Redbirds, Ford Bring “Mid-South Heroes Weekend” to AutoZone Park

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MEMPHIS, Tennessee — The Memphis Redbirds have partnered with Ford to honor heroes during the team’s games May 25-27 at AutoZone Park as part of “Mid-South Heroes Weekend presented by Ford,” where firefighters and EMS, military, and police will be celebrated each day during Memorial Day Weekend.

Mid-South Heroes Weekend presented by Ford
– Friday, May 25: firefighter and EMS recognition
– Saturday, May 26: military recognition and postgame fireworks
– Sunday, May 27: police recognition and postgame fireworks

Each day features recognition of these groups of heroes, and equipment, displays, and interactive experiences in the Plaza and around the stadium.

Fans are also invited to come to the ballpark early on Sunday the 27th for the second annual Shelby County Sheriffs versus Memphis Police Department softball game. Gates open at 3:45 for the softball game, which runs from 4:15-5:30. The winner will be presented with the Sheriff’s Cup on the field.

“This is shaping up to be one of the marquee weekends of the season at AutoZone Park,” Redbirds President/General Manager Craig Unger said. “We are pleased to partner with Ford to honor the heroes of the Mid-South all weekend long. These events are just a small token of the gratitude we have for these heroes who do so much for each and every one of us.”

“The Mid-South Ford Dealers are proud to honor our Mid-South Heroes through our sponsorship of the Memphis Redbirds,” Don Kitchens, Chairman of the Mid-South Ford Dealers said. “We appreciate those who ‘Go Further’ every day for our country and Mid-South communities. We invite everyone to come out to the ballpark over the Memorial Day Weekend and support our Military, Veterans, First Responders, and Memphis Redbirds.”

Special ticket pricing is available for firefighters, EMS, military, and police by contacting the Redbirds at (901) 721-6000, compliments of Ford.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

United States Navy Parachute Team Performing at AutoZone Park on Armed Forces Night

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BUY TICKETS

MEMPHIS, Tennessee – The United States Navy Parachute Team, “The Leap Frogs,” will be jumping into AutoZone Park on Friday, May 12, as part of the Armed Forces Night celebration that evening.

Fans are encouraged to arrive in their seats no later than 6:45 p.m. to be able to see The Leap Frogs put on their spectacular show. Game time is set for 7:05.

Also on Armed Forces Night, the Navy Brass Quintet will be performing in the Plaza before the game, beginning at 5:30 p.m. The Plaza will also feature displays, equipment, and interactive exhibits.

On Armed Forces Night, and every other night at AutoZone Park, active-duty and retired military personnel can receive a discount on up to two game tickets at the Box Office. A valid military ID is required.

About “The Leap Frogs”

The United States Navy Parachute Team, “The Leap Frogs,” is the official parachute demonstration team of the United States Navy and part of the United States Naval Special Warfare Command. The team is made up of active-duty Navy SEALs, Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen (SWCC), and support personnel. A typical Leap Frogs performance consists of six jumpers leaping out of an aircraft at an altitude of 6,000 feet. After freefalling, sometimes using smoke or streamers, The Leap Frogs fly their canopies together to build canopy-relative work formations. After performances, The Leap Frogs make themselves available to the public to answer questions about the Navy and the Naval Special Warfare community, as well as to sign autographs.

For information on upcoming promotions, visit www.memphisredbirds.com/promotions. For more information on single-game tickets and ticket mini-memberships, visit www.memphisredbirds.com/tickets.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

AutoZone Park Sprouts Miracle-Gro® Rooftop Garden

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MEMPHIS, Tennessee – The Memphis Redbirds are proud to announce the Miracle-Gro® Rooftop Garden, a one-of-a-kind addition to AutoZone Park that has wide-reaching benefits for community health, education, and environmental sustainability.

The Miracle-Gro® Rooftop Garden will be built on the 3rd Floor landing at AutoZone Park, which overlooks the plaza inside the front gates at the corner of B.B. King and Union.

“When the Memphis Redbirds approached Miracle-Gro with a plan to repurpose the third level deck at AutoZone Park, we were thrilled to partner with them and bring this project to life,” said John Sass, Vice President and General Manager of Miracle-Gro. “The soil and plant food we provided will help create a space that educates and inspires all who visit this iconic urban space.”

“As we continue to prioritize connectivity within the Memphis community, we are proud to build the first urban rooftop garden in all of Minor League Baseball,” said Redbirds Principal Owner Peter Freund. “And to have an opportunity to partner with Miracle-Gro on this project, one of the most innovative corporations in America, will ensure its long-term success and opens the door for an exciting evolution of how the garden can grow.”

The applications of the ballpark’s Rooftop Garden are numerous and cross multiple segments of the community. The Redbirds are planning to use a portion of the food and herbs grown in the garden in food served at the concession stands during games. Local and sustainable food is a major push in Memphis’ culinary culture, and the Redbirds have recognized the movement with the ability to use some of the most local and sustainable food seen anywhere.

In addition, during the Redbirds’ annual Education Days, school children in attendance could tour the garden, learn about nutrition, and see how they could grow a garden of their own in whatever space they have at their home. Additional garden tours on gamedays and during special events are being planned as well.

The community will be able to access information about the garden, watch videos, and get gardening tips through the Miracle-Gro® Rooftop Garden webpage located at www.memphisredbirds.com/miraclegrogarden.

The components of the Miracle-Gro® Rooftop Garden are constructed with over 3,200 linear feet of Cypress lumber. The footprint of all raised beds is about 1,200 square feet, which is one-quarter of the entire landing area, and the beds hold 80 cubic yards of soil.

The Redbirds will be able to grow many different varieties of fruits, vegetables, and herbs, such as broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, lettuce, onions, peppers, spinach, tomatoes, basil, cilantro, dill, mint, oregano, and many more. More varieties will be added throughout the growing seasons.

The 2017 season begins on Thursday, March 30 against the St. Louis Cardinals in a “Battle of the Birds” exhibition game. The regular-season home opener is Tuesday, April 11 against Colorado Springs. For more information on single-game tickets and mini-memberships, visit www.memphisredbirds.com/tickets. For more information on “Battle of the Birds,” visit www.memphisredbirds.com/battleofthebirds.

About Scotts Miracle-Gro

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company is the world’s largest marketer of branded consumer products for lawn and garden care. The Company’s brands are the most recognized in the industry. In the U.S., the Company’s Scotts®, Miracle-Gro® and Ortho® brands are market-leading in their categories, as is the consumer Roundup® brand, which is marketed near worldwide by Scotts and owned by Monsanto. In the U.S., we maintain a minority interest in a joint venture with TruGreen®, the largest residential lawn care service business, and in Bonnie Plants®, the largest marketer of edible gardening plants in retail channels. In Europe, the Company’s brands include Weedol®, Pathclear®, Evergreen®, Levington®, Miracle-Gro®, KB®, Fertiligène® and Substral®. For additional information, visit us at www.scottsmiraclegro.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

Redbirds, MLB Make Donation to Memphis Public Schools

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(Roger Cotton/Memphis Redbirds)

PHOTO GALLERY

MEMPHIS, Tennessee – The Memphis Redbirds Community Fund, in conjunction with Major League Baseball, has made a donation to Pitch In For Baseball to benefit Memphis Public Schools as part of MLB’s biennial RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) Institute held this week in Memphis.

The donation will provide $25,000 worth of baseball and softball equipment to help 460 students get on the field, benefitting 24 baseball and softball teams at 16 schools in the Memphis area.

“We are very proud to be able to make this donation to Memphis Public Schools through the Redbirds Community Fund,” Redbirds President and General Manager Craig Unger said. “One of our main missions is to help better our community, and the Redbirds Community Fund is one of the leading vehicles for how we can use our position to do so. We look forward to being able to do more to benefit our community and the Mid-South as a whole.”

The week culminated today with a free PLAY BALL event at AutoZone Park, where area children were able to play on the field and have fun learning skills and celebrating the love of the game. Event participants also received a PLAY BALL t-shirt and a bat and ball set to continue the play at home.

The RBI Institute covers topics such as league operations, players’ health on and off the field (i.e., Pitch Smart, anti-bullying and drug-free lifestyles), educational programs, best practices, coaches training, league finances, equipment procurement and more.

The Redbirds have hosted an RBI site since 1998, where boys and girls ages 6 through 16 join with children from their own community to form teams which travel throughout the city to play each other. Memphis RBI began with six locations and has grown to serve 12 communities and over 1,000 participants.

The mission of the Memphis RBI program is to increase participation and interest in baseball and softball among underserved youth through instructional and competitive play, while encouraging youth to achieve academically, demonstrate good sportsmanship, and contribute positively to the community.

Pitch In For Baseball provides new and gently-used baseball and softball equipment to boys and girls in the United States and around the world who want to play ball but lack the equipment to do so. PIFB reduces barriers to play and promotes youth development by providing equipment directly to leagues, schools and organizations around the world to start, continue, and/or expand their programs. Over the past 10 years, PIFB has donated more than $5 million worth of equipment to 500,000 under-resourced kids in nearly every state and 80 different countries.

For more information on Pitch In For Baseball, visit www.pifb.org.

Schools Receiving Equipment

American Way Middle School (Baseball)

American Way Middle School (Softball)

Bellevue Middle School (Baseball)

Colonial Middle School (Baseball)

Colonial Middle School (Softball)

Grandview Heights Middle School (Baseball)

Hamilton Middle School (Baseball)

Hamilton Middle School (Softball)

Havenview Middle School (Baseball)

Havenview Middle School (Softball)

Hickory Ridge Middle School (Baseball)

Hickory Ridge Middle School (Softball)

Highland Oaks Middle School (Baseball)

Kate Bond Middle School (Softball)

Kingsbury Middle School (Softball)

Kirby Middle School (Baseball)

Memphis Grizzlies Preparatory Charter School (Baseball)

Memphis Scholars Raleigh-Egypt Middle School (Baseball)

Memphis Scholars Raleigh-Egypt Middle School (Softball)

Oakhaven Middle School (Baseball)

Oakhaven Middle School (Softball)

Raleigh-Egypt High School (Softball)

Raleigh-Egypt Middle/High School (Baseball)

Riverview Middle School (Baseball)

About the Redbirds Community Fund

The Redbirds Community Fund benefits area youth organizations by offering outreach programs, providing baseball instruction, giving opportunities for children to attend professional baseball games and to interact with professional players and personnel, providing and refurbishing area facilities for youth activities, and providing financial support to many worthy area Section 501(c)(3) organizations that effectively and efficiently serve the needs of children in the community.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

Redbirds To Unveil Military POW/MIA Seat

AutoZone Military Seating Designated For Every Game

(Allison Rhoades / Memphis Redbirds)
(Allison Rhoades / Memphis Redbirds)

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Memphis Redbirds and AutoZone have partnered to create the AutoZone Military Seating and a distinct Prisoner of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) black seat at AutoZone Park to honor past and present United States military servicemembers.

“It is an honor to be able to recognize our military members and veterans, as well as bring awareness to the POW/MIA cause,” said AutoZone Vice President and Redbirds Foundation chairman Ray Pohlman.

The AutoZone Military Section will contain 26 seats in the first three rows of section 106 adjacent to the Redbirds home dugout along the third base line. Seat one in row A of that section will be wrapped in black with the official POW/MIA logo on the seat with the writing “Reserved In Memoriam.” That seat will not be available for purchase and remain empty.

Military personnel will receive 50% off seats located in the AutoZone Military Seating every game this season by presenting a valid military ID at the Redbirds box office.

To celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the 25th and final combat mission of the World War II B-17 bomber, the Memphis Belle, the Redbirds are giving away 2,000 Memphis Belle T-shirts on Veteran’s Appreciation Night on this Saturday, May 25. Military personnel can receive discounted tickets for that night by calling (901) 722-0251. Fans can stay after the game to enjoy the first of two fireworks extravaganzas of the homestand set to music from the Big Band Era.

Fans can celebrate Memorial Day and enjoy a matinee game with a ticket and buffet pack as the Redbirds take on the Round Rock Express at 1:05 p.m. on Monday, May 27 at AutoZone Park.

Ticket packages are currently on sale. Please call (901) 722-0251 or visit the Redbirds website at www.memphisredbirds.com to order or for more information.

About Memphis Redbirds Baseball Foundation: The Memphis Redbirds Baseball Foundation is the first and only not-for-profit charitable organization in the United States to own and operate a professional baseball franchise, the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds. AutoZone Park – the finest ballpark ever built in the United States below the Major League level – is the home of the Redbirds and has served as the cornerstone of development in downtown Memphis. Incorporating the Memphis Redbirds as not-for-profit entity allows the community to own the team and facility. For the first time in history, Mid-South residents, corporate leaders and baseball fans are able to give back to the community – and at the same time enjoy first class entertainment – by supporting Memphis Redbirds Baseball.

About Global Spectrum: Global Spectrum (global-spectrum.com) manages the Memphis Redbirds, as well as more than 100 other public assembly facilities around the world. Nearly 20-million people attended more than 11,000 events in Global Spectrum venues last year. Based in Philadelphia, PA, Global Spectrum is part of Comcast-Spectacor, one of the world’s largest sports and entertainment companies. Comcast-Spectacor also owns the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, Ovations Food Services, a food and beverage services provider, New Era Tickets, a full-service ticketing and marketing product for public assembly facilities, Paciolan, the leading provider of venue establishment ticketing, fundraising and marketing technology solutions, Front Row Marketing Services, a commercial rights sales company, and Flyers Skate Zone, a series of community ice skating rinks.

This article originally appeared on the official website of the Memphis Redbirds. Click here to view the original story.