Brandon Apter (@bapter23), Publishing Editor
With spring training inching closer and closer, minor league baseball teams have been slowly releasing their promotional schedules and the Reading Fightin' Phils just recently announced a unique bobblehead promotion. On seven nights during the 2016 season, Reading will distribute Golden Bobblehead dolls to the first 2,500 fans 15 and over. Reading had fans vote on their favorite players that went through Reading over the past 50 years and seven have been selected to be enshrined in the Golden Bobblehead giveaway's of 2016.
Wanna know who our first set of Golden Bobbleheads are? Take a peek: https://t.co/JNK6oKQjSY pic.twitter.com/eOVDY9MxSo
— Reading Fightins (@ReadingFightins) February 8, 2016
The players selected by the fans were Cole Hamels, Jimmy Rollins, Greg Luzinski, Ryan Howard, Pat Burrell, Darren Daulton and Mike Schmidt.
Cole Hamels will be honored on the first Golden Bobblehead night on April 9th. The former Phillies first round pick is now a starter for the Rangers, but played himself to a heck of a career in Philadelphia. Before joining the big league team, Hamels went 2-0 with a 2.37 ERA with Reading in 2005 through just three games. The former World Series MVP made his Major League debut in May of 2006.
Jimmy Rollins Golden Bobbleheads will be given away on April 23rd at FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading. Rollins, currently unemployed, is the Phillies all-time hits leader and spent 133 with Reading in 1999, hitting .273 with 21 doubles, eight triples, 11 homers and 56 RBI's. He also stole 24 bases. Rollins made his debut with the Phillies on September 17th, 2000.
On June 6th during Reading's annual morning game at 9:35am, Greg Luzinski will get his own Golden Bobblehead. Formerly the single-season home run leader with 33 homers in Reading, Luzinski won the 1970 Eastern League MVP and before playing 11 seasons in Philadelphia.
Ryan Howard broke Luzinski's 33 home run record in Reading and his Golden Bobblehead will be distributed on June 21st. Howard hit .297 in 102 games for Reading during the 2004 season and crushed 37 home runs.
On July 27th, Pat Burrell will be honored with a Golden Bobblehead. The man who led the 2008 parade down Broad Street played in Reading during the 1999 season with Jimmy Rollins. The former Phillies left fielder hit .333 in 117 games with 28 doubles, 28 home runs and 90 RBI's while with the Double-A club.
Up next is Darren "Dutch" Daulton on Tuesday, August 2nd. Daulton played in Reading back in 1983 before spending 14 years with the Phillies, including the 1993 National League Championship team. Daulton hit 16 doubles, 19 homers and drove in 83 runs during his stint with Double-A Reading.
Lastly, Mike Schmidt's Golden Bobblehead will conclude the series on Tuesday, August 16th. The Hall of Fame Phillies third baseman hit his first professional home run in 1971 at FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading. Surprisingly, he hit just .211 though with eight homers and 31 RBI's, but went on to play 18 seasons in red pinstripes, enshrining his name as one of the greatest Phillies of all time.
Tickets for the 2016 Reading season, including the March 31st Phillies Futures Game, go on sale Thursday, February 18th. Season tickets, mini-plans, and group tickets for the 2016 season at FirstEnergy Stadium are available now by visiting Fightins.com
