In St. Paul, Gordon Wittenmyer reported that Twins fans
"began lining up outside the Metrodome before 8 a.m." for
Saturday's 6:05pm CT game, when 5,000 bobblehead dolls of
former player Kent Hrbek were given away. The dolls were
"gone in about 15 minutes," but the promo "came off with
little of the trouble that plagued the first Bobblehead Doll
Night" a week earlier (see THE DAILY, 6/12). The "supplies
will be doubled to 10,000 each of the final two nights" of
the promo -- July 21 and August 13 (PIONEER PRESS, 6/18).
In Minneapolis, Lucy Her reported that some fans "bought the
least-expensive tickets ... just to get the doll. Some
people, the Twins reported, accepted their dolls, turned
around and left." The "official attendance figure" was
announced at 19,404, "more than 8,000 higher" than the
season average (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 6/18).
ARLI$$' AMBUSH: In N.Y., Phil Mushnick wrote that HBO's
"Arli$$" is "currently being promoted through a raunchy ad
campaign, aimed at the crotch, of course, in newspapers,
magazines and even on signage that appears around [N.Y.].
It's ambush advertising, designed to be obscene and seen by
everyone -- kids, too -- whether they like it or not. How
proud the HBO folks must be to have decorated our fair city
in such a way" (N.Y. POST, 6/18).
NASCAR: In Pittsburgh, Ron Cook reported that Chip
Ganassi taking over Felix Sabates' NASCAR team July 1 is
"official" (Pittsburgh POST-GAZETTE, 6/18). In
Philadelphia, Pete Schnatz reported that Ganassi is
"expected to buy up to" 80% of Team Sabco. But Sabates will
"continue to concentrate on sponsorship and other business
aspects of the team." It is "expected" that Ganassi will
"shake up everything from equipment to personnel, presumably
including current drivers" Sterling Marlin and Kenny Irwin
(PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 6/18)....In NC, Mike Mulhern cites
sources as saying that if Home Depot doesn't return as the
primary sponsor of driver Tony Stewart and the Joe Gibbs-
owned No. 20 Winston Cup Pontiac, MBNA "could become" the
team's sponsor (WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL, 6/19).
