The Erie SeaWolves debuted as the Erie Moon Mammoths on Saturday — a mammoth rebranding inspired by Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.

John Oliver was at the ballpark for it all, as was George Moon, whose incredible discovery inspired the Moon Mammoths name.

In 1991, Moon pulled the bones of a woolly mammoth from Lake Pleasant during a pleasure dive — an unexpected find that became legendary.

“I went for a pleasure dive for myself just to relax,” Moon said. "That’s when I found it.”

Fast forward 34 years, and his story has become the centerpiece of a temporary rebrand for Erie’s baseball team — driven by Oliver’s HBO crew.

“I received a call from staff on the John Oliver show on May 28,” Moon said, adding that he gave permission to use his name and kept the secret for a month.

Reflecting on the experience of seeing his name on team jerseys, Moon said it was “unbelievably mind-blowing.”

He never imagined he’d meet John Oliver in person or kick off a game with him at UPMC Park.

Oliver was driven onto the field in a four-wheeler by SeaWolves Manager Greg “Parillo” Coleman, drawing cheers from fans as he made his field debut.

Before the game, Oliver spoke to the media about the inspiration behind the name, saying, “There was something about the Moon Mammoths that spoke to us. You could almost see the logo in your head.”

Fans clearly agreed — the Moon Mammoth logo appeared on signs, shirts, and more across the ballpark.

The SeaWolves organization didn’t choose the theme, but eagerly got on board.

“I’m excited to see what Erie does with this in the future,” Oliver said.

Though it began as a comedy segment, the event turned into a genuine celebration of local pride.

Oliver, a longtime fan of minor league baseball, also had a message for those who haven’t experienced a game.

“It’s a really entertaining, exciting experience," said Oliver. "If you are lucky, you should [go]. Not just a Moon Mammoths game — they’re all weird in their own way.”

And one last twist — John Oliver from VisitErie, who famously sent a video about the city after the HBO host mentioned Erie in an April monologue, finally got to meet John Oliver the comedian.

HBO’s Oliver called the meeting “an absolute thrill.”

SeaWolves Fans Ecstatic over Moon Mammoths

A Look at the Planning, Preparation for Erie Moon Mammoths Debut