Posted on 07/01/2004 7:58:28 AM PDT by Pikamax
Twins' G.I. Joe giveaway criticized
Peaceniks rip team's idea to honor military
BY ARON KAHN
Pioneer Press
In another sign that the war in Iraq has permeated virtually all aspects of life in America, your hometown ball club will introduce the major leagues' first patriotic giveaway of this era — a G.I. Joe action figure.
The Minnesota Twins will present Duke, "the calm and determined battlefield commander of the G.I. Joe team,'' to the first 5,000 children at Monday night's game against the Kansas City Royals as a way of honoring local military personnel.
But while the Twins hand out more freebies than sample day at the grocery store, this rock-jawed promotional trinket with resolute stare and Popeye forearms will meet some resistance from fans blowing through the Metrodome airlocks.
"I think the Twins are way off base with this idea,'' said John Varone, a Vietnam veteran and president of the Twin Cities chapter of Veterans for Peace. "For gosh sakes, the last place we need to promote war is at our national pastime.''
The Twins say Joe isn't glorifying war, but celebrating the efforts of servicemen and women. As part of that mission, the team asked Duke's maker, Hasbro Inc., to remove the customary gun from his side, bringing him in accordance with the Metrodome's no-gun policy. Hand grenades are still visible.
"I know there are people who are adamant about opposition to the war, but this is not about politics,'' Twins marketing vice president Patrick Klinger said. "And it's not just about this war. It's about what happened 60 years ago.''
Indeed, there's a link between baseball and war. The game's history is dotted with missed seasons by sluggers such as the Detroit Tigers' Hank Greenberg, who left baseball to fight in World War II, and the Boston Red Sox's Ted Williams, who fought in that war and later in the Korean War.
To honor them and others, the Twins will admit current and former military personnel and their families at half price Monday, as part of what the Twins are calling Armed Services Appreciation Day. There also will be a flag ceremony involving Gov. Tim Pawlenty before the game.
The Twins' first such day was held last year, when, on the eve of the assault on Iraq, a soldier from Minnesota threw out the first ball to a fellow soldier from the state. The throw and catch occurred in Kuwait and were broadcast to Minnesota at the beginning of the game.
"I looked around the ballpark that night and there were tears everywhere,'' Klinger said. "It was the highlight of my career.''
Still, more than one peace group believes the combat-ready G.I. Joe, measuring just a bit shorter than 4 inches, is a big mistake, and they would like the Twins to cancel the promotion.
"It's not a credible way to honor those who've suffered the inhumanity of war,'' said Phil Steger, executive director of Friends for a Non-Violent World, a St. Paul-based group with about 4,000 members in Minnesota.
"One wonders whether a desire to increase ticket sales is masquerading as good intentions. We hope not. Minnesotans' moral sense and empathy with those who have lost life, limb and loved ones in war — soldier and civilian — rejects this kind of opportunism,'' Steger said.
Mary Beaudoin, a leader of Women Against Military Madness, Minneapolis, said she's "appalled'' by the giveaway.
"This is hideous … a bad message to send kids,'' she said. "Kids need to be raised with the values of life, not killing.''
Klinger, the man behind the Twins' bobblehead invasion over the past few years, stands by his decision to go with the military figure.
"I was looking for something unique that would pay tribute to Minnesota soldiers,'' he said. "I thought G.I. Joe was perfect for that.''
The Twins provide more giveaways than most sports teams, using the promotional items to boost attendance and enhance the name identification of the club's corporate sponsors. Of 81 home games this year, the Twins will give away 86 items on 46 days.
The giveaways usually carry the names of corporate sponsors, which pay the entire cost of the promotion. For example, Hormel's name appears on the bobbleheads, and Dairy Queen's logo appears on ball caps. But G.I. Joe will go without a sponsor's name, mostly because Klinger came up with the idea as the season started, long after sponsorship packages were sold for the year, he said.
Klinger would not say how much the Twins are paying for the figures, but Hasbro's Web site shows they retail for about $10 each.
Reacting to the discontent of the peace groups, the Minnesota National Guard threw its support squarely behind the Twins.
"We're sorry that a small number of Minnesotans are offended by the doll and don't see it as the tribute that it really is,'' said Col. Denny Shields, the guard's spokesman. "The doll itself is just small component of what the Twins have planned for Monday night.''
The debate illustrates the sensitivity of our times, said David Carter, who teaches sports business at the University of Southern California.
"We are in an era when everything you do is politicized,'' said Carter, co-author of "On the Ball,'' a text on sports marketing. "Whether this is a marketing oversight on the part of the Twins or just browbeating on behalf of the left is immaterial, because at this point the Twins may be dealing with some bad public relations.''
Patrick Courtney, a spokesman for Major League Baseball in New York, said he's unaware of any other team that's providing G.I. Joe to their fans. A Hasbro spokesman could not be reached Wednesday.
Cool. Major League Baseball is patriotic!!! :)
What a simpering bitch.
Next time give out twice as many and include the guns.
ROFLMAO!
Promote war?? Since when does honoring our servicemen promote war? I guess he's against the Air Force, Navy, and Army flybys too? He's not in the real world.
LOL. Tell him yourself:
Friends for a Non-Violent World
Stop by, or mail us: 1050 Selby Ave, St. Paul, MN, 55104
Give us a call: (651) 917-0383
Or e-mail us: info@fnvw.org
They should let all Arab Muslim children in free on the giveaway night.
Cool. Scarlett was always my favorite character from the cartoons.
Anybody elese pick out how they removed the guns in "accordance with Metro-Dome rules" but left the hand grenades? Is that implying that hand grenades are ok in the Metro-Dome?
Phil's just mad because Barbie has a new Aussie boyfriend and Ken still won't sleep with him...
You just made my day. I'm emailing him now.
To demonstrate this "resistance from fans", the author quotes:
John Varone, a Vietnam veteran and president of the Twin Cities chapter of Veterans for Peace,
Phil Steger, executive director of Friends for a Non-Violent World, and
Mary Beaudoin, a leader of Women Against Military Madness.
Three professional whiners. Not a "fan" amongst them. The team announced the promotion and the reporter called up the "usual suspects" for reaction, then stated that this was the reaction of the "fans".
Enjoy ;-)
OFFICIAL TWINS STATEMENT TO THE WHINERS: The twins will not succumb to the hysterical cries from a handful of un-patriotic, un-American special interst groups. If they don't like our giveaway they simply need not attend. Also, we are please to announce that the give-away number of "Duke" soldiers has been tripled.
Always irks me that 1-5 peoples wack-job opinions create headlines. Who cares what these hemp wearing fools say?
Then we'll see who is America's hero!
Aron had WAY too much fun writing this article. Hand grenades are still visible -- gotta love it!
I'll bet you a Meeeeelion Dollars this person is all For ABORTION.
"Women Against Military Madness"???
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