Weekend Update

Published on May 3, 2008 under Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release


Alright, Stars fans, the enemy finally took one from us last night at Montgomery, 7-6, in 10 innings. The Stars came back from a four-run deficit, but couldn't hang on. The teams meet again in game #4 of the series tonight (Saturday) at Montgomery at 7:05, and then finish up the road trip tomorrow (Sunday), at 2:05 pm.

The next home stand for the Stars will begin Monday, and here's what's on tap:

- The Mobile BayBears come to town, the AA affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. All the games will be at 7:05 pm except Wednesday's 3R's with the Stars game, which will begin at 10:35 am.

- Monday is Pray & Play Monday. Present a bulletin from your house of worship at the Box Office and receive $1 General Admission. It's also Military Monday. Present your Military ID Card (active duty, guard, reserve, CS/GS, retiree, family member) at the Box Office and also receive $1 General Admission.

- Monday is also Cinco de Mayo. Fans entering the ballpark will receive a Green Card with a lucky number on it. Hold on to your Green Card because if our #5 hitter in the lineup hits for the cycle, one lucky number will be randomly selected and announced over the stadium's PA during the game. The fan holding the Green Card with that number will win a prize valued at over one million pesos ($92,000).

- By now you have come to realize that our staff is a little crazy, loco, I should say. But, we are going to have some fun this season. Monday is another dress-up night for the fans and staff. Our staff members will be sporting Mexican garb, serapes, sombreros, etc., provided by the Enchanted Masquerade on Max Luther Drive in Huntsville (just off the North Parkway). Fans, you're going to want to join us on this one. If you're wearing a Mexican costume provided by the Enchanted Masquerade, present the receipt form the costume rental at the Box Office to receive free General Admission. Make sure you write your name on your receipt because later in the game we'll have prizes for some of those that participated.

- Anybody want to tie up Brian Massey and hoist him above the crowd as a human piñata on Monday night? We can blindfold a couple kids and give 'em softee baseball bats and tell 'em to swing away. I'm not sure what'll spill out when he busts open, but it should be interesting. If you think this is a great idea email info@hunstvillestars.com and let Brian know how you really feel. Share the love.

- On Tuesday it's our normal 2-4-1 ticket offer. Early arriving fans will receive Card Set Strips of some of our Stars players, presented by our friends at Firehouse Subs, an excellent sub shop invented by Firemen from Jacksonville, FL. I highly recommend the Steak Sub 'fully involved.'

- Wednesday is the second 3R's with the Stars game. Early arriving kids will receive 3D Bookmarks of former Stars players Ryan Braun and Yovani Gallardo. It's going to be noisy, so if you're one of those fans that like a quiet, peaceful game, visit the souvenir stand for ear plugs; this game is gonna be thumping. You've been warned.

- Thursday is another Thirsty Thursday. All 12-ounce draft beers and soft drinks are $1 thru the 7th inning, courtesy of WTAK 106.1 FM.

- Friday will be another fireworks show, thanks to our friends at Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. You know something will happen before our fireworks show. Last time we shot fireworks Homer the Polecat snuck up and pied Matt-her Goose at home plate. This time it might be one of you on the receiving end. You never know what's going to happen at a Star game.

That's five days of fun, fireworks, a chance to become a Mexican Millionaire, a daytime game, $1 drinks, bookmarks, 2-4-1 tickets and a first-class, first-place place baseball team!

A list of transactions, year-to-date:

4/7: JR Hopf transferred to Nashville, Angel Salome activated from the RL

4/25: Rusty Tucker released; Juan Sandoval activated from the RL

4/27: Thomas Atlee released

5/2: Ben Stanczyk released; Melqui Torres transferred from Nashville

This just in...a shipment of cowbells has arrived at Joe Davis Stadium. You asked for 'em, you got 'em. High quality, imprinted text, carrying strap...only $5. For those that want the quieter side of a baseball game, an ear plug dispenser is also now displayed at the souvenir stand. But the players have indicated that they feed off the energy and the noise of the stadium. Outfielder Cole Gillespie told me earlier this week that the guys get pumped up when the crowd is into it. If keeping the energy level up is helping the team remain atop the Southern League's Northern Division, I only have one thing to say: "We Need More Cowbells."

The Huntsville Stars have signed on with our friends at Fox-54 to assist the St Jude/Huntsville Hospital in a fundraiser at the Stars home game on Friday, July 18th. Look for an in-game auction where proceeds will benefit local children fighting cancer. That's a fireworks night and St Jude's/Huntsville Hospital reps will be selling game tickets in the community with a portion of those ticket sales directly benefiting this local clinic. More information as it becomes available.

The Stars attended the kickoff of the local MDA drive earlier this week at Huntsville Fire Station #2. The fundraiser drive ends on Labor Day weekend with the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. Look for numerous activities going on in the city and the stadium supporting the local MDA in the near future.

To the mailbag:

1. I receive your newsletter five days after it's been sent. That's useless. Drop me from your mailing.

Ouch, baby. We'll drop you, but you are correct, it is useless. If anybody is receiving our email five days late, please check with your internet provider or adjust your mail settings. Some servers are set up to screen email for junk and your computer might sort this newsletter as junk mail. This newsletter is not sent to anybody who hasn't signed up for it. Additionally, we don't ask for private information, just your email address. We don't sell it to third parties and we have our server send you a monthly email on the first of every month so you can change your settings, such as opting out, if you wish. Please check your computer's and email settings if you aren't receiving this on time.

2. I got an email this morning from a Lowe's employee who is designing new cabinets for my kitchen. She was in Birmingham last week for training. Here's her quote (below); thought you might be interested. - Peggy Solomon, Season Ticket Holder.

"P.S. - I went to a (Birmingham) Barons game but it wasn't nearly as fun as going to a Stars game. Our guys know how to make sure the fans have a good time."

Thanks for the head's up, Peggy.

3. Why did program prices increase from $2 to $3?

Like everything else, the cost or printing has increased. Additionally, this season the Stars have included a 24-page Roster Insert with current rosters, stats, photos, maps, coupons and game information with the purchase of a game program. A 96-page glossy program and a daily 24-page insert is a pretty good buy for $3. But if you wish to save money, we'll pass along this information. Most of the stats you see in the Game Day Roster Insert can be printed off from our web site for free. Go to www.huntsvillestars.com and see for yourself. If you're just in need of stats, that's your least expensive way (your paper and ink). However, we'll do you one better here. We're always looking to cut down on waste and save printing costs and if fans can help us do that then we'll pass the savings on to you! Anybody that wishes to just purchase the 24-page Roster Insert for the rest of the season and is willing to pre-pay for it, we'll sell it to you for $1 per game. If you want it at that price, stop by the 2nd floor of the stadium and see Eric Loo-Ow! He'll get you signed up. Then when you come on out to the ballpark and root, root, root for the home team, you'll have an Insert with your name on it waiting for you at The Valley CW's FansFirst Booth. That's $1 per game or $54 for the remainder of the season. This will effectively help us cut down on overprinting and we'll pass those savings on to those that are willing to prepay for the season. By the way, for those that read the Game Day Insert; look closer at everything inside the Insert. On April 24th we had a paragraph that offered four free Stars tickets to the first person that found the offer. Nobody caught it and the offer expired at the end of the game. If you have the Insert from the 24th, go back and look, it's in there.

4. When is the treasure hunt going to begin?

As read in the Roster Insert, the Huntsville Stars and Fox-54 have already been planning this event. Some of you receive the newsletter from the Brevard County Manatees and have asked us to execute a treasure hunt here in Huntsville. It's going to happen later this month, you're going to lose your mind and sacrifice your sleep, but somebody is going to win an awesome prize. I'll get some feedback from some of those Manatees fans that participated in the past couple years and let you judge for yourself if you're up to the challenge. Stars fans, I won't try to scare anybody away, but you gotta be in it to win it because it will encompass everything you do. Manatees fans in Florida, if you participated in past treasure hunts, send us your feedback and we'll let the Stars fans know what they're getting into before it's too late! We'll include these comments in a future newsletter.

If you have questions, comments, concerns, etc., that you want addressed in a future email newsletter, send 'em to buck@huntsvillestars.com. Good, bad or indifferent, we'll address 'em.

Make sure you check out the new skiltech.com Uecker Seats in left field. Look for the sign and sit in the worst seat in the hosue. Because we care.

Have a good weekend, everybody. See you at the yard Monday night.

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Southern League Stories from May 3, 2008


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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