Remember those times you went to a major league baseball game for the giveaway? Remember getting a hat, a bat, a t-shirt or some other item with your team’s logo on it? What about Fireworks Night, Old Timer’s Day or a special pre-game ceremony honoring a special player for that team. Some of these nights end up as that one night that kids and kids of all ages remember. However not all of these promotions are legendary.
Actually, they are legendary…for the wrong reasons. This week, I am presenting to you “The Not Top 5 Major League Baseball Promotions”. The reason that this became this week’s specialty is because of one of this week’s entry.
I present these to you in order of newest to oldest.
Number 1 – June 19, 2010 Horn Night, Florida Marlins
In a World Cup-like giveaway, the Florida Marlins gave out 15,000 horns to their fans for their game against the Tampa Rays. Apparently there was so much noise that Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez and Home Plate Umpire Lance Berksdale could not clearly hear one another as a lineup change was being presented to the umpire. The television cameras picked up the changes written on the Marlins lineup card in the dugout. It had Wes Helms batting third for Hanley Ramirez, a pitcher in the fourth spot for Jorge Cantu and Brian Barden batting ninth. Somehow, the umpire reported the lineups different to the Tampa Ray dugout. As a result, when Barden walked he was called out for batting out of turn, although the marlins thought he was batting in turn. When Gonzalez argued, he was thrown out of the game. In the end, the Marlins lost. Bad promotion #1 goes to the Florida Marlins.
Number 2 – August 10, 1995 Ball Night, Los Angeles Dodgers
What a good promotion, give fans projectiles to throw at the field if you do not like what is happening in front of you. In the bottom of the ninth, Raul Mondesi and Manager Tommy Lasorda were ejected for arguing a strike call. As soon as Lasorda was tossed, fans started tossing themselves…the giveaway baseballs. This wasn’t the first time that the balls were thrown during the game and it was not the last. In the ninth inning, the umpires tried to keep the Cardinal players on the field but they left after even more balls were thrown on the field. As a result, the umpires ruled that the Dodgers must forfeit the game. This was the first National league forfeit since 1941.
Number 3 – July 12, 1979 Disco Demolition Night, Chicago White Sox
Yes, we all know “Disco Sucks” and Chicago tried to promote that. Fans were encouraged to bring disco records to the game and would receive a ticket for 98 cents. All of the records would then be “destroyed” between the two games of the doubleheader scheduled for that night. All good, right? Wrong.
There were 50,000 people in the stadium and there were reports of thousands more trying to climb walls to get into Comiskey Stadium to take part in the festivities. Some people realized that records make good Frisbees and they started getting tossed onto the field. Joining the records were anything else that can be thrown. All of this was during game number one of the doubleheader. Then during the demolition, the explosion destroyed the field and then the fans rushed the field also. The Tigers refused to take the field in the second game of the double header, causing the White Sox to forfeit the game.
Disco Sucks. Disco Sucks Promotions are worse.
Number 4 – June 4, 1974 Ten Cent Beer Night, Cleveland Indians
Do you really think this needs explanation? Eight ounces of beer, ten cents. These incidents occurred during the game: a woman flashed her chest from the Indian’s on-deck circle, a guy streaked during a home run, a father and son mooned the crowd from home plate, fans were consistently running on the field and items were being thrown on the field regularly. After awhile, everyone on the field knew something bad was going to happen, and it did in the ninth inning.
A fan tried to steal Jeff Burroughs’ hat. All hell broke loose, which included the Indians players grabbing bats to go to the field and defend the Rangers players as they tried to exit the field. Many players (and umpires) were injured in the melee. When the umpired realized that the situation would not calm down, they forfeited the game to the Rangers.
To put the night into context, Tim Russert was a student at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and recalled the night by saying, “I went with $2 in my pocket, you do the math.”
Number 5 – September 26, 1942 Scrap Metal Day, New York Giants
It was World War II. During the war, there were a variety of drives to collect various items to help in the war efforts. The New York Giants offered free admission to all school age children that brought scrap metal to the double header. So, in the 8th inning of the second game some of the kids ran onto the field. After seeing this, other kids ran onto the field. Eventually, the umpire had to forfeit the game to the visiting Boston Braves.
Looking at these five games they had two things in common, first is that these events were something that the home team was promoting. Second, is that the home team lost.
There you go folks, the Not Top 5 Major League baseball Promotions. Have a great week.
