It’s been awhile since we’ve seen a midnight promo outside of the annual Midnight Sun game at Fairbanks’ Growden Field, but Friday night will see a “Midnight Madness” game for the York Revolution (Atlantic League).
The last midnight baseball game in pro or summer-collegiate ranks, according to our archives, was a 2010 game between the Coastal Plain League’s Gastonia Grizzlies and Forest City Owls–spearheaded by none other than Grizzlies General Manager Jesse Cole. (If we missed one, apologies.) Otherwise, the annual Midnight Sun Game to mark the summer solstice by the Alaska Goldpanners is the gold standard for midnight games.
On Friday the York-Lancaster Barnstormers game will launch at 10 p.m., with the teams playing past midnight and into the next day, deemed a “crazy addition” by the Revolution for its 15th season.
“No team in its right mind would start a ballgame at 10 p.m. and actually aim to be playing baseball at midnight,” said Revolution President Eric Menzer via press release. “But hey, when people think of baseball madness, we want them thinking of the Revolution!”
Adding to the “madness” is that evening’s giveaway. The first 500 fans through the gates that night will receive an “I Went @*#%^$! Mad with the Revs” shot glasses at the stroke of midnight.
“We figured that the people who are usually socializing in town late on a Friday night are probably the type who’d appreciate that unique giveaway,” Menzer added. “And from the comments we’ve seen on social media, there are clearly a lot of people who like the idea of being part of such a unique event. They’ll be able to say, ‘I was there for a crazy baseball game.’”
The one-of-a-kind game will feature a number of additional pre-game and between-inning additions to mark the occasion:
- A second WellSpan T-shirt toss will feature shirts with a special glow-in-the-dark design.
- In addition to the Shipley Grand Slam Inning featured each game with the potential for a $5,000 prize, the Revs will designate a second grand slam inning and award one fan $10,000 if the Revs hit a grand slam in that additional inning.
- Throughout the game, the Revs’ promotional team will conduct contests and “mad giveaways” announced via the team’s app and thrown into the stands.