Baseball may be what draws crowds to Fifth Third Field every spring and summer, but it’s far from the only attraction that will be offered during the 2012 Mud Hens season.
Michael Keedy, manager of special events for the Mud Hens, said fans of country music will want to turn out on June 2, when Jonalee White and the Late Nite Drivers will perform before, during and after the game.
The following week will bring the Zooperstars to the field June 8. Dubbed the “Sultans of Silly” by BusinessWeek, this troupe of inflatable mascots includes wackily named characters like Alex Frogriguez, Clammy Sosa, Nolan Rhino, Cow Ripken Jr. and Donovan McCrabb.
Rockin’ Ray and the Amazing Skyy Dogs, a troupe of canine entertainers, will perform June 23.
This will be followed on June 24 by Team Autograph Day, in which the whole team will be available to sign autographs for fans before the game.
“Pink in the Park,” in which players wear pink jerseys that are auctioned off to raise money for the Northwest Ohio affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure returns July 20.
Then, on July 22, fans who show up early can have their pictures taken with Mud Hens players before the game.
The Famous Chicken
The Famous Chicken, a traveling mascot, will perform Aug. 5 during the Mud Hens game against the Rochester Red Wings. Ted Giannoulas has been playing the chicken since 1974, when he agreed to don a rented suit as part of promotional gimmick for a San Diego radio station. Keedy said the chicken has been performing in front of Toledo crowds for more than 20 years, but this will be his first visit to Fifth Third Field.
“He has really become an icon as far as entertainment at sports games,” Keedy said. “He has traveled and performed at every level, for nearly every sports team. He’s very sought after to have an appearance. People are going to be very excited to see him. He’s still a very big draw for people.”
Honoring Casey
The Famous Chicken’s visit will coincide with a weekend devoted to Toledo baseball history. The first 2,000 fans through the gate on Friday, Aug. 3, will receive a bobblehead of Casey Stengel, who managed the Mud Hens before his Major league career, most notably with the New York Yankees.
This year marks the 85th anniversary of the 1927 Mud Hens championship team managed by Stengel, Keedy said.
“We really wanted to celebrate our history and we knew the 1927 championship team would be having a significant anniversary,” Keedy said. “With Casey Stengel being one of the most famous managers in baseball history to have his start in Toledo, that’s something we thought was really cool and a nice way to kick off the baseball history celebration.”
The following night, the team will play in replicas of 1883 jerseys from Toledo’s first professional baseball team, the Toledo Blue Stockings, which existed for only a few years in the 1880s. The jerseys will be sold in a charity silent auction during the game.
Animal acts
Some unusually talented simians and canines will perform Aug. 30.
Keedy said the act, called Team Ghost riders, consists of monkeys riding dogs and herding sheep.
“It’s a lot of fun and people genuinely enjoy seeing them,” Keedy said.
Three heritage nights will celebrate different cultures, with Polish Heritage Night on June 23, Latino Heritage Night on July 22 and Irish Heritage Night on Aug. 12.
Senior days will take place on May 21, June 25 and July 31, all of which are day games. discounted tickets are available for groups of senior citizens.
Veterans Appreciation Night, honoring both veterans and current members of the U.S. Armed Forces, is Aug. 25, with a pregame ceremony, discounted tickets for military personnel who place their orders in advance and other recognitions during the game.
Back by popular demand
In addition, some popular features will return. As in past years, kids can run the bases after every Sunday home game and the traditional post-game fireworks shows after each Friday, Saturday and Sunday game will start May 18.
“That’s something that happens year after year that fans really look forward to,” Keedy said.
Throughout the season, area youth will have chances to learn about baseball from Mud Hens players during the club’s baseball camps. Aimed at youth ages 7 to 14, the camps are part of the Mud Hens’ efforts to work with local groups to give back to the community. other such programs include Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts campout nights, when local scout troops spend a night on the outfield.
“We are a big part of the community, so reaching out and working with these groups is important to us,” Keedy said.
Five camps are scheduled:
- May 19: A one-day camp will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- June 2: A clinic for children with special needs is scheduled for noon-1:30 p.m. “That camp has really grown over the past four or five years,” Keedy said.
- June 24: An adult-and-child camp is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- June 19-21 and Aug. 2-4: Keedy said these three-day camps are usually the most popular ones. Jeff Barton, founder and president of Miracle league of Northwest ohio, a baseball league for kids with special needs, said the clinic is a fun experience for the children who take part.
“They love it,” he said.
Barton added that Mud Hens players often volunteer at the Miracle league field during the season.
“They look up to the Mud Hens players and they admire them,” he said.
Participants in all of the camps will receive a T-shirt, a souvenir baseball for autographs and a ticket to a future Mud Hens game.
Register online at mudhens.com/ camps.
For more information, visit www. mudhens.com and click on promotions. All theme nights and promotions are subject to change.
