The comedic actor Will Ferrell will be playing for the Dodgers on Thursday and starring in an HBO special from funny or die, officials announced Wednesday.

Ferrell will be participating in a once-in-a-lifetime role for the lifelong baseball fan, as production begins on a new special from Funny Or Die, in partnership with Major League Baseball, to air exclusively on HBO later this year, according to a news release. Ferrell will be at Peoria Stadium Thursday when the Dodgers take on the San Diego Padres at 6:15 p.m.

Dedicating the project to the fight against cancer, Ferrell is also honoring the historic feat by Bert Campaneris five decades ago by playing every position on the field and maybe some off the field for 10 different teams in the same day, according to a news release.

“The Dodgers are excited to join MLB in this creative project that involves one of the Dodgers most beloved fans, Will Ferrell,” said Dodger Executive Vice President and CMO Lon Rosen. “We look forward to welcoming Will to Dodger Spring Training and, most importantly, helping him support Cancer for College and Stand Up to Cancer.”

A list of the games at which Ferrell will be playing, according to a news release:

March 12 (all times Pacific; subject to change):

12:05 p.m. – Seattle Mariners at Oakland Athletics (HoHoKam Stadium)

1:10 p.m. – Chicago Cubs at Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (Tempe Diablo Stadium)

2:10 p.m. – Cincinnati Reds at Arizona Diamondbacks (Salt River Fields at Talking Stick)

4:05 p.m. – San Francisco Giants at Chicago White Sox (ss) (Camelback Ranch)

6:15 p.m. – Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres (Peoria Stadium)

Ferrell’s goal is to honor “Campy” Campaneris while also helping organizations dedicated to fighting cancer, including Cancer for College, according to a news release. Formed in 1993, Cancer for College is a charity that helps individuals adversely affected by cancer to realize their dream of a college education.

An important part of the fund-raising efforts will be game-used memorabilia from Ferrell’s journey across the five ballparks to be auctioned online later in the year on MLB.com with proceeds being donated to Cancer for College as well as Stand Up To Cancer, a groundbreaking initiative created to accelerate innovative cancer research.  MLB is the founding donor of Stand Up To Cancer, according to a news release.

Ferrell’s historic day will be chronicled in the exclusive HBO special which will air later this year and also feature MLB players, managers, coaches, executives and fans, according to a news release. Fans can follow along live and on-demand throughout the day across MLB Network, MLB.com, their website here and the official accounts on social media platforms.

On Sept. 8, 1965, Campaneris, in only his second Major League season, went 0-for-3 playing all nine positions for the Kansas City Athletics in a game against the California Angels, according to a news release. Campaneris is expected to be there with Ferrell as he begins his journey tomorrow.

The Dodgers agreed to move the start time for tomorrow’s game against the San Diego Padres to 6:15 p.m., according to a news release. This adjustment from the original 1:05 p.m. time slot was to accommodate a request by Major League Baseball as part of the collaboration with HBO and Funny Or Die to film the project tomorrow.

MLB Network will televise the Dodgers at Padres Spring Training game with the pre-game starting at 6 p.m. PT, and the live game call by MLB Network’s Matt Vasgersian, SportsNet LA’s Rick Monday and Alanna Rizzo, and Padres announcer Mark Grant, according to a news release. The game will be produced by MLB Network and air live on SportsNet LA.

Media interested in being credentialed for tomorrow’s game against the Padres in Peoria should reply to this email or contact the Dodgers’ Public Relations department at (323) 224-1301, according to a news release.

The Los Angeles Dodgers franchise, with six World Series championships and 21 National League pennants since its beginnings in Brooklyn in 1890, is committed to a tradition of pride and excellence, according to a news release. The Dodgers are dedicated to supporting a culture of winning baseball, providing a first-class, fan-friendly experience at Dodger Stadium, and building a strong partnership with the community. 

With the highest cumulative fan attendance in Major League Baseball history, and a record of breaking barriers, the Dodgers are one of the most cherished sports franchises in the world, according to a news release.

Photo courtesy of MLB.com