Oh, What a Giveaway

Melissa Hughes

For this gal, the start of the Baseball season means gassing up the Lear jet, packing my bags, borrowing someone "14 and under," and consulting promotion schedules to determine who's giving away the best loot. Then I'll spend the whole season criss-crossing the country to collect all the free Baseball booty...

Resist your cruel urge to wake me from this dream, because if you do, I won't tell you which team is giving its fans "the chance to hit their way to $1,000,000!" Every team is dealing the magnetic schedules, but which is giving out the McGwire Beanie Bear? It's not the team you think.

All this and more are revealed in "The Baseball Fan's Guide to Free Stuff and Bizarre Theme Nights."

Since my "Managers of the MLB Swimsuit Calendar" is getting a little worn around the edges, let's start the journey with a ballpark freebie staple, the poster. I begin in Kansas City to pick up my Johnny Damon Life-Size Poster, compliments of the Midland Dairy Council on August 15 destined for those 14 and under. In Detroit, I snag a Bobby Higginson Poster from Little Caesars on June 21 and Justin Thompson on August 16.

The Mariners are offering "SAFECO FIELD Inaugural Game MasterCard Commemorative Ticket Holder Posters" on July 15. I've decided I don't want a poster of commemorative ticket holders, so I head for Phoenix, where I'll be first in line for my Diamondbacks Shamrock Farms Travis Lee Growth Chart on May 11. I'll definitely be in New York on May 8 for Skippy Derek Jeter Growth Chart Day -- there's nothing fans 14 and under enjoy more than charting Derek Jeter's growth...

If posters don't strike you as a quality giveaway, perhaps free garb is more your speed. Detroit is hosting a "SHIRT OFF OUR BACK" game on Sunday, September 20, which is fine, as long as I get to pick the player relinquishing his shirt to me. The Padres are giving out more apparel than anyone, with a whopping eight giveaways that can be worn (nine if you can find a way to wear the 30th Anniversary Beach Towels presented by Pacific Bell on July 10).

The Giants are presenting hats, another perennial freebie crowd-pleaser, on "Tell It Goodbye" Cap Day, September 12 to the first 30K fans. Not quite a hat, but falling into the headgear category, is the Coors Light 1998 AL West Champions Bandana presented April 6 by the Texas Rangers. The Rockies are advertising the "Soundtrack Santa Hat" to be distributed July 9. I'll be there just to find out what a "Soundtrack Santa Hat" actually is.

International Week at Shea features the Irish Night Green Mets Cap on August 7, but is recommended only for true fans and those whose fashion sensibility is coupled with a decent sense of humor. The can't-miss clothing giveaway of the season has got to be "Minnesota Department of Health T-Shirts" on April 7 for the first 4,000 Twins fans (provided they can find 4,000 Twins fans).

Computer-themed giveaways include the Rockies US WEST Interactive CD-ROM on April 18 and the BankOne Mouse Pad Schedule on April 19. The Texas Rangers celebrate "Southwest Airlines Screen Saver Night" on April 28, and the Padres break out the mouse pads and screen savers August 28. The Dodgers are serving up "Internet Night" on September 10. I can only imagine that the regularly-scheduled game must be both teams playing Triple Play '99 as themselves on the DiamondVision.

Stuffed toys of all kinds are back and as popular as ever. Taking particular advantage of this is the Dodgers, who are hosting a Beanie Week of sorts, starting with the McGwire Beanie Bear April 6, then on successive days, the Ruth Bear, Aaron Bear, Sosa Bear, and Maris Bear, winding up with the Griffey Jr. Bear April 11. The Marlins' entry into Beanie madness is called the "Bamm Beano" and is being distributed to the first 20K fans on both May 1 and September 25. What surely will be one of the biggest promotion nights of the season in St. Louis is the "St. Louis Children's Hospital 'Mac the Cardinal' Beanie Baby Night" on June 14.

If it's a great deal on ballpark admission you're looking for, several teams are offering reduced ticket prices throughout the season. Every Thursday ChiSox home game, women of all ages are admitted for $1 at the door, day-of-game, Comiskey Park box office sales only. Same deal on selected Sundays for the kiddies, with a paying adult.

The ChiSox, Phillies and Texas Rangers have all scheduled Dollar Dog Days to aid ticket holders in the consumption of a full day's supply of processed meat byproducts. The Giants, however, are hosting a dog day of a different kind. On August 28, the Giants celebrate the Alpine Meats 3rd Annual Dog Days of Summer. Buy a bleacher ticket and your pooch gets in free. The Giants have also found an economical way for you, the hair-burdened fan, to obtain two upper reserved tickets free. All you have to do is allow your head to be shaved pre-game -- on Buzz Cut Day, June 19.

Both the ChiSox and the Diamondbacks are hosting Elvis Nights, but the Diamondbacks have taken this promotional theme a step further to include Miller Lite Disco Nite May 14 (I'll use it as a warmup for the Rockies' Disco Night on June 18, and the Cubs', with the Village People, on June 29), Wild, Wild West Night June 6, and the Miller Lite Beach Party July 9. I've naturally been invited to attend the Dodgers' Hollywood Stars Night on July 31 and Rock Around The Park II on September 11, not to mention the Padres' 30th Anniversary Retro Night on June 30.

The A's scheduled some classy-sounding promotions: the Reds, Whites, & Blues Wine Festival on June 12, followed by the Bats, Balls, & Brews Beer Festival on August 7. Also not to be missed is the popular Mets International Week, which kicks off August 6 with Hispanic Night, and continues each night that week with Irish Night, Jewish Heritage Day, Asian Night, African-American Night, concluding with Italian Night on August 11.

From the "Now We Don Our Gay Apparel" Department comes multiple turn-back-the-clock nights. The Astros hold their Rainbow Jerseys Turn Back the Clock Day on June 26 and their Shoulder Rainbow Jersey Turn Back the Clock Day August 29. The Brewers, appearing on July 19 as the Seattle Pilots, host the Pick 'N' Save Turn Back the Clock Night versus the Chicago White Sox, and boast of "special scoreboard and stadium entertainment from the 60's."

Moving on to salutes and tributes, Detroit is holding its Salute to Women in Baseball on July 11. The Brewers are hosting four salutes/tributes, starting with the retirement of Paul Molitor's #4 jersey during a pre-game ceremony on June 11, followed by a special tribute honoring Hank Aaron's last home run on July 20. (On July 20, 1976 he hit his 755th and final home run at County Stadium.) The next day they will induct several Negro League baseball players to Yesterday's Negro League Wall of Fame during a special pre-game ceremony. On Yount Hall of Fame Night, August 6, Robin Yount will be honored in a special pre-game celebration for his induction into Baseball's Hall of Fame.

The prize for fewest promotions goes to the Red Sox, with a whopping eight. There's nothing special at Fenway, unless you can't live without a "sipper cup," compliments of Dunkin' Donuts. The Padres, on the other hand, are replete with promos, giving away everything from yo-yos to fishing rods. It's the place to be to get NL Replica Championship Rings, Player Pillowcases, Baseball Gloves, and Light Switch Plates.

The most cleverly named promo is the Cleveland Indians "Final Game of the Century" on October 3, while the Twins' "Chevrolet Dealers Brad Radke Balls Day" on June 14 probably could have benefited from a little more consideration. Special mention to the Marlins' giveaway on May 22, the "Baseball Fan" (battery operated).

Two promos to make you go hmmm are the Royals' "Famous Chicken" on August 6 (Are they distributing chicken to the fans?) and the Reds' "Farmer's Night" on August 14, featuring a "special pre-game barnyard competition."

Two of the more generous promos include Shimano Fishing Rods for the first 5K Twins fans 16 & under on June 28, and the Blue Jays' "Million Dollar Fridays." From their web site: "Every Friday the Blue Jays play at home, lucky Blue Jays fans will have the chance to hit their way to $1,000,000! Prior to Blue Jays Friday home games, lucky fan qualifiers will participate in an on-field skills challenge which could see them leaving the field as Toronto's newest millionaire."

Ill-conceived promos include the Rockies' distribution of Kid's Super-Soakers to the first 15,000 kids on June 6, and the Yankees giving bats to all fans 14 and under on June 20. They teach 'em what to do with those bats young in the Bronx. The prize for lamest promo is a tie between the Yankees' "Bell Atlantic Checkbook Covers Day" on September 2, and the Diamondbacks' August 3 giveaway, "KTVK Playing Cards."

The Milwaukee Brewers have both the most interesting and least interesting promos of the season. On June 2 is the "Mizuno Dare To Dream Tour," Mizuno's traveling workshop featuring baseball memorabilia, interactive games and a Mizuno Glove Technician making and fixing baseball gloves. Least interesting is the June 13 Brewers Father/Kids Game. "Prior to the game, fans can watch the Milwaukee Brewers players compete against their own kids in a Whiffle ball game," says the Brewers' Promo Schedule. Yawn.

The Mariners will move into a new stadium this season and the Brewers, Tigers, Giants and Astros will do so next year, making this a great year for promotions. So gas up your jet, thumb a ride in mine or sprout wings and fly, but don't miss all the freebies, tributes and theme nights taking place this season around the MLB.

about the author

Melissa Hughes can't stress enough that the virus that bears her name is a COMPUTER virus. Demand proof of her clean bill of health at melissah@earthlink.net.