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The Wacky World of Minor League Baseball Promotions

You hand the attendant your ticket. You pass through the turnstile and it hits you. The smell of hot dogs on the grill, the crack of the bat, the swarm of cap-wearing fans. You’re in the ballpark on a warm summer night.

But something feels out of place. No one is talking! In fact, the ushers have been replaced by librarians holding signs that read “QUIET PLEASE”.

You find out soon enough that it’s “Silent Night” at the Charleston Riverdogs’ stadium. With the cooperation of fans, the Riverdogs are hoping to set the record for the quietest game ever. Some are holding “Hey Beer Man!” signs while others duct-tape their mouths shut.

Sound strange? Such is the world of Minor League Baseball. With the MLB drawing the most fans, Minor League teams must get creative to fill the seats.

The result is a glorious array of wild, quirky, and flat-out weird promo nights.  Here are some of the best Minor League Baseball promotions in recent history.

Asparagus Night

The Stockton Ports (Single-A affiliate of the Oakland A’s) play in the home of one of the largest asparagus growing towns in the nation.  This promo brought the community together while paying homage to the yearly asparagus festival held in the area.  It also gave us a look at the most nutritious uniforms ever worn on a ball field.

Credit-Stockton Ports/MiLB

Liposuction Giveaway at “All You Can Eat” Night

In 2009, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers (Class-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians) held one of their patented “All You Can Eat” nights.  Only this time, it came with a twist.  The team selected five finalists and eventually settled on one lucky winner of free liposuction treatment courtesy of Valley Surgical Arts.

Credit-Alamy Stock Photos

A Monkey Can Do That! Night

Although they’re not technically a Minor League affiliate, the St. Paul Saints are the home of some interesting promotions.  Partially owned by Bill Murray, the team has built a reputation for hilarious theme-nights.  In 2008, the team brought in a monkey to do tasks usually reserved for humans.  That night, the monkey greeted fans, collected tickets, and even dragged the infield!

Credit-Heavy

As you can see, the Minor Leagues are home to some of the most creative minds in baseball.  The desperation to sell tickets breeds some wild ideas that we as fans should feel honored to witness.

What’s the most bizarre promotion you’ve witnessed? Comment below.

Written By

Division III baseball alum (McDaniel College), founder of Joker Mag, and author of The Underdog Mentality: Sports Stories That Will Change How You See the Game (And Yourself). Since launching in November 2017, my stories have been featured on platforms such as FOX Sports, SB Nation, and The Sporting News, reaching over 1.5 million readers worldwide. The seed was planted way back in 7th grade when I got cut from the baseball team. Instead of giving up, I found hope and inspiration in stories of undersized athletes who defied expectations. I ultimately played baseball through college, earning Honorable Mention on the All-Centennial Conference team in my senior season. Today, my mission is simple: To share stories that give people the same feeling I felt when I was that undersized ballplayer searching for hope, inspiration, and evidence that my dream was possible. Like my mom always told me, you can do anything you set your mind to. Sometimes we just need a little extra push. And that’s why I’m so passionate about sharing these stories with the world.

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