GreenJackets to Hold "Free Steve Kline Night" Next Thursday
May 19, 2011 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Augusta GreenJackets News Release
Augusta, GA - Suspended Augusta GreenJackets pitching coach Steve Kline has been known as one of the kindest and most benevolent members of the GreenJackets family during his three seasons as the pitching coach in Augusta. Now, Kline is teaming up with the GreenJackets to give even more to the community as the GreenJackets announce that they will hold "Free Steve Kline Night" at Lake Olmstead Stadium during the Thursday May 26th game against the Savannah Sand Gnats.
Any fan with "Steve" or "Kline" in their name will be granted free admission into that night's game. GreenJackets staffers will be going through the stands with collection buckets for "bail money" that will be donated to the Strike Out Hunger Campaign that ties in with the 2011 South Atlantic League All-Star Game. Golden Harvest Food Bank will be the local beneficiary and Kline will match whatever is collected from the fans in these buckets. In addition, Kline will spend a portion of the evening "behind bars" in a dunk tank with fans able to purchase a chance to free him from the penalty box for a dollar each, with those proceeds benefitting Golden Harvest as well.
Kline is currently serving a 15-game suspension, as mandated by the South Atlantic League, for an incident that took place during the May 10th game against the Rome Braves. Promotions throughout the May 26th game will remind fans of the infamous incident that landed Kline in the league's sin bin. The GreenJackets plan to involve a ball and chain in one of them and hold a Hokey Pokey contest with many other promotions still in the works.
In keeping with the crime and punishment theme of the evening, the first 1,000 fans through the ballpark's gates will receive a bandage to wear under their eye, just like the one that covered the cut on the umpire Kline allegedly poked on May 10th. This show of solidarity for the umpire involved serves as a reminder that there are two sides to every story and that justice, unlike umpires, is blind.
With the suspension due to end the next day, the Thursday promotion is the perfect time for the rehabilitated Kline to show how remorseful he is for what he's done.
"I was wrong to let my emotions get out of control during the (May 10th) argument and I deserve the punishment I received." Kline said. "I have the utmost respect for umpires and the game of baseball in general."
First pitch for the May 26th contest will come at 7:05 p.m. as that night's game falls on the second game of a four-game homestand with the Sand Gnats. Tonight, the GreenJackets wrap up a three-game series with the Greenville Drive on a Thirsty Thursday, presented by Vue Lounge and 95 Rock. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. and if you can't make it to the game, broadcast coverage begins at 6:50 p.m. on www.greenjacketsbaseball.com . Single-game tickets for every home game can be obtained by calling 706-922-WINS or online at www.greenjacketsbaseball.com .
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