As part of their 80s Day promotion, the Oakland A’s honored Stanley Burrell, more commonly known as MC Hammer, prior to their series finale with the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday. Hammer, who has sold more than 50 million records worldwide, threw out the first pitch Sunday, and the first 15,000 fans at the Coliseum received commemorative bobblehead dolls of the recording artist — who worked in the A’s organization long before he became well known for his 1990 hit single “U Can’t Touch This.”

“It’s very humbling,” Hammer said of being honored by the club.

During the 1971-72 season, when Hammer — who was given the moniker by former A’s great Reggie Jackson — was 11 years old, then A’s owner Charles Finley spotted the young entrepreneur outside the Coliseum selling unused player tickets and offered him a job.

“Mr. Finley said, ‘Oh, Hammer, you don’t have to be my competition, come in and work for me,” Hammer said. “He took me straight up to his box, and that began our relationship.

Hammer’s two older brothers were already working for the A’s, one as a bat boy and the other as a clubhouse assistant. As part of his job, the young Hammer relayed stats to the press box, and also did the play-by-play broadcast for home games. READ MORE AT MLB.COM