Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
It's time for another edition of Promo Preview, a monthly roundup of Minor League Baseball’s best giveaways and theme nights.
August highlights include scientific legumes, original theatrical productions, hometown Olympians, a concentrated dose of awful and, of course, much more.
Bryce Hoppel bobblehead
Midland RockHounds (Double-A ATH), Aug. 1
Hoppel is a familiar name in the city of Midland, Texas. Monty Hoppel served as the RockHounds general manager from 1989-2023 and his son, Bryce, grew up around the ballpark before making a name for himself as a track and field star. Bryce represented the U.S.A. in the 2024 Olympics, with the Rockhounds hosting a watch party for his 800-meter finals race (he placed fourth, breaking the American record in the process). Now, the RockHounds are honoring their local star with a bobblehead. Sprint to the ballpark in order to get yours.
Babe Ruth bobblehead and Linda Ruth-Tosetti appearance
Somerset Patriots (Double-A NYY), Aug. 1
The Patriots are a Yankees affiliate; what more motivation do you need to celebrate The Great Bambino? The Aug. 1 festivities in Somerset include a bobblehead giveaway -- the Babe is depicted holding three bats -- and an appearance by his granddaughter Linda Ruth-Tosetti. The tribute to Yankees greats doesn’t end there, as the team is also asking fans to bring gloves to the game so that they can be donated to the Yogi Berra Museum's "Yogi's Big Catch Challenge" (a World Record attempt for the Largest Game of Catch scheduled for Sept. 21).
Seinfeld Night
Brooklyn Cyclones (High-A NYM), Aug. 2
The Cyclones' annual tribute to Seinfeld, always real and always spectacular, returns for another go-round. This year there's no need to arrive extra early, as ALL fans receive "The Kramer" bobblehead, modeled on an infamous oil painting that transcends time and space. (Some ticket packages include a Puddy 8-Ball bobblehead as well.) Make sure to stay late, however, as one of the evening's most beloved elements is the postgame Elaine dancing contest.
Awful Night
Altoona Curve (Double-A PIT), Aug. 6
The Curve refer to Awful Night as their "most well-known promotion," and this is something they're proud of. The team's first stab at intentional awfulness occurred in 2002, and they've been intermittently attempting to lower the bar ever since. When this writer attended in 2007, fans were treated to free sporks and a caped (but otherwise shirtless) man named Captain Awful singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" in hideous falsetto. Expect those sorts of shenanigans all night long, subversions of the norm in service of creating something truly bizarre. It’s high art, and I, as a seeker of the sublime, will be there.
Renegades, The Musical!
Hudson Valley Renegades (High-A NYY), Aug. 6
Here's a first: The Renegades are set to stage a new original musical in between innings of their Aug. 6 game. The actors will regale the crown in 90-second increments, performing a show penned by playwright Duane Joseph Olson. The production features original songs and a plot that centers around the ballpark experience, featuring memorable characters such as "The Bathroom Line Lady." This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience something that has never been attempted before. History will be made; legs metaphorically broken.
Flood Relief Jerseys
San Antonio Missions (Double-A SD), Aug. 9
The Missions are stepping up to assist Hill Country communities impacted by the catastrophic flooding that began in the region on July 4. The team will take the field wearing a mix of jerseys, each one representing a Hill Country High School: Center Point, Comfort, Ingram Tom Moore and Kerrville Tivy. Proceeds from the auction of these jerseys will benefit Kerr County Flood Relief as well as efforts to rebuild a damaged Little League field in Ingram, Texas.
Moon Mammoths
Erie SeaWolves, Aug. 19
On July 18, the SeaWolves played as the Moon Mammoths, an alternate identity created for the team by John Oliver and his staff on "Last Week Tonight." This evening at the ballpark, celebrating George Moon's discovery of mammoth bones at the bottom of Lake Pleasant, drew a sellout crowd and nationwide attention. So why stop there? The SeaWolves are once again playing as the Moon Mammoths on Aug. 19, with a third date scheduled for Sept. 12.
Alabama Peanut Runners
Montgomery Biscuits (Double-A TB), Aug. 28 and Aug. 31
Runners are a type of peanut grown in Alabama, and the Biscuits' new Alabama Peanut Runners alternate identity features a running peanut. There's more to this than meets the eye, however. The peanut is depicted wearing a bow tie and carrying a microscope, a tribute to George Washington Carver's groundbreaking work with the versatile legume. The Biscuits teamed up with Tuskegee University on this project, creating a program "targeted toward high school career technical organizations," who will "create a variety of projects highlighting Dr. Carver's work."
Rick Sweet Bobble'stache
Nashville Sounds, Aug. 30
Nashville Sounds skipper Rick Sweet has won over 2,400 Minor League games -- the third most of all time -- over a managerial career that began in 1987. Along with a legendary resume, Sweet sports a legendary mustache. The Sounds are celebrating the man and his bushy swath of upper lip hair with a bobble'stache figurine giveaway. Best of all, you'll never need to shave it.
Final home game in franchise history
Modesto Nuts (Single-A SEA), Aug. 31
Carolina Mudcats (Single-A MIL), Aug. 31
These aren't promos, per se, but well worth noting. The Modesto Nuts are playing their final home game at John Thurman Stadium, which opened in 1955. Modesto won’t be part of the California League going forward, while a new team in Ontario will.
Meanwhile, in Zebulon, N.C., the Carolina Mudcats are closing out Five County Stadium, concluding a 34-year run. In 2026 they will relocate approximately 25 miles to the east, transforming into the Wilson Warbirds. Now's your last chance to say goodbye.