Minor League Team To Celebrate ‘Florida Man Night’ By Breaking State’s ‘Weird’ Laws Every Inning
The phenomenon of the “Florida man” has been around for quite some time, but on Tuesday, a simple tweet went viral, inspiring people from all over the world to Google the term plus their birthdays to see which Florida man they are, as reported by WPTV. It also appears that the world of minor league baseball will be joining in on the fun, as a Double-A team will reportedly be holding a special theme night in July to celebrate Florida’s unusual laws, as well as the men who allegedly broke them.
According to USA Today, the Miami Marlins’ Class AA affiliate, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, will be holding “Florida Man Night” on July 26, as the club’s game against the Biloxi Shuckers is set to feature “weird Florida [laws]” getting broken every inning, with the Jumbo Shrimp additionally promising a “lawyer in the house” during the game. In a Twitter post, the Jumbo Shrimp specified that the event will be sponsored by the Law Offices of John M. Phillips, a Jacksonville-based firm.
Also scheduled to appear at the event is Lane Pittman, who was the subject of many a “Florida man” headline in recent years when he stood outside, barefoot and shirtless, during multiple hurricanes while waving an American flag, as described by Mashable.
The team, however, is deliberately keeping quiet when it comes to the juiciest specifics of Florida Man Night, mainly the laws that are scheduled to be violated.
“We want our fans to come out and see which laws will be broken themselves,” said Scott Kornberg, media and public relations manager for the Jumbo Shrimp.
A baseball team is planning a special law-breaking night to pay tribute to ‘Florida Man’. https://t.co/VkHGrCZj8m pic.twitter.com/0puNXfDcfh
— Miami Herald Sports (@HeraldSports) March 19, 2019
According to The Miami Herald, this isn’t the first time the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp will be hosting Florida Man Night, as the minor-league club had the same promotion last year, where a man clad only in his boxers memorably jumped over the right-field wall. Furthermore, the Jumbo Shrimp also have several other theme nights scheduled for this year’s season, including Halfway to Pumpkin Spice Night on April 27, The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail (Sauce) Party on May 31, and Ramen Noodle Night on June 22.
One themed night from June 2016 also saw the Jumbo Shrimp giving away pregnancy tests to fans, in an event the team referred to as the “You Might Be The Father’s Day” game.
Per USA Today, it’s not just the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp who have been holding unusual themed events for minor league baseball fans. Last year, the Tampa Bay Rays’ Class AA affiliate, the Montgomery Biscuits, held a promotion called “Millennial Night,” where fans received participation ribbons and were invited to snap photos at selfie stations in a celebration of the perceived best — and worst — of millennial culture.
