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Lowell Spinners (New York-Penn League)
Portable Chair Giveaway
Wednesday, August 2 vs. Hudson Valley Renegades
On Wednesday, Lowell's Edward A. LeLacheur Park will be sitting-room only. That's because the Spinners will be giving away 1,500 portable chairs, insuring that fans will be able to watch the game in comfort and style. The chairs will be embossed with the Spinners logo and will come in handy anytime a situation arises in which one feels the need to sit down. That happens often.

Mahoning Valley Scrappers (New York-Penn League)
Napoleon Dynamite Night with Efren Ramirez
Wednesday, August 2nd vs. Batavia Muckdogs
Napoleon Dynamite, a 2004 comedy about a high school outcast's bid to help his new friend become class president, has become a cult classic. America's teenagers and college students have catapulted the film's catch phrases into our national lexicon, as evidenced by the fact that "Vote for Pedro" T-shirts are now sold in stores all over the country. The Scrappers will be celebrating the film during Wednesday's game against Batavia, and Pedro himself (aka actor Efren Ramirez) will be in attendance.

Brevard County Manatees (Florida State League)
Negro Leagues Salute with Doc Graham
Friday, August 4th vs. Fort Myers Miracle
Former Negro League player Doc Graham will be the guest of honor at Space Coast Stadium on Friday evening, and the man is sure to have plenty of stories to tell regarding life in the Negro Leagues, as well as his enduring friendship with Jackie Robinson. It is important to realize, however, that the Doc Graham who will be in attendance at Friday's game is not Doc "Moonlight" Graham from the movie Field of Dreams. They are two entirely different people.

Southwest Michigan Devil Rays (Midwest League)
College Course Giveaway
Friday, August 4 vs. Kane County Cougars
Sometimes it seems that Minor League teams have run out of things to give away, and that from here on out we'll never see something we haven't seen before. Then along comes the Southwest Michigan Devil Rays, who remind us that the world of Minor League promotions is constrained only by the limits of our imagination. On Friday, the Devil Rays will give away three three-credit college courses at nearby Kellogg Community College. Hopefully, the free courses will kick-start an academic journey for the lucky winners, one that will take them to the uppermost echelons of academia and beyond.

Staten Island Yankees (New York-Penn League)
A Weekend of Anti-Red Sox Promotions
Friday, August 4 through Sunday, August 6
The Lowell Spinners -- an affiliate of the Boston Red Sox -- made national headlines this past offseason when they offered to replace the uniforms of any local Yankees youth team with brand new "Spinners" uniforms. The Spinners will be in Staten Island this weekend, so now it's time for the "Baby Bombers" to retaliate. Fans who arrive at the ballpark with a donation of Red Sox clothing will receive free admission, and in honor of Johnny Damon the club will be giving away free haircuts and shaves to any fan willing to adopt Damon's new look. On Saturday, 2,500 Babe Ruth lithographs will be given away, and a Bambino look-a-like contest will be held (the winner will be treated to two hot dogs and a beer). Finally, former Red Sox great Jim Rice will be on hand to sign autographs during Sunday's game. According to Staten Island's press release, Rice will serve up the game's first pitch "like Mike Torres served up to Bucky Dent, and Tim Wakefield served up to Aaron Boone." Ouch.

Buffalo Bisons (International League)
Appearance by Survivor's Rudy Boesch
Saturday, August 5 vs. Norfolk Tides
Rudy Boesch -- the most well-known Rudy outside of Giuliani and the short kid who played football for Notre Dame -- will be in attendance at Buffalo's Dunn Tire Park on Saturday night. The popular "Survivor" contestant was formerly a Navy Seal Master Chief and could turn out to be a real help should the Bisons get in a bench-clearing brawl that night. Boesch will throw out the game's first pitch, sign autographs and discuss the literary masterpiece that was 2001's The Book of Rudy.

Danville Braves (Appalachian League)
Andruw Jones Bobblehead Giveaway
Saturday, August 5 vs. Pulaski Blue Jays
Andruw Jones played for the Danville Braves in 1994 -- when he was just 17 years old. The Curacao native hit .336 over 143 at-bats, despite being so young that he had to pester his older teammates to buy him lottery tickets. Jones' early start in Danville helped prepare him for a Major League career that is still going strong, and on Saturday the D-Braves will honor him by distributing 1,000 bobblehead dolls bearing his likeness.

Tennessee Smokies (Southern League)
Chris Weinke Trophy Dolls
Saturday, August 5 vs. Birmingham Barons
Chris Weinke, who played for the Tennessee Smokies in the late '90s, was certainly not a typical Minor League player. The Minnesota native was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays out of high school and played six seasons in the Minors before he decided to switch to football instead. Weinke quit baseball, enrolled at Florida State University and went on to become a star quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner. Weinke is currently a back-up quarterback in the NFL, and on Saturday the Smokies will celebrate his baseball career by giving away trophy dolls that feature Weinke striking a football pose while wearing a baseball uniform. It's not as confusing as it sounds.

Lancaster JetHawks (California League)
Celebrity Softball Game
Sunday, August 6 vs. Lake Elsinore Storm
It'll be a doubleheader of a different sort in Lancaster on Sunday, as the evening contest between the JetHawks and the Storm will be preceded by a matinee celebrity softball game. A cavalcade of retired athletes and Hollywood stars will face off in a slow-pitch contest, which will be hosted by comedian and improvisational master Fred Willard (a star of Best in Show, among many, many other films). Proceeds from the contest will benefit the Jeremy Rourke Foundation, a California charity that deals specifically with sports-related violence.

State College Spikes (New York-Penn League)
Bernie Kopell Appearance
Monday, August 7 vs. Mahoning Valley Scrappers
The Altoona Curve's "Retro Celebrity Series" has been a big hit this season, as the club has brought television stars such as Sherman Hemsley ("The Jeffersons") and Jamie Farr ("M*A*S*H") to Blair County Ballpark. The Altoona Curve also own and operate the brand-new State College Spikes, and the short-season franchise is now reaping the spoils of being affiliated with a promotional powerhouse like the Curve. On Monday, one day before his appearance in Altoona, the Love Boat's Bernie Kopell will grace State College with his presence. It's also "Singles Night" at the ballpark, and Kopell's alluring aura will certainly help facilitate the creation of long and enduring relationships between love-seeking baseball fans.

Upcoming Promos: Mayberry Deputy Bobblehead Giveaway (Princeton, Aug. 8), Survivor Night (Trenton, August 10), Dax Norris Salute to Baldness Night (Richmond, August 11), Rulon Gardner Night (Orem, August 11), Bald is Beautiful Night (Boise, August 12), Stadium Replica Giveaway (Danville, August 12), Rock Paper Scissors Championship (Frederick, August 12), Rodney McCray Bobblefence Night (Portland, August 12), Antique Appraisal Night (Williamsport, August 12), Crescent City Superheroes Night (New Orleans, August 13), Car Survivor (Brevard County, August 14), Gassy Monday (Elizabethton, August 14), Post-Game Karaoke (Brevard County, August 16), Damn Yankees Night (Brevard County, August 17), Aerospace Appreciation Night (Lancaster, August 18), Stopwatch Giveaway (Lowell, August 19), Hairiest Back Promotion (Mahoning Valley, August 20), The Amazing Rubberboy (Trenton, August 20), Lynrd Skynrd Night (Idaho Falls, August 22), Ball Park Replica Giveaway Night (Buffalo, August 23), Diamond Giveaway (Brevard County, August 24), Civil War Night (Salem-Keizer, August 24), Dawn Well Appearance (State College, August 24), Insert Your Name Here Night (Columbus, August 25), Cup of Coffee Night (Salem-Keizer, August 26), Tony Perez Appearance (San Antonio, August 26), Plunger Giveaway (Brevard County, August 26), Steve Sax Night (Orem, August 26), Ron Palillo Appearance (Altoona, August 28), Efren Ramirez Appearance (State College, August 31), Baseball for Babies Night (Boise, September 1), Appearance by Sgt. Slaughter and George "The Animal" Steele (Columbus, September 1), Shirt Off Our Back Promotion (Lowell, September 1), Jimmie Walker Appearance (Altoona, September 2), Fann Appreciation Night (Boise, September 2), World Record First Pitch Attempt (Brevard County, September 2), Movies on the Green (Mississippi, September 2), Anger Management Night (Augusta, September 3), World's Largest Game of 'Duck-Duck-Goose' (Hagerstown, September 3), Shirt Off Our Back (San Antonio, September 3), Fleece Blanket Giveaway (Brooklyn, September 7).

Benjamin Hill is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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