One of the best experiences for fans who attend Baltimore Orioles games, or an MLB game in general, is the giveaways at the gate.
There are some fun collaborations done throughout the season, and on June 28, fans are going to be treated to a special one.
That has been designated as Marvel Day at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, so the team has collaborated with the company for a unique, one-of-a-kind bobblehead giveaway.
Fans who attend that game will get a Cal Ripken Jr. Iron Man bobblehead, a nod to the incredible streak that he put together during his career. He holds the record for most consecutive games played with 2,632.
It was a streak that began on May 30, 1982 and lasted until Sept. 20, 1998. He broke the record previously held by New York Yankees legend Lou Gehrig, who played in 2,130 consecutive games, which Rikpen surpassed on Sept. 6, 1995.
That makes this collaboration between the Orioles and Marvel a perfect one, combining their Iron Mans to create a unique bobblehead baseball and comic books will both love.
The Orioles announced this Cal Ripken Jr. Iron Man bobblehead giveaway as part of their Marvel Day promotion June 28. pic.twitter.com/CGjXfjSalD
— Matt Weyrich (@ByMattWeyrich) April 8, 2025
Ripken’s streak is considered one of the most unbreakable records in sports. Given the change in how teams handle players nowadays, with rest days built in regardless of how well someone is performing, it is rare to see MLB players partake in 162 games in an entire season, let alone approach four figures.
In his 21-year career, all spent with the Orioles, Ripken won the Rookie of the Year Award, was a two-time MVP and 19-time All-Star. Two Gold Glove Awards and eight Silver Sluggers are also part of his resume.
Arguably his biggest achievement was when he helped Baltimore win the World Series in 1983.
The bobblehead giveaway is just the most recent thing that the franchise has done to improve the fan experience at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Over the offseason, they announced an affordable option for fans who want to purchase food or beverages.
The Birdland Value Menu includes eight food items and five drinks. Nothing is priced more than $6 and all of the food is $4 or less.
Most recently, they also revealed that they will be offering affordable tickets to students looking to attend games.
The Birdland Student Pass will provide fans who are 18 years or older with a valid student email address to receive text alerts providing access to tickets that cost only $10.
Five dates in April have been announced and there will be more later in the season as well.
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The Dallas Cowboys extended one of their stars Sunday, just not the one fans wanted them to pay. At Cowboys training camp Saturday, Dallas fans serenaded owner Jerry Jones with "Pay Micah [Parsons]" chants. The EDGE, of course, is set to play on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract this season. Jones must not have been listening. He gave tight end Jake Ferguson a new contract instead. Dallas and the 26-year-old pass-catcher agreed to a four-year, $52M contract extension, via NFL Media's Ian Rapoport. This move seems head-scratching. Parsons has won the 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year and earned two first-team All-Pro nods since the Cowboys took him with pick No. 12 in the 2021 NFL Draft. The 26-year-old EDGE also finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Ferguson, meanwhile, is solid but not elite. In three seasons with the Cowboys, the 2022 fourth-round pick has made one Pro Bowl and has never finished with more than 761 receiving yards in a season. An extension for Parsons will devour future cap space. The Cowboys may be worried about that after giving quarterback Dak Prescott (four years, $240M) and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (four years, $136M) long-term deals in 2024. Pittsburgh Steelers EDGE T.J. Watt signed a lucrative three-year, $123M extension on July 17, making him the league's highest-paid non-QB. Parsons could command a similar contract. If cap space is Dallas' primary concern, however, why would it extend Ferguson? He's now set to be the NFL's seventh-highest-paid TE. The Cowboys waited to extend Lamb and Prescott just before the start of the 2024 season. They may be doing the same with Parsons. The star defender has said, "Ownership is always gonna make [contract negotiations] drag out." Regardless, the Cowboys should've paid Parsons before Ferguson. That's a much bigger priority for the team.
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