August 16 update: Welcome to FOX Sports readers arriving here. In addition to this post, which provides background on the promotion, there is also a later one which includes actual photos of the jerseys being worn in game action. Click here.
When I received the following press release, it surely caught my eye. Minor league clubs often get creative in their promotions to try to encourage families to attend games, but this one from the St. Louis Cardinals’ Triple-A Memphis Redbirds is one of the most unique that I can ever recall.
Fireworks are great. The Beach Boys in concert were once fun, but they can’t be everywhere. Both can get old. In fact one of them already is. How many Bobblehead Nights can you have before they lose all their appeal? Last time I visited Springfield, it was Porch Mat Night, but how many front porches do any of us have?
So, let’s give the Redbirds’ promotion department an “A” for effort for their upcoming Organ Donor Night. Encouraging new sign-ups for this vital function is not only creative, but it supports a very good cause.
I admit that I chuckled out loud when I saw the grand prize for the themed drawing planned for August 13. It is a very good thing they specified that it is a “keyboard” organ.
That didn’t compare to my reaction when I spied the artist’s rendering of the commemorative jerseys the Redbirds will be wearing that evening. I just don’t think I would want to bid on one of these. It does put quite a literal spin on the tired line of playing one’s guts out for their team, though.
I suppose the Redbirds staff would say the club is already doing that each night as they have been locked in a heated battle for first place in the Pacific Coast League American North Division.
At this point, there is no confirmation that the Redbirds’ August 13 opponent, the Tucson Padres, plan to wear hospital scrubs-themed uniforms to show solidarity with the promotion.
It is an absolute crying shame that former Redbirds’ fan favorite Bo Hart has long since retired. Maybe they could transplant the gutsy and scrappy second baseman back just for this one special night. If not, perhaps they could scope out getting Bartolo Colon from the New York Yankees to appear.
Memphis Redbirds release:
On Saturday August 13, the Memphis Redbirds will host Organ Donor Night at AutoZone Park with first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
The Redbirds will be encouraging fans to sign up to be an organ donor at the National Foundation for Transplants table located on the concourse. Those who sign up or show their driver’s license that they are already a donor will be entered to win a keyboard organ donated by AMRO Music, a team autographed jersey, or a heart healthy basket from US FoodService.
The team will sport organ themed jerseys (picture attached) sponsored by the National Foundation for Transplants. A silent auction will take place during the game on the concourse for fans to bid on the jerseys. An organ transplant recipient will be throwing out the first pitch while post-game fireworks sponsored by Thomas & Betts will round out the night.
More than 111,000 people are waiting for organ transplants, and a new name is added to the waiting list every 11 minutes. Ninety percent of Americans say they support organ donation, but only 38 percent have actually registered as donors while only 26 percent of Shelby County residents have registered. In Tennessee there are 2,504 people currently waiting for transplants.
About NFT
NFT is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization based in Memphis, Tenn. that has been helping transplant patients overcome financial obstacles since 1983. NFT provides fundraising expertise and advocacy to transplant patients by organizing fundraising campaigns in the patients’ own communities. In the past 28 years, NFT’s fundraising campaigns have generated nearly $59 million to assist patients.
NFT currently assists more than 1,000 transplant candidates and recipients nationwide. For more information about NFT, please call 901.684.1697 or visit www.transplants.org. Click the Transplant Challenge logo to learn more about organ donation.
Join the Redbirds Saturday, August 13 and sign up to be an organ donor. For ticket information call 901.721.6000 or visit memphisredbirds.com.
Update
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St. Louis’ Friday lineup at Pittsburgh:
Theriot, Jay, Pujols, Holliday, Berkman, Freese, Molina, Punto, Carpenter.
Colby has himself in quite the Catch 22. Isn’t playing because he isn’t performing but can’t perform better unless he plays. The next week will be very interesting/
Yes, in so many ways. Colby was on the pre-game show with Pat Parris the other day from NY and was quite open and honest about his struggles. Unfortunately, I don’t think they posted the video online.
I saw it.
i didn’t get to see it as we were talking with TLR at the time. I only have Pat’s account from when I asked him to summarize. What was your take?
The thing about Colby is that he is not very good at the Bull Durham cliches. I don’t think that is a bad thing, but some people want to hear the cliches because they are comforting. I think he was trying to convey that he understood why everyone was so upset with his performance, and that he was just as upset, if not more so. That part came across pretty well. When he was asked about the trade rumors, though, he came across as a little more indifferent to the talk than I believe he really feels and some people took it as not caring and not wanting to do better to help the situation. But then a lot of people are just waiting to jump on him for something, and he really can’t win with them. Then Pat Parris led him in to talking about his relationship with Mozeliak and it was kind of confusing to me as to what point Pat was trying to make about it.
Thanks for the summary.
I saw it and to me Colby came across as a guy who is struggling and does not have an answer. I was a little shocked that he just did not blow off his recent struggles as part of the game. Instead he admitted he was not hitting and did not know what was wrong.
Gotta admire the honesty
I agree about that part. It just seemed when the talk got to trade rumors and his relationship with Mozeliak, he seemed unsure how to answer.
I suppose Colby and Skip are getting another day off because of the lefty. ?
btw, nice job getting featured again, Brian.
Thanks. I guess sizzle does sell…
The booth guy just said PNC is sold out for the whole series. Wow.
I heard the Pittsburg paper had a special section about the series. Its big for them. Hopefully all their hopes and dreams will be crushed.
Jay smells blood.
Whoooooohoooooooooooo! This is awesome!
Yeah, that was fun.
Carp getting some run support
4-0, nice start. We will eat them for lunch. Our guys will be passing Pirate chunks in their stool.
Good to remember Bo Hart, the pride of Gonzaga and Beale Street.
Good to see the Cardinals so fired up, havn’t seen them with that kind of energy in two years.
Albert has 4 HRs in 6 starts, since the All star break. Good to see Freese do something useful with the stick. Jon Jay is one of our best players, steady, gets on base.
Really? You must not watch many games.
Really, they have extra pep in their step and lots of smiles. Of course 4 first inning runs can do that. I guess it is easy for baseball teams to look flat when they aren’t winning, but i still say they look to have a lot of fire tonight.
Albert, Matt and Carp make more than the whole Pirate team.
I’m going to the game next Friday, visiting relatives in st louis. Found seats in the right field benches. Maybe I’ll catch pujol’s Cal Ripken tying homer or colby’s 50th.
Bring sunglasses. Wear a ball cap with a bill you can tilt down.
Night game.
So the sun sets opposite is what you are saying
Don’t be like this guy, though…
Sometimes style is more important
That pic is hilarious to me:)
Carp is done and the team needs to step up and complete this game!
I love when I am wrong.
Hate to see him have to run the bases now.
Carp providing some offense. Nice
Salas is the right move!
Good win. Need to win this series and then head home and annihilate the Astros and the Cubs.
Nice win at a great ball park that is getting some fans to attend!
It would be fun if the Cards traded for Jason Isringhausen. He seems to have his health and game back together.
Do you know the old line, “You can never go back home again”?
It was written with Izzy and the Cardinals in mind.
Interestingly, Julia, mother of novelist Thomas Wolfe, operated a boarding house in St Louis during the World’s Fair of 1904. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Wolfe
……for those interested in the cultural history of St Lou………and look I am using Westie’s signature dots…………
It seems like just yesterday Izzy was serving up a game losing dinger to Jeff Kent in the 2005 playoffs…..Maybe this bad memory helped TLR think of stationing Allen Craig at 2B…………………I can hardly wait for Craig to return to see where TLR plays him…….
Jocketty could trade for Isringhausen. Uncle Walt is looking for anybody who can help the Reds without costing good prospects. St Louis might be home for Isringhausen, but Cinci could turn out to be a home away from home for him. Get back together with Rolen and Cairo.
Lineup: Schumaker 2B, Jay CF, Pujols 1B, Holliday LF, Berkman RF, Freese 3B, Molina C, Descalso SS, Garcia P
This evening would seem an opportunity to rest Matt Holliday and put Jay in RF, Berkman in LF, and Rasmus in CF.
Its interesting Descalso gets starts at SS over Punto, since Dan did not play any SS in the minors. i love how unconventional TLR can be, sometimes.
This series is against one of the top teams in your division…..you play your best and Matt is one of the best. Let him rest when you are playing the bottom of the standings guys. This lineup looks pretty good to me.
Holliday’s good, but is hitting .263 in his last 10 games. I like more left swingers against an RHP. I’d start Freese on the pines too.
+1 to RCW’s comment.
Tony is not know for keeping a guy who is hot in the lineup everyday. I guess he’s had a change of heart.
I was talking about Jay not Matt.
For much of the year, TLR likes to spread out at bats, get more guys contributing and involved. But when it gets to the stretch run, he has to ride the best.
You’re right on here Jumbo. I have never been a fan of the playing everybody plan of attack. Put your best on the field and ride. Tony’s teams fall apart late in the season every year…and he plays everybody. Maybe he has learned and has decided to ride the hot bats as long as they are hot. I’m in his corner.
Speaking of hot bats, Jordan Rasmus is off to a fine beginning at Batavia.
Yeah, I kind of suspected Jay would play against Pittsburgh. We have the Astros and the Cubs coming up.
I’m assuming the brass told Tony not to let Colby get injured right now.
I hate to be right all the time but I said this was gonna happen and that it was coming. It is what it is.
I play Jay every day.