Whole Lotta Love: Minor League team to wear Led Zeppelin jerseys Thursday

To me, outfitting your minor league baseball team with jerseys that depict a crashing zeppelin doesn’t exactly send an inspiring message. But it’s only for one night, and hey, it’s Led Zeppelin. It’s never a bad night to honor Robert Plant, John Bonham and the boys, as the West Michigan Whitecaps will prove on Thursday with Led Zeppelin Night. The Whitecaps, of the Class-A Midwest League, will wear the jersey depicted above when they take on the Lake County Captains at 7 p.m. Post-Game concert by Led Zeppelin … cover band, Oracle. Hey, I hear they’re good. Also, actual Led Zeppelin songs to be played all night on the loudspeakers. If you don’t end up dazed and confused, you weren’t there.
Anyway, it should draw a different sort of crowd than Star Wars Night.

Other swell Minor League promotions this week:
* Alligator Wrestling. Friday, Richmond Flying Squirrels (Eastern League). Flying Squirrels general manager Bill Paperniak will wrestle an alligator as part of a pregame exhibition. Also, various snakes and lizards will be on display on the concourse, and to complete the slimy reptile theme, there will be a sports agent petting zoo area.
* World Cup Night. Friday, Charlotte Stone Crabs (Florida State League). Yes, the Stone Crabs have admitted that the evil vuvuzela will be incorporated into the festivities … exactly how, I’m not sure. But if this begins a trend in American sports, you know which stadium to blow up.
* Million Dollar Man Appearance. Saturday, Lakewood BlueClaws (South Atlantic League). Come on down and meet Ted DiBiase, a holder of 30 assorted pro wrestling titles, but whose claim to fame was that he once tried to buy Andre the Giant’s championship belt. Boooo! BOOOO!
* Babies predict U.S.-Slovenia World Cup result. The Trenton Thunder held a series of on-field World Cup baby races recently, and here are the results of Group C:
1. USA (Alexander Dowling, 12 months)
2. Slovenia (Logan Mushinski, nine months)
3. Algeria (Kyle O’Donnell, nine months)
4. England (Eva Munoz, nine months)
Ha! In your face, foreign babies!
And finally …

Thanks to Benjamin Hill.