GIVEAWAYS: TREASURES TO REMEMBER OR JUNK TO THROW AWAY?

Giveaways are all a rage across our nation’s ballparks.  They attract fans to the ballpark, they give sponsors another outlet to advertise and they give collectors something to collect.  I can say that the only thing that attracts me to go to a game is having a ticket to go.  I am easy to please when it comes to baseball, ballparks and beer and if you throw on a freebie, well that’s just the bonus round for me.  I have to say though, some of the stuff they give out is kind of creepy and borderline ridiculous yet other gifts are truly neat and even sensible.  Here are some of the best and worst collectibles in my ballpark treasure chest.

Laroche-Posay Sunscreen Day:  Last year, my kids and I went to Yankee Stadium for Mother’s Day.  It happened to also be Andy Pettitte’s first game after returning from retirement.  Practical and purposeful giveaway! The guys at the gate gave my kids and I a little extra sunscreen that day because they were afraid we would get a sunburn with our ghostly white, new season untested skin.  I used it all summer and although it has a price tag of $29-39 bucks at CVS, I never did get burned all season.

Cap night: my 15-year-old son and I agree, you can never wrong with a Yankee cap but the Hess tag on the rear really is not what fashion is all about.  And to top that off, we both agree that Hess makes us think of the Jets and nothing should make us think of that green team.

As a kid growing up in the seventies, I was always a sucker for the team signed baseball.  You know, the memographed/pseudo autographed team ball.  I was so lucky to catch that game sometime in the mid-70s with my sister and my mom and dad.  I loved that ball- kept it on my shelf above my desk for years until my brothers needed a baseball for their game and went all Sandlot on me and took it and beat it up.  I could barely read Bobby Murcer’s signature after they got through with it.

The Bobble Head Series: they are probably the most popular of giveaways, the Mercedes of Junk.  Yet, I have several in my stash.  Among them are Derek Jeter, Phil Hughes, Mr. Met, Robby Cano, and even the Met Life Snoopy Bobble Head.  The latter is my favorite- it sits on my desk even today.

My son still relishes the day when he got his very own “real” Yankee batting glove in 1999.  He loved that batting glove.  He was just about two when we brought him to the ballpark and he wore that glove the whole game.   When I asked him about his favorite giveaway, he quickly recalled the batting glove and then moved toward his bat- the Mark Teixeira signature one he received a couple of years ago.

Lastly, we recently attended opening night at the Trenton Thunder (Double A Affiliate of the New York Yankees).  The ballpark got a new name from its title sponsor, Arm and Hammer.  And what did they give us when we left the game that night?  Yep, official Arm and Hammer Baking Soda and a special container with which to hold the household staple in the fridge- keeping our food fresh all season.

As you look back at your souvenirs over the years and bypass the expensive ones for the freebies you received just for showing up, what are your favorites? The Babe Ruth Rubber Duck?  The Mike Trout Fish Hat?  Or maybe it’s the collectible pin from Old Timers Day?  Whatever your treasure, I hope it conjures up an amazing memory from that special trip to the ballpark. 

--Suzie Pinstripe, BYB Opinion Columnist
Twitter: @suzieprof




Please comment, we have DISQUS, it's easier than ever. Let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.