Green Hats

• Florida: 6
• Phillies: 2
• Sold: 144 beers/42 water

The Phillies know how to do a promotion. When they hand out a freebie at the gate, it isn't to the first 10,000 or the first 20,000 to show up, it's everyone. Tonight was "Irish Heritage Night," so everyone got a free green "Phillies Shamrock Cap" with a little four-leaf clover on the bill and a Phillies "P" front and center. On the back: "ProAir HFA/(albuterol sulfate)/Inhalation Aerosol." Which cap everyone, Irish or not, dutifully wore as if it were a late May St. Patrick's day. This handout was part of "Teva Respiratory Asthma Awareness Night," which didn't seem to generate as much buzz or appreciation, and no one handed out free sandals as part of the promotion. But "Teva" in this case appears to refer to "Teva Specialty Pharmeceuticals," a subsidiary of a Pennsylvania-based generics manufacturer, not the maker of neo-hippie footwear. Even without the supposed shoemaker's involvement, it was a strange mix of promotional partners: a pharma company pushing an asthma inhaler via free cap on Irish heritage night. Are the Irish more prone to respiratory problems than anybody else?

Vendors are strictly forbidden from swiping any swag during these promotions, but I got mine when a saucy warhorse of a woman tried to buy a beer off of me for four dollars. "See?" she said, clutcing four singles and the cap in her hand. "It's all I have."

Throw in that hat and you've got a deal, I said.

And the deal was struck. I plan on making it part of my Phillies uniform from now on, though I'm still keeping my standard-issue Citizens Bank Park cap on hand as a backup, just in case I get scolded for breaking protocol.
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