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Mike Chamernik’s Question of the Week (January 13-17)

Last week, we had a fun “Question of the Week” from Mike Chamernik, and he’s back today with his latest QOTW.

Enjoy!

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Question of the Week
by Mike Chamernik

A famous tidbit in Seattle Mariners’ lore comes from the 1982 season. Eventual Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry got his 300th win in front of 28,000 fans at the Kingdome. Two games later, the M’s drew 36,000 fans — for Funny Nose Glasses Night. People love a freebie.

What’s the best promotional item or souvenir giveaway you’ve ever got from a game? What’s the oldest item you still have? While some giveaways are meant for display, some are clothes, accessories, toys or household items. Do you still wear or use them? Does a promotional night influence you to attend a game you might not otherwise go to?

I still use my “Tidal Towel” I got from a Brewers game 15 years ago. I have a ton of bobbleheads, including one of Gorman Thomas. In 2015, the White Sox gave away replica 2005 World Series rings, which was pretty cool. I got one, but later donated it. And last year, the Bucks handed out Dame Time watches; I couldn’t go to the game, but I did buy one from eBay.

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Thanks, Mike — great question again.

Can’t wait to hear the readers’ responses! OK guys…fire away!

 
  
 
Comments (0)

    My Pirates’ promotional Andy Van Slyke growth chart from around the same time was on my wall for YEARS!!!

    Kinda related: It felt like everyone had a Michael Jordan wingspan poster when I was growing up link

    Fun-(ish) story: I received that same wingspan poster in the mid-90s when I wrote to the Jordan fan club address. I had gotten a sports-themed book with all the fan club addresses of major athletes from a Scholastic book fair when I was in like third grade (I’d say around 1997-98). I personally wrote letters to each of the athletes in the book. Jordan was my idol growing up, so in my letter I asked him for an autographed photo of him dunking. I’d imagine he was a popular guy in the mid-90s so I think the wingspan photo was all his PR team could muster.

    In the same book they had Brett Favre’s fan club address. In my letter to him, I asked for an autographed photo of him running across the field (link) after his SB 31 victory. And he mailed back the *exact* photo I was thinking of with a personal thank you and an autograph. Guess he was less busy than MJ in 1997 lol

    Wow, this brought back a memory I had forgotten. I definitely had an A’s growth chart from a game – Jose Canseco maybe? I wonder if it’s still in the boxes in my dad’s shed.

    It had to have been nearly 15 years ago now, but I went to “signed” Curtis Granderson bat day at Yankee Stadium, it was a real bat, of a usable size! I can’t say it saw much use, growing up in the arms race era of Little League, but it was a really cool item to have in my room growing up.

    Now, I’m a New York fan living in Philly, so more often than not, I go to Yankees/Giants games when I get the chance, not because of a promotion. However, I have been trying to make it to Phillies Pride Night at least one of these years, but my schedule hasn’t ever lined up with it. But beyond a Pride Night, I don’t have much interest in most of the giveaways, especially since so many seem to be odd crossovers, like a Juan Soto basketball jersey last year, or a Jedi Gerrit Cole bobblehead. “Traditional” giveaways of things actually related to the sport in question, I quite enjoy those.

    I have a Pittsburgh Pirates promotional umbrella that somehow still opens, closes, and deflects rain after maybe 20 years of regular usage!

    No idea how uni-watch readers feel about the nerdification of professional sports, but I like many “Star Wars Night” tie-ins items.

    The Spirit have given away caps at their last regular season home game each of the past two seasons. I saw a lot of people at games last season wearing the cap from a year ago (I think I only did a couple times). They also gave away a really good-looking scarf last season and a mini rally towel-sized scarf.

    Virginia men’s soccer also played Maryland at Audi Field a couple times before Covid and one of those times they gave away a scarf. So, yes, here for the scarves.

    The Blackhawks gave away scarves at a game I attended. Only problem was the scarf was tiny. Barely covered my neck

    I have several threadbare giveaway t-shirts from the Nats and Caps, circa 2004 – 2007. My wife sometimes throws them out because they are so ratty.

    I also wore a Nats lanyard (SO DC) every day to work from March 31, 2008 until my current job which doesn’t have bane badges. The lanyard was given out on Nationals Park night.

    I’m bummed I didn’t get the Nats hickey style jersey last year. The game wound up selling out or close to it.

    I got an RC Cola/Mets branded duffel bag in 1988 at Shea. Still in great shape and gets used a few times a year. That alone was probably worth the $10 ticket.

    My first ever game in person was Phillies batting helmet day, I also remember going to Yankees jacket day.

    The best item I have is an Homer Hanky from the 1991 World Series. They gave them away at the Metrodome and my sister was at Game 7. There was a USPS station set up outside the stadium where you could get the Homer Hanky postmarked with the date of the game. She got this framed for me. A very cool item.

    The best items I’ve received are various bobbleheads from games I’ve attended. I have a shelf full of them in my office.

    Back in the early 80s, the Cleveland Indians gave away a mini radio, about an inch in diameter, that had a clip to hook behind your ear with the speaker in your ear. It picked up AM radio surprisingly well and as a kid it was freaking awesome. I would play wiffleball in the backyard while listening to the Tribe. I still have it in an old collectibles box. On a whim, I got it out about five years ago and put a new hearing-aid battery in it and it still worked.

    A few years ago the Twins gave away Zubaz pants, which I thought was pretty dope as a kid of the 90s.

    During the Kraken’s 22-23 playoff run, every seat had a towel on it. Also they sold pucks with a player at every home game. The Mariners have also had their Funko giveaways every year.

    Not quite in the spirit of the question, but when I went to visit PNC Park I bought a yellow retro jersey and a standard modern hat, so they gave me a Pirates foam finger – a captain’s hook! It’s the most amazing foam finger I’ve ever seen, and is proudly displayed on my wall at home. It also rounded out my Halloween costume nicely that year when I dressed as THE Pittsburgh Pirate.

    I have a 2014 Orioles rally towel – “Buckle Up” – that I actually use from time to time.

    I got a rally towel from the White Sox’s famous “blackout” game (2008 tiebreaker). It’s just a plain black towel.

    Shortly after Gaylord Perry’s 300th win, he autographed 300 balls and they drove around the edge of the Kingdome field before the game and threw the 300 balls to fans. I was at the front row in left field and caught (and still have) one of the 300 balls.

    Shortly after Gaylord Perry’s 300th win, he autographed 300 balls and they drove around the edge of the Kingdome field before the game and threw the 300 balls to fans. I was at the front row in left field and caught (and still have) one of the 300 balls.

    My dad took me to a couple of Phillies games in ‘83…the last couple we attended together (he passed away early in ‘84)… I received a centennial sleeve patch from one, and a branded baseball at the other.
    My Phantoms ‘05 Calder Cup “Purple Reign” t-shirt got a lot of wear…then I just wore it out and it had to go, but my ‘last game’ at the Spectrum lanyard has held up … in fact, I’m wearing it now (as I do each workday).

    Thunder Bay Border Cats (Northwoods League) had Bill “Goldie” Goldthorpe throw out the first pitch at a game back in 2007. He had played his minor and junior hockey in Thunder Bay. He was the inspiration for Ogie Ogilthorpe in the movie Slapshot. Bobble heads of him in a Syracuse Bulldogs uniform were give out to the first X many people. I have that and a signed photo I bought from him at that game (he had a table set up for that).

    I have a replica of John McKay’s bucket hat he wore while coaching the Bucs in the late 70’s. This commemorated his induction into the Bucs’ ring of honor. It is white with a Bucs Orange stripe at the rim, with “Bucs” written in cursive with Bucs Orange thread.

    McKay quote (not a fan of Bucs Orange):
    “The (orange) uniforms were already picked out by the time I got here. I didn’t give it too much thought until I saw our buses and I said, `My God, we’re dressed just like that bus.’ ” — on the Bucs uniforms

    I recently learned that Cleveland had done a few earlier 10-cent beer nights without incident. It was the feud between Cleveland and Texas that ignited everything

    When the Capitals gave out street hockey sticks circa 1997 it was my first one and I used it so much I wore it down to about a 2 inch blade. The Orioles gave out some pretty good sunglasses about 10 years ago which I wore until they finally broke years later

    As a Little Leaguer, I was fortunate to attend the one and only Bat Day promotion of the late, lamented Seattle Pilots. I wish I still had my Don Mincher model Louisville Slugger!

    Good answers, everyone!

    The White Sox gave away basketball and football jerseys a few summers ago. I still see people wearing them at games.

    They also did a hockey jersey based on the City Connect Southside design a couple years ago….huge lines to get them well before gates open. I got mine, but some of our group arrived late and got shut out.

    A few favorites:
    1) Prince umbrella Twins gave out summer after he died

    2) a couple years ago a Buxton replica Jersey. Not being a fan of blue alternates, I gave mine to a young friend. What was memorable was that it was 33° at game time. Often when I see someone wresting it, I’ll ask if they remember how cold it was.

    3) Cleveland gave out nice caps for the final game at Municipal Stadium. A nice “I was there” souvenir.

    4) Best quality was probably a Twins hamburger spatula, big metal flipper with wooden handle.

    Summer of 1999, I flew my kid brother to visit me in Chicago for a weekend and I took him to a Cubs game. Seats near the back row of the infield upper deck. Between innings, the scoreboard showed my seat number and said I’d won a prize package. Went down to guest services and collected a whole shopping bag filled with Cubs merch. I gave most of it to my brother – hat, shirt, a towel, maybe a bobblehead, and more random stuff – but I kept the little jar of Wrigley Field infield dirt. That jar has been a constant companion ever since, one of my most prized souvenirs. Even when we lived in Wrigleyville, I was never more than the most casual Cubs fan, but I became a devoted fan of the ballpark and the neighborhood. So as I’ve lived in several distant places around the world since then, that little jar of a few ounces of infield dirt have always been special to me.

    Oldest thing I still have? Probably a plush Zamboni with the New Orleans Brass (ECHL) logo on it. Original “retail” tag still attached! It has the original Brass logo on it (three horns, not the “trumpet with beads” logo), so that helps date it, but I couldn’t be any more exact than that. I probably have some mini-sticks in a box somewhere too!

    Minor league hockey! I still have a Milwaukee Admirals puck from 1996. My aunt gave it to me.

    Without a doubt it was “Free Bat Day” at Tiger Stadium in Detroit in the mid to late 1960’s. My dad used to take my brother and I a few years in a row . We also attended “Free Ball Day” and “Free Cap Day” as well. We were poor kids growing up in the inner-city on the east side of Detroit and these freebies meant a lot to us. We got equipment to play ball with and got a nice Tiger cap to wear during the summer. It was the old “stretch” kind not the adjustable models that came out years later. They used to have us hold up our bats during the 3rd or 4th inning for the photographers to take a picture for the yearbook. The picture ended up looking like all the kids were holding up 50,000 giant tooth-picks. those were great times.

    In the mid ’70s when the Sonics were the only game in town, my dad and I went to the Seattle Center Coliseum to see the Supes play the Lakers, and on the way in we all received a black and white stamped autograph photo of one of the players … one of the LAKERS’ players! I wish I still had that Gail Goodrich ….

    I think the oldest giveaway in my collection is a Cubs Old Style thermo beer mug from 1992. I also still have (somewhere!) a Bill Mazeroski bobblehead from a Pirates game in 2000. And since the advent of digital ticketing it’s fun to have a souvenir from a game you attended and can always have that memory.

    I went to a Seattle Pilots game in 1969 against the Yankees. The ’69 Yankees! And they were giving away a limited number of wooden bats that looked like really high quality. I was blown away, but then, I was only ten years old so it didn’t take a lot to surprise me….No, I don’t still have the bat. :)

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