Opening Day for the Fresno Grizzlies at Chukchansi Park

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Another Fresno Grizzlies home opener in the books.

On Tuesday, the stadium welcomed Grizzlies fans for a milestone 25th season inside Chukchansi Park.

Opening night is a tradition many have been here for since the start.

Affiliates may have changed but one thing remains constant over this quarter century... the memories at Chukchansi Park last a lifetime.

"My family used to come early in the morning, and we used to camp out when they would give away the World Series rings and the Buster Posey bobbleheads," said Christian Diaz.

It's always been a family affair for Christian. He tells Action News his grandfather helped build this ballpark.

"Now I have my own family, I bring them out, this is their first game actually, now that they're old enough," Diaz said. "I see in my son mostly, I get to see myself all over again, basically grow up.

Ron Hassett has been a season ticket holder for every Grizzlies season in downtown Fresno.

"I don't care if it's giants, Houston, Washington, Colorado, it's still the Grizzlies," Hassett said.

At the single-A level, the Grizzlies are just a pit stop in these players' careers.

"A bunch of them came through, and it was so much fun to see them play in the big leagues," said Hassett.

"The team on the field is just guys that five years from now you're gonna say I remember when he was in Fresno, and he started his pro career in Fresno," said Grizzlies broadcaster Tim Slack. "There's never been a better time to come out 25 years downtown, we're pulling out all the stops."

New menu items, themed nights, ballpark upgrades, and the chance to see some of the Rockies' top prospects all season long.

This opening series against the Stockton Ports continues with five more games at Chukchansi Park.

The Grizzlies are back on Wednesday with the first pitch at 6:50 p.m.

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