THE WET T-SHIRT PROMO

January 11, 2024

Good evening. This is Dead Legends. The baseball newsletter that slides into your inbox like Trea Turner.

Let’s dive in.

Today’s story is about a Braves promo that would cause national outrage if it happened in 2024.

It’s PG-13, so don’t read this one with the kids.

If you’ve been getting our emails for a while, we’ve covered a ton of terrible promo ideas.

From Ten Cent Beer Night to Disco Demolition Night and Hot Pants Day, there’s always one consistent theme.

Most of this crazy shit happened in the 70s.

Back then, some MLB owners would do just about anything to get fans to the ballpark, and the Atlanta Braves were no different.

Ted Turner acquired the team in ’76, and his PR Director, Bob Hope, came up with some pretty interesting ideas to boost attendance.

In an attempt to reach the young people, they did a series of promotions targeted at college kids.

Turner participated in a lot of the promos himself - including a pre-game baseball nose-pushing competition and an ostrich-powered chariot race.

But nothing was nearly as shameful as Wet T-Shirt Night.

Yes this actually went down at a Major League ballpark.

The game almost didn’t even happen because it rained for two hours prior.

Not a single one of the 11,451 horndogs in the stands left during the rain delay.

Instead, they stuck around to watch the Braves get annihilated 13-4, and more importantly to see some titties.

After the last out, the Braves announced that registration was open, and they finally gave the fans what they came to see.

43 women signed up, and ultimately, the contest was won by the daughter of a Methodist minister.

RIDICULOUS STATS

BASEBALL TRIVIA

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STRANGE NAMES

If you're just joining us, we play this game every day where we try to find the weirdest names throughout baseball history.

Why? Don't ask us, it's just something we like to do.

If you've been rocking with us for awhile now, you know what time it is.

Today's winner is:

Ed Benson Lytle aka “Dad” played 12 seasons of professional baseball, mostly in the minors.

His major-league career lasted less than a month, and during that time he couldn’t hit the side of a barn - batting .136 in 59 AB’s.

His best season was in 1895 when he played for the Wilkes-Barre Coal Barons and hit .336.

For the most part, Lytle is remembered for his fatherly vibes and his sweet mustache.

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