The Orioles announced their promotions and giveaway schedule for the upcoming season on Thursday. One giveaway looms above all the rest: You can circle July 9 on your calendar as the date when the Orioles will be giving away a Manny Machado garden gnome. I know what I'm getting my sister for her birthday!
It appears the Orioles learned a lesson from last year, too, as the Machado garden gnome will be given away to all fans who attend the game. Last year's Buck Showalter garden gnome was only given to 25,000 fans, and other popular giveaways, including the O's Hawaiian shirt giveaway, were given away in limited quantities so that not everyone who attended and wanted one was able to get them.
Other than that headliner giveaway, the usual assortment of stuff is sprinkled throughout the season. There are five T-shirt giveaways that will go out to all fans, starting with a Memorial Day T-shirt on 5/30. Others, whose designs have probably not been made yet, are set for 6/26, 7/8, 8/21, and 9/23. That's two Sundays and two Fridays for shirt giveaways, plus Memorial Day.
Are you, like me, a floppy hat enthusiast? Our day to get our due will be July 22, a Friday - as long as you're one of the first 20,000 fans 21 and over. The remainder of that weekend's series against the Indians will also be full of giveaways, as the game on 7/23 will have a batting practice cap giveaway to the first 20,000 fans 15 and over.
The game on Sunday the 24th will give away to the first 20,000 fans 15 and over a 1966 Orioles replica jersey. This particular giveaway is sponsored by UMBC, as 2016 is UMBC's 50th anniversary as well as the 50th anniversary of that 1966 O's World Series team.
If you're more of a bobblehead person, you'll get two chances to get something this season. Bobblehead giveaways are scheduled for Saturday 8/20 and Saturday 9/17. Who they'll be hasn't been announced yet. In recent years, the final bobblehead of the season has been voted on by fans, although it doesn't seem that has been carried through to this year.
A couple of early season giveaways are for kids only: There will be a Kids T-Shirt giveaway on "Kids Opening Day" (Sunday 4/10) as well as a youth bat & ball set on Saturday 5/14. Both of those will go to the first 7,500 kids 14 and under.
Some other giveaways include the standard Mother's Day and Father's Day giveaways. For the first 10,000 women 18 and over, the Mother's Day (5/8) giveaway is an Infinity Scarf, which I will admit I have no idea what that is but if it interests you, you probably know already. The day before (5/7), there's another giveaway for only women, which is an Orioles canvas tote.
The Father's Day (6/19) for the first 10,000 men 18 and over is a Newsboy Cap. Well, OK. This weekend also has another giveaway the day before it, presumably another dad-oriented giveaway, as the first 10,000 men 18 and over will receive an O's BBQ spatula on 6/18. If you are a woman and you'd want one of the spatulas for yourself, well, sorry.
Other giveaways scattered through the year include: an Orioles golf umbrella (6/7), an Orioles batting practice pullover (6/25), an Orioles jumbo baseball card (7/10), an Orioles wicker weave ballcap (8/22), Orioles high socks (9/16), an Orioles hoodie (9/24), and a Maryland flag Orioles cap (9/25).
High socks and hoodie giveaways both happened last year. Presumably the designs will be different this time around.
And for the fireworks enthusiasts, you'll get a chance to see a show following several Friday night games: May 13, June 17, July 8, August 19, and September 23. Hopefully those are better this year.