April 25, 2002
Plenty of promotional events remain for the Notre Dame baseball program as it heads into the final month of the 2002 regular season – including a variety of offerings for the upcoming two-game series versus Arizona State on Friday night, April 26 (6:05 p.m.) and Saturday, April 27 at 3:05 p.m. (allowing fans to stop by Frank Eck Stadium following the Blue-Gold intrasquad football scrimmage).
Here are the promotional offerings and special events during the ND-ASU series:
o A special pregame ceremony on Friday night will honor Notre Dame head baseball coaches of past and present, with former ND coaches Tom Kelly, Larry Gallo and Pat Murphy (currently the head coach at ASU) set to join current Irish skipper Paul Mainieri in the pregame ceremony.
o Stadium namesake Frank Eck – a Notre Dame alumnus and longtime supporter of the Irish baseball program – will throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to Friday’s ND-ASU game.
o The first ND-ASU game will comprise “Notre Dame Baseball Night,” with the first 300 fans receiving a souvenir Notre Dame baseball. The game will mark the second of three Friday-night games at Eck Stadium during the 2002 season (the first Friday-night action in the stadium’s nine-year history).
o The first 200 fans at Saturday’s ND-ASU game will receive a green Notre Dame beanbag bear.
Other promotions also are on tap for the final six home dates at Eck Stadium.
o The May 1st game versus Oakland will serve as the annual “Turn Back The Clock Night,” with 50-cent admission, reduced concession prices and an old-time baseball atmosphere (rumor has it that “Elvis” could be in the building). 100 lucky fans will also receive a Notre Dame throwback cap throughout this special evening.
o The Rutgers doubleheader (May 4) will feature commemorative bats (courtesy of Papa John’s) for the first 200 fans under 18.
o The final game of the Rutgers series (May 5) will be Kids Club and Little League Day, with a youth clinic preceding the noon game (the clinic will start at 10:30 a.m.). For more information on the clinic, call (574) 631-3264.
o The first 500 fans at the May 5th game vs. Rutgers will receive commemorative sets of ND baseball trading cards. An autograph session with the Irish also will follow the ND-RU series finale. The “Sundaes on Sunday” feature also will provide McDonald’s sundae coupons to the first 100 fans in attendance.
o The first 200 fans at the May 15 ND-Detroit game will receive miniature batting helmets.
o The final series of the 2002 regular season will open on May 17 with the annual “Pack The Eck” attendance promotion, with free admission as the Irish fans attempt to set the attendance record for Eck Stadium. That Friday-night game versus Boston College also will feature South Bend Tribune miniature bats for the first 250 fans in attendance, with tickets available at area businesses, including Papa John’s, Blimpie’s and Between The Buns.
o The May 18 regular-season finale vs. BC will serve as the annual Scout Day, with area Scouts congregating prior to the game for a special “Scout-O-Rama” event that is open to the general public.
o The Irish Sports Report “Leprechaun Bobblehead Doll Night” also will be held on May 18 for the ND-BC doubleheader, with 100 lucky fans receiving the collectible doll.