Updated: Wednesday, 24 Jun 2009, 1:42 PM EDT
Published : Wednesday, 24 Jun 2009, 1:41 PM EDT
BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The Brooklyn Cyclones minor league baseball team renamed themselves the Baracklyn Cyclones on Tuesday night in honor of President Barack Obama.
The night featured Barack Obama bobblehead for the first 2,500 fans at the team's 7,500-capacity stadium.
The night also featured the home team in "Baracklyn" jerseys , free Band-Aids as part of "Universal Health Care" for some fans, and the ceremonial first pitches were thrown out by "Obama Girl" Amber Lee Ettinger and presidential lookalike Randall West. (the real President Obama is slated to throw out the first pitch at this year's All-Star game.)
Sports teams regularly have promotion nights to draw crowds, and minor league teams are known to try odd promotions.
"I think it's expected at the minor league level. I think the columnists would have a field day if you tried to do anything too far off base here, especially in New York," said N.Y. Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon.
Bleacher Report.com listed some of the more memorable, including " Anger Management Night " held by the Augusta Ga., GreenJackets and " Britney Spears Baby Safety Night " held by the Newark, N.J., Bears. And the the Quad Cities River have the " Van Down by the River " promotion that will be ongoing this season.
The Baracklyn Cyclones won the game , 7-3, over the Hudson Valley Renegades. The bobbleheads have already hit eBay .