.

PAWS and SOX are going to team up with another mascot. Ritchie, the mascot, hails from the Rochester Institute of Technology's National Technical Institute for the Deaf. By the time they give everybody the signs, the whole stadium can sign the National Anthem to start the game.

The PawSox invited students from the Rhode Island School for the Deaf and from other schools to the game. More than 100 deaf and hard of hearing New Englanders are expected to attend. They'll also find out how deaf baseball great William “Dummy” Hoy contributed to major league baseball.

And the Jumbotron will show music videos for popular songs “Centerfield” and “Happy,” created in sign language by the Camp Mark 7 Deaf Film campers.