Yesterday in New Jersey, there was a promotion at the ballpark.
It was August in April day at Lakewood's FirstEnergy Park. I went to the 11 a.m. game against the Hagerstown Suns (how appropriate) in near-90-degree weather and was glad to put the sunscreen on. Even on an April Humpday, Lakewood drew 4,010 fans. (Unfortunately, the New Jersey team's four-year stranglehold on South Atlantic League attendance titles is in jeopardy with the long-needed new ballpark in Greensboro outdrawing the BlueClaws by 400 fans a game. Though once we get into summer at the Jersey Shore, that could change. Greensboro, though, doesn't have as much lawn seating, or as attractive GA locations as Lakewood.)
So maybe I'll have two sets of attendance wars to follow this summer.
Meanwhile, down around the Beltway...
Wednesday
Baltimore vs. Boston: 36,478 (the Red Sox will bring crowds)
Washington vs. Atlanta: 27,374
Thursday
Baltimore vs. Boston: 40,419
Washington vs. Atlanta: 30,728 (this for a day game)Labels: attendance, FirstEnergy Park, in attendance, Lakewood BlueClaws, Nationals, Orioles, Red Sox