‘Jacks hoping theme nights draw fans

As much time as he spends trying to whittle down his interminable list of things to do, it never seems to get any smaller for the Bangor Lumberjacks’ Curt Jacey.

“Even after you knock off 10 things, it seems like the list just keeps getting bigger and bigger,” said the general manager of the independent Northeast League’s newest team, which opens May 22 in Allentown, Pa.

Right now, Jacey’s list includes selling tickets, ordering merchandise, overseeing improvements to the Mahaney Diamond facility where his team will play its first season, signing players, and lining up suppliers of beverages, food, and souvenirs.

If he had to, Jacey would likely settle on ticket sales as the item he should put at the top of his list.

The Lumberjacks have sold almost 200 season tickets thus far with five weeks still left before the May 22 season opener.

“Our basic philosophy is a little bit different than some. We want to reward our best customers and your best customers in baseball are your season ticket holders,” Jacey explained.

With that in mind, Lumberjacks officials are gearing their promotions and special theme nights to coincide with games on days that are part of the team’s 10- and five-pack offerings.

“Those are the ones we’re making a big effort to sell out,” Jacey said.

The team has planned four postgame fireworks shows and six giveaway nights in which the following items will be handed out to season or package ticket holders and a predetermined number of fans: T-shirts, mini-bats, baseball caps, bobblehead dolls, insulated drink sleeves/can holders (Koozies) that look like team jerseys, and baseball card sets.

There are plans in the works for other special nights, such as schedule magnet nights; Two-for-Tuesdays in which fans can buy one ticket and get another free; Sunday family ‘Jacks packs days in which families can buy four reserved tickets, four game programs, four hot dogs, and the right to participate in pregame, on-field ball tosses and postgame baserunning and autograph sessions for $35; pregame autograph and clinic nights for youths; a night in which the team will pay tribute to Negro League baseball; and one of the more innovative ideas: scouts nights.

Scouts (as in Boy or Girl Scouts) nights are nights when youths can attend games and, after the games are over, set up tents in the outfield area and watch a movie on a giant, drive-in type of projection screen the team will set up in center field and then camp out on the field overnight.

A change in the schedule

The Bangor Lumberjacks’ season schedule has been altered a bit. Instead of playing at the regular (Monday-Saturday) time of 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 29, Bangor will play at 5 p.m. It will be a home doubleheader against North Shore since there will be no game on Saturday, Aug. 30. The change is due to a conflict with a University of Maine function on the Orono campus. Bangor will then conclude the regular season with a 7 p.m. Sunday game (instead of the usual 2 p.m. Sunday start) and a Monday 2 p.m. game (instead of 7 p.m.).

Craven making Portland pit stop

NASCAR Winston Cup Driver and Maine native Rickey Craven will appear at Hadlock Field and throw out the ceremonial first pitch just before the Sea Dogs take on the Reading Phillies Thursday, April 30. The Newburgh native will be presented with a Sea Dogs uniform bearing his name and Tide Pontiac car number (32). The 1995 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year is promoting the grand opening of two VIP parts, tires, and service stores in Mexico and Topsham. Craven will attend a 4:30 p.m. press conference and throw out the pitch around 6 p.m.

Andrew Neff can be reached at 990-8205, 1-800-310-8600, or aneff@bangordailynews.net