Weird Minor League Hitting Contest Features Fans On Field, Singer Serenading Hitter, Trampoline And 'Golf Ball Picker-Upper'
(WSCR) The minor leagues are known for their quirky promotional ideas, but we're not sure if we've ever seen anything like this.
The Reading Phillies -- the team White Sox bench coach Mark Parent managed the last two seasons -- are hosting the Eastern League All-Star Game this week. Among the All-Star festivities is a hitting contest Tuesday night -- a hitting contest unlike one you've ever seen.
For one, there's going to be a VIP party in the infield while the hitters are hitting balls right at them. There's also going to be singer performing right next to the batter.
And how do the hitters earn points? Well, they have plenty of options. They can either hit a ball to the guy jumping on the trampoline in left field, hit a ball to the guy sitting in the dunk tank in center, or nail the "golf ball picker-upper" (their words, not ours) as it drives around the outfield. Oh, and they can also lose points if Quack The Rubber Ducky, Changeup The Turtle, the crazy hot dog vendor, Phil Lee, Blooper, Screwball or Bucky The Beaver catch the ball.
Confused? Let Reading Phillies general manger Scott Hunsicker explain:
