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Mar
02
2010
Ryan Howard Garden Gnome Night Highlights R-Phils’ Promotions
Posted by at 7:23 pm ET 52 Comments

The Reading Phillies (or the R-Phils, as they’re more affectionately known) have just released their promotional schedule for the upcoming 2010 season earlier today. As usual, the pro team’s double-A affiliate has come up with some rather unusual giveaways and attractions to get fans out to FirstEnergy Stadium (personally, I’d just call every night “Watch Domonic Brown play right-field night!) including R-Phils Mike Schmidt Maroon Batting Practice T-Shirt night, Mr. Belding Schools Out Teacher night (where Dennis Haskins of Saved By The Bell shows up to sign autographs and sing karaoke), and 28 — count ‘em, TWENTY-EIGHT! — fireworks nights.

But the ultimate giveaway this year BY FAR, to be handed out on August 3rd when the R-Phils take on the Trenton Thunder, is Ryan Howard Garden Gnome night.

The R-Phils describe it thusly:

Fans of the R-Phils, the Philadelphia Phillies and of 2006 NL MVP Ryan Howard, will want to come out to the Tuesday, August 3 game against the Trenton Thunder for a one-of-a-kind Ryan Howard Garden Gnome, presented by FirstEnergy. The Ryan Howard Garden Gnome depicts a kneeling Howard in his R-Phils uniform, sporting a Gnome Beard and Gnome hat. The first 2,500 adults attending the 7:05 p.m. contest will receive this instant collectible of the former R-Phils first baseman. Howard, who has compiled at least 45 home runs and 136 RBIs in each of the last four seasons, launched an impressive 37 home runs for the R-Phils in 2004, en route to Eastern League MVP and Rookie of the Year honors.

So fellas, ladies — make sure you’re one of the first 2,500 lucky fans through the turnstile that night so you can show your love for the R-Phils, Ryan Howard, and garden gnomes in general as you proudly display it on your front lawn for the rest of your life.  Or at least until one of your neighbors steal it.

Check out the rest of the R-Phils promotions HERE.

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  • http://philadelphiawilldo.com dmac

    What? Mr. Belding Night is clearly the best.

    The Ry-Ho garden gnome is awesome, too, though, don’t get me wrong.

  • Ross Gload

    I must have it.

  • Phillygirl17

    What night is the Mr. Belding night? I want to go then!

  • http://phillibustering.blogspot.com Phillibustering

    This is great. Next in the series tchotchkes that should never be associated with baseball: the Phillies starting line-up Matryoshka doll.

  • Watrick

    My first summer as a paid teacher just got better.

  • http://www.superfantabulousblog.blogspot.com maria

    Teachers get paid during the summer now? That’s just ridiculous.

    What’s not ridiculous? Mr. Belding night.

  • jtriojr

    Howard signed off on this?

  • Heathcliff Slocumb

    I don’t see anything about Tyler Walker on the promotional schedule. Travesty.

  • MaxL

    Dude, Mr. Belding (or at least, the actor who played him) gave a lecture at my school at the beginning of the year. Well, I say lecture, but it was more like a rambling, two hour exercise in WTFery.

    Looking back at it, it’s a lot funnier now than it was at the time.

  • Stupid Dummy

    am i tripping?

  • World Forking Champions ’11

    I think everyone on the Phillies needs a Rollie Fingers mustache, or at least a Sal Fasano

    …and a WERTHY BEARD!

  • spacecoyote

    This sounds fantastic. Mr. Belding Night *almost* convinced me to make a trip to Reading… but I won’t. I can watch Dom Brown in Philly when he’s the 2014 NL MVP.

  • Chase Utley’s Pamprin Blanket

    I’m jealous

  • Lynniemac

    Phillygirl: Mr. Belding night is Wednesday, June 23.

    Reading fireworks are AWESOME. Twenty-eight fireworks nights are not enough.

  • BigMiles

    I agree with meech on every night being Dom Brown night, although he could easily be in Lehigh Valley.

    Have they scheduled a “Watch Pedro come out of retirement again night” in mid July? Cmon, you know it’s coming.

  • http://www.twitter.com/underthebridge1 Walklett

    That’s quite a neck beard on that gnome.

    I can’t be the only one that thinks this is dangerously close to another type of lawn ornament, more specifically one that rides a horse…jussayin’.

  • az

    I’m not easily offended, but this is pretty racist. Really, a bunch of people sat around a meeting room and decided it would be a good idea to do a “lawn ornament” of an African American baseball player? What’s next, white hood night?

  • Tam

    Maria,

    Teachers do get paid year round, but it’s a 9-month salary over a 12-month period

  • The Lone Filafel

    Did “Dustin ‘Screech’ Diamond Getting a Hummer Night” not get approved again this year by the R-Phils?

  • http://cuad.tumblr.com/ thomas

    this.
    is.
    awful.

  • The Killer Zs

    It is worse than the travel gnome. What were they smoking we they came up with this?

  • Muscles

    @az

    WAAAHHHHH, I’m Sensitive!

    go put on some rouge and makeup
    and lipstick on.

  • Joe D

    Belding is just flat out whoring himself out now. He spoke at my college 4-5 years ago when I was there and probably 4 people went. He is about 10 times the size he was back when saved by the bell was on too. He’s going places.

  • Take Two Bagels, 9:35 a.m.

    6. On Monday, June 14, the first 2,000 adults who attend the 9:35 a.m. game against the Richmond Flying Squirrels will receive an R-Phils Travel Mug, presented by Take Two Bagels. For the fan on the go, the R-Phils Travel Mug will be the perfect addition to their collection. Also, all fans can stroll the warning track beginning at 8:30AM.

  • http://www.thegoodphight.com WholeCamels

    That Ryan Howard gnome is gonna give me nightmares.

  • Al

    I think the lawn jockey idea is inspired. Forget teh racism angle and think of your driveway adorned with Chase, Jayson and Ryan lawn jockeys. Awesome. Where do I sing up?

  • http://twitter.com/JayDashDog Jdashdog

    meech, I’m getting slightly concerned about you affections for D Brown. I hope you don’t pull a Mark David Chapman on us.

  • John Mayberry Jr.

    That looks a lot more like me than Ryan Howard

  • http://www.thefightins.com meech.one

    @JDash: I’d be concerned if I was him, too.

  • will.H

    just imagine, jdash.

  • meg$

    maybe he’ll get a series on Nickelodeon- Ryan the Gnome!

  • http://pabaseball.blogspot.com gm-carson

    I’d like them to get the chick from Show Girls that played Jesse Spanno in Saved By the Bell (Elizabeth Berkley) to show up with Mr. Belding.

  • http://briandolan17@facebook.com BD

    dont get too attached to players i couldnt wait to get a drabek jersey …..

  • Joe D

    Does anyone know of a place I’ll be able to watch the game tomorrow online?

  • Ozzie Virgil’s Beard

    I was hoping to find a link on Florida State’s athletic page to see if they’d broadcast the exhibition game tonight between the Phils and Seminoles. Looks like they’ll have a radio broadcast. I guess I know what I’ll be doing this evening at 7…..

    On an unrelated topic, how amazing would it be if the Phillies were allowed to use aluminum bats tonight???

  • Colin_K

    I guess the real Gnome was not an option seeing as he was never a member of the RPHILS…an idea to you Potomac whatever the hell their name is (gNats AAA team).

  • Joe D

    @Ozzie….I was reading on another board some idiot that was asking if the Phils would use aluminum tonight. The guy was serious.

    But yeah it would be amazing to watch Howard take a cut with the aluminum.

  • http://pabaseball.blogspot.com gm-carson

    Ryan Howard damn near might kill someone with an aluminum bat.

  • Ozzie Virgil’s Beard

    @gm-carson: That’s exactly what I was getting at. The potential of someone being slayed on the field increases dramatically with pros using aluminum.

    With that said, I am still pushing for the last out of each at bat in the HR Derby to be used with aluminum. It would provide a little excitement and help raise a lot more money with those golden balls (insert joke…….here). Of course the helpless kids in the outfield shagging flies would likely have to be removed from the playing field.

  • Lynniemac

    @Take Two Bagels: There is nothing better in the whole world than a 9:35 am minor league baseball game. I’m so there.

  • will.H

    ozzie if pro’s used aluminum and i was playing 3rd base.. it would look more like 2 left fielders.

    /not a pussy

  • Ozzie Virgil’s Beard

    will.H could you imagine how frightening it would be as a pitcher? i would request an L-screen.

  • The Lone Filafel

    Anyone who has a problem getting their head torn off by a smash line drive off an aluminum bat is a total pussy. Take your decapitation like a man.

  • SquirrelBoy

    I’m going. I shall procure one for the glory of The Fightins!

  • ScottRuffcorn

    I guess the Ryan Howard Gnome idea was given the go ahead after they nixed tube sock with a grapefruit night. shame…….

  • http://atlbravesblog.info NorineVoner6268

    Really Enjoyed this. thanks!

  • yankees fan

    How could anyone be offended by this? How much money does Howard make? Clearly he signed off on this.

  • bruce brown

    i really feel the reading phils should be shot for this knome its setting back the civil rights movement and black exploitation 50 yrs!! you might as well have howard as a garden black lighthouse man on the lawn the way they have them back in the 30=50′s!!

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  • MARK FISHER

    I have several of these Bro Gnomes

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R.I.P Harry Kalas