Index - Southern Maryland Blue Crabs

Index
Milestones 2
Community Programs 4
Charitable Initiatives 12
Stadium Events 16
Game Events 20
Conclusion 24
www.somdbluecrabs.com
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Milestones
2
In 2012, the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs welcomed their one
millionth fan to Regency Furniture Stadium. As part of the celebration,
Ryan Tzafaroglou was greeted at the front gates by Pinch with a Blue
Crabs jersey and season tickets for life!
230,000 guests enjoyed a Blue Crabs game during the 2012 season,
an increase of 11,000 fans from 2011. Almost 80,000 people also
came to Regency Furniture Stadium for other events, highlighted by a
spectacular July 4th event!

“230,000 guests enjoyed a Blue
Crabs game during the 2012
season, an increase of 11,000 fans
from 2011.”
www.somdbluecrabs.com
3

Community Programs
4
The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs have been heavily involved in
the community since the Inaugural season in 2008. Each year, the
Blue Crabs nd new and better ways to help local organizations raise
awareness and funds. In 2012, the Fundraising Program was revamped,
giving each participating organization the opportunity to earn 50%
back on each ticket sold. The Blue Crabs also introduced the “Pinch
Fund”- a season long initiative meant to raise awareness in specic
categories such as cancer research and youth sports. The Blue Crabs
also have a “Pinch onto Books” Reading Program, encouraging students
in the tri-county area and beyond to continue to read outside of the
classroom. Finally, Blue Crabs players and mascot Pinch, make hundreds
of community appearances each and every season including non-
prots, schools and other organizations.

ONLINE FUNDRAISING PROGRAM
Since 2008, hundreds of local organizations including non-prots,
schools, athletic teams and youth groups have teamed up with the
Blue Crabs to fundraise money for their group. In 2012 alone, over
200 groups took part in a fundraiser at Regency Furniture Stadium,
generating over $75,000 for the community. Two of the largest
fundraisers during the 2012 season were fundraisers for Sgt. Robert
Taylor, a fallen ocer from the Charles County Sheri’s Oce and a
fundraiser for Chris Clark, to help raise money for his medical costs. Each
fundraiser brought in over $5,000 in online ticket sales alone
www.somdbluecrabs.com
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“...48,000
additional
books were
read by kids
in Southern
Maryland!”
6
“SHORTIES GET IN FREE” PROGRAM
The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs provided thousands of children 12
and under with free Blue Crabs tickets for wearing their uniform to a
game! This program is meant to promote a healthy and active lifestyle
for kids through participation in sports and organized activities.

“PINCH ONTO BOOKS” READING PROGRAM
The “Pinch Onto Books” Reading Program began in 2008 with the
team’s inaugural season and has grown in both participation and
popularity ever year. In 2012, students in Charles, Calvert, St. Mary’s
and Prince George’s counties participated in this program. Students
had the opportunity to earn a free ticket to a Blue Crabs game and be
honored in a pre-game ceremony and parade around the eld for their
accomplishments.
In 2012, over 12,000 students completed the program and earned their
free ticket to the game! That means that over 48,000 additional books
were read by kids in Southern Maryland!
www.somdbluecrabs.com
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8
MASCOT & PLAYER APPEARANCES
During the 2012 season, the Blue Crabs players and Pinch, the mascot
made over 200 local and regional appearances. Pinch appears all over
town throughout the year, showing up at schools, festivals, parades and
charity events! Each April, the Blue Crabs also host “Community Caravan
Day”. Blue Crabs player spend the day with various groups including
special needs individuals, schools and hospitals to give back to the
community that they call home during the season.

www.somdbluecrabs.com
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10
SILVER SLUGGERS CLUB
The Silver Sluggers Club is the Blue Crab’s very own 50 & over club. For
only $25, members receive a ticket for each Tuesday home game and
a Silver Sluggers T-Shirt! Each Tuesday is also packed with additional
benets like throwing out a rst pitch and private meet and greet with
Blue Crab’s Manager, Patrick Osborn! In 2012, the Silver Sluggers had
over 400 members and is expected to grow in 2013.
BACKFIN BUDDIES
The Backn Buddies Club is the best deal in the ballpark and got even
better in the 2012 season. For only $15, children 13 and under received
a 5th season lunch box, a Field Box Ticket to every Sunday game, a
Chick-Fil-A Kids meal and plush cow! Every Sunday also featured new
activities just for members such as throwing out a rst pitch and hitting
a ball from home plate. Sundays also featured free Kids Park for all
children in attendance and post-game race the bases. Over 750 children
joined the Backn Buddies Club, making 2012 one of the biggest
membership years to date.

www.somdbluecrabs.com
11

Charitable Initiatives
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The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs have been a vehicle for fans to give
back to the community over the past ve seasons. In 2012 alone, with
the help of fans, Blue Crabs were able to raise over $100,000 to charities
in the surrounding area.
SEASON S LONG INITIATIVES: NRL FEDERAL CREDIT UNION:
SSTRIKEOUTS
FOR EDUCATION
New in 2012, NRL Federal Credit Union teamed up with the Southern
Maryland Blue Crabs to give back to the community in a unique way. For
every batter a Blue Crabs pitcher struck out, ve dollars was added to a
scholarship fund for a total of $1,500.

JERSEY AUCTIONS
Each year, the Blue Crabs host several jerseys auctions throughout the
season. These jerseys are worn by Blue Crabs players during a specic
game and raed o. Each winning fan goes down to the eld after the
game to get their jersey and picture taken with the players. In 2012, the
Blue Crabs raised over $50,000 through jersey auctions alone!
CHARITABLE NIGHTS
“Paint the Park Pink” has become a staple of Southern Maryland Blue
Crabs promotional schedule. Every season on a Saturday in July, the
park and the players are clad in pink to help support breast cancer
research and awareness. This year, the pink jersey auction raised over
$12,000 for Civista Health Foundation which went directly to breast
cancer research.
“In 2012, the Blue Crabs raised
over $50,000 through jersey
auctions alone!”
www.somdbluecrabs.com
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14
PINCH FUND: TAKE A “PINCH” OUT OF NEED
New in 2012, the Pinch Fund was introduced by the Blue Crabs to
give back to those organizations that have been supportive over the
past ve seasons. During the 2012 season, the Southern Maryland
Blue Crabs focused on a specic area of giving. The team featured
events, programs and a $1,000 donation to one organization that best
fullled the mission of the Pinch Fund. In addition, the one selected
organization each month received 50 tickets, a pre-game check
presentation and a marketing table on the Stadium concourse during
the game.
DONATIONS
During the 2012 season, the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs donated
over $20,000 in tickets and memorabilia to organizations in the area.
These donations allow for groups in the community to raise money for
their organizations through raes and silent auctions.

“...the Southern
Maryland Blue
Crabs donated over
$20,000 in tickets
and memorabilia to
organizations in the
area.”
www.somdbluecrabs.com
15

Stadium Events
16
Regency Furniture Stadium has become much more than just a baseball
stadium over the past ve seasons. Since 2008, hundreds of events have
been held at the ballpark such as charity walks, baseball camps, festivals,
concerts, weddings, corporate meetings and church services.
CHARITY WALKS
Charles County Relay for Life held their annual walk at Regency
Furniture Stadium in June. Dozens of teams set up their camp and
walked around the ballpark through the night to raise money and
awareness. The event raised over $50,000 from team and individual
donations.

Other 2012 Charity Walks include: Walk to End Alzheimer’s & Stand Up 2
Cancer Walk
BASEBALL C AMPS
Every year, the Blue Crabs host a baseball clinic here at Regency
Furniture Stadium. Players 7-13 are invited to participate in a two day
clinic during the summer. This year, over 50 children took advantage of
the opportunity to learn from the Blue Crabs players themselves. In the
past, the Charles County Sheri’s Sheri’s Oce Oce has also hosted a “Badges for
Baseball” Clinic at the stadium.
www.somdbluecrabs.com
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“Over 10,000 people came to the
stadium on Independence Day...”

CELEBRATE CHARLES! A FUN FILLED FOURTH
Regency Furniture Stadium is one of the largest venues in Charles
County, making it the perfect place for Charles County Government to
host their 4th of July event. Over 10,000 people came to the stadium on
Independence Day to enjoy live entertainment, great food, games and a
spectacular reworks show at the end of the night.
CELEBRATE CHARLES! FALL FESTIVAL
Charles County Government also hosted a Fall Festival here at
the ballpark on Saturday, October 27th. This festival featured live
entertainment, a vendor and craft fair on the concourse, food vendors
and a reworks reworks show to cap o o the night.
www.somdbluecrabs.com
19

Game Events
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The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs strive to create an atmosphere that
is fun for all! Each season features events for everyone including Bark
in the Park Nights, Scout Sleepovers, Character Appearances, Celebrity
Appearances and even nationwide entertainment acts!
PROMOTIONAL NIGHTS
Each season of Blue Crabs baseball is packed with promotional nights
to help keep fans coming back and involved in the team all summer!
Promotional nights feature exclusive giveaway items, unique jersey
and hats for the players, on-eld parades and ceremonies and in-
game entertainment! Some of the most popular promotional nights
at Regency Furniture Stadium are Bark in the Park, Paint the Park Pink
(breast cancer awareness night), Baseball in Education Days, Scout
Sleepovers and Business in Baseball Nights. This year featured several
giveaways including Pinch T-Shirt, Papa Pinch Gnome, Blue Crabs
Welcome Mat, Cowbell and a 5th Anniversary Hat!

SCOUT SLEEPOVERS
The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs host a Girl Scout and a Boy Scout
Sleepover each year at the stadium following a Friday night game. Over
1,500 scouts and their families attended in 2012. All scouts are honored
in a pre-game parade around the eld. Immediately following the
game, scouts and their families are allowed to set up their tents on the
outeld. A movie is then played and popcorn is served to all the scouts
in attendance.
www.somdbluecrabs.com
21

APPEARANCES
New for 2012, The Blue Crabs hosted a
Character Appearance series to bring more
family entertainment to the ballpark than
ever before. Throughout the season,
characters made appearances during
the game for photo opportunities.
Characters included Toy Story’s Buzz &
Woody, Batman, Sponge bob & Patrick
and The Avengers.
The 2012 season also featured two other appearances which brought
some of the biggest weekday attendances of the summer. On
Wednesday, June 27th, Dennis Haskins, Mr. Belding from Saved by the
Bell, appeared at the stadium for Teacher’s Appreciation Night at the
Ballpark. Fans had the opportunity to meet Dennis during the game and
then a few lucky fans got the opportunity to sing “Take Me Out to the
Ballgame” with him during the 7th inning stretch!
For the rst rst time in Blue Crab’s history, the
Cowboy Monkeys made an appearance on
Thursday, June 21st. These monkeys rode
into the stadium, putting on a great
show after the Blue Crabs defeated
the Somerset Patriots 5-3.
www.somdbluecrabs.com
23

Conclusion
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The rst ve ve seasons of Southern Maryland Blue Crabs baseball were
packed with milestones, player and team accomplishments and many
opportunities to give back to the surrounding community. The Blue
Crabs have the opportunity to showcase Regency Furniture Stadium
and the level of entertainment fans have grown to expect when they
host the All-Star Game on July 10th, 2013, bringing the best players
from the Atlantic League to Southern Maryland.