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Dying to hit the ballpark? Victoria baseball team to give away a free funeral package

Forget peanuts and cracker jacks. One fan will be leaving Wednesday's Victoria HarbourCats game with a full funeral package.
Forget peanuts and cracker jacks. One fan will be leaving Wednesday's Victoria HarbourCats game with a full funeral package. (Nicolas Amer/dpa via AP)

If you’re in Victoria and dying to check out a baseball game, have the Victoria HarbourCats ever got an evening for you.

The HarbourCats of the West Coast League, a collegiate summer baseball league, have unearthed a rather unusual idea for a ball game promotion.

Rather than bobbleheads, Thundersticks or team towels, the HarbourCats are sending one lucky fan home with a full funeral package.

The prize includes a cremation package, a will, and an insurance and financial planning consultation worth more than $3,300.

HarbourCats owner Jim Swanson said ever since the team came up with the idea, fans have been bombarding them with puns.

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“You’re killing me with this promotion, or what a grave idea,” he said.

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While the gags have been rolling in, Swanson said the idea actually originated from a genuinely serious place.

Last year, Swanson’s uncle died in a drowning accident, leaving his unprepared family scrambling.

“You know, he wasn’t planning on leaving us that day or any time soon and his affairs weren’t in order. That’s something that brought us to an unusual promotion like this,” Swanson said.

“Some family at the end of [Wednesday’s game] will feel better about their planning of their of end of life issues for them and their loved ones than before the game.”

The package will be given away in a draw at Wednesday night’s game.

For the lucky ticketholder, Swanson said, it will be the last prize they’ll ever need to win.

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