World Series provides Matthew Perry with plum research

DETROIT — Musicians, actors and athletes have been part of the World Series aura at Comerica Park as the annual who's who of celebrities stroll around the field and mingle with the media during pregame batting practice.

Motown native Jack White created a stir among the hometown fans when he made an appearance on Saturday before Game 3.

On Sunday, actor Matthew Perry could be seen chatting with former players Frank Thomas and Jack Morris on a televised segment for MLB Network.

For Perry, the visit could qualify as research, since he plays a sports talk show host on his new NBC-TV series, Go On. To prepare for the role he says he "talked to (NFL Network's) Rich Eisen and watched Jim Rome, Colin Cowherd and some other sports guys."

But Perry says one of the best things about his new series is that he gets to have sports figures as guest stars. Among them: NBA players Kevin Garnett and Chris Bosh, former NHL star Jeremy Roenick, as well as broadcasters Eisen and Bob Costas.

"The bad news is that all the athletes who have come on have been good and funny," he says, "which makes it seem like what I do for a living is a joke."

Perry grew up a hockey fan and player in Ottawa, but he said he adopted the Oakland A's this baseball season because of his fondness for the Moneyball book and movie.

"As a result, I sort of became an A's fan this year so I was following them this year," he said. "I was excited to watch them arguably be the biggest, best most fun story in baseball."

As for the World Series, Perry wasn't going to commit to backing the Bay Area's other franchise.

"These aren't my teams, so what I hope for are 14 innings and Game 7."