'Take meow to the ballgame': Rescue kitten 'ChipPurr Jones' throws the cutest first pitch at Stripers game to purrfectly start off the MLB season

Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager

Sep 17, 2026 6:15 AM EDT

What better way to start off the MLB season than with a cute rescue kitten that also happens to throw a mean curveball?

I'll be the first one to admit that I know next to nothing about baseball. Like almost every young American boy, I played baseball as a kid, but got bored of it quite quickly. Although I may not be an expurrt in baseball, I am an expurrt in cats. That's where ChipPurr Jones comes in.

In late August of this year, a staff member from the Gwinnett Stripers rescued a smol orange kitten from a traffic accident. The Stripers, which are the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, decided to adopt him. But he didn't just get adopted by a staff member, he got adopted by the whole team!

But that's not all we're here to talk about. ChipPurr has found himself as a star on social media yet again! Yesterday, ChipPurr made his big-league-style debut during the Stipers' pet supply donation night, called "Purr in the Park." Leading him to the pitcher's mount, staff members lured him with treats to deliver an adorable ceremonial furst pitch.

From a dangerous encounter with traffic to a baseball field full of cheering fans, this little rescue kitty has become not only the team's newest furry MVP, but he's also become the MVP of our hearts. And who knows, he might even get us to start being interested in baseball again!

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When the staff meowmber rescued ChipPurr, he still didn't have a name. So, the team took to X and asked their fans to name him! They settled on ‘ChipPurr Jones’, a feline tribute to Braves legend Chipper Jones. I didn't know this before, but apparently, Chipper Jones was a Hall of Famer and the first overall draft pick in the 1990 draft. By the end of his career, he was an 8-time All-Star and a World Series champion!

TPR the.prospect.report 2d ChipPurr Jones Reply Hide zharry1 2d Based on the video, looks like a Southpaw to me! Reply Hide kt.e.jones 2d gwinny!! Reply Hide alialioxenfree 2d Peanut Reply Hide veronicasublettbreeden 2d Angler! Reply Hide cynthiaricks1 2d That's a Cracker Jack. clinton_elias 101 22h Rookie or slugger Reply Hide flaminmellow 2d Striper (He does have a little stripe across his nose) Reply Hide psherman42wallabyway.me 1d Name him Buford Reply Hide clinton_elias 101 22h - Edited Nam

Gwinnett Stripers @GoStripers Follow ChipPurr Jones with the cutest first pitch you've seen all year.

Kookaman @ManKooka Take meow to the ballgame

You know why they were able to get him to follow them so easily? Because he's orange - they're naturally food-obsessed. But even with that, ChipPurr was a very good boy. He didn't actually manage to throw the ball, but that's fair, because the baseball is about as big as he is right now. Maybe when he's older, he'll get a full-time contract with the MLB.