15 Biggest Spring Training Publicity Stunts in Baseball History

Spring training is a time for a whole lot of new.

Each year, every team in Major League Baseball starts with a clean slate. Last year's record doesn't mean a thing anymore, and each team is on equal footing, looking to gain an edge over their opponents with a variety of new players, innovative coaching and sometimes just a tad bit of luck.

However, spring training is also a time to generate fan interest as well. Through various promotions and announcements, MLB teams look to sell tickets for the coming season, and through the years, there have been some unique marketing tactics that teams have employed to do just that.

Here is a look at some of the biggest publicity stunts pulled off by major league teams during spring training.

California Angels Owner Gene Autry Leads Team into Palm Springs on Bicycles

Former Los Angeles Angels owner Gene Autry was known as the Singing Cowboy, recording over 600 songs and starring in over 100 movies during his long and illustrious career.

Autry wasn't averse to public relations when it came to his team, either.

At the beginning of spring training in late February, 1962, Autry led his entire Angels team into downtown Palm Springs on bicycles, riding down the main street on their way to Palm Springs Polo Grounds, the team's main training facility.

According to former player Buck Rodgers, the stunt was pulled off the next day as well, but residents of Palm Springs were reporting that abandoned bicycles had been left in strange places throughout the city.

"Bicycles were everywhere," Rodgers said at the time. "It wasn't unusual for some Palm Springs citizen to discover a bicycle in his backyard."

Jim Palmer's Failed Comeback Attempt in 1991

At the time, this may not have been considered a publicity stint, but it certainly was an embarrassment.

In February 1991, it was announced that Baltimore Orioles pitcher Jim Palmer, who had just been inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame seven months earlier, was going to attempt a comeback.

Palmer was 45 at the time and hadn't thrown a baseball in over seven years. Yet the Orioles went along with his wishes.

Palmer faced the Boston Red Sox in a Grapefruit League game in early March, giving up five hits and two runs in two innings, with a fastball that barely touched 80 MPH. Palmer promptly gave up his comeback effort after that  performance.

While it may not have been viewed or promoted as a publicity stunt, it was no doubt a really bad idea.

Oakland Athletics Sign Manny Ramirez

When the Oakland Athletics announced that they had signed Manny Ramirez to a $500,000 contract, the shock waves could be felt from Oakland down the San Andreas fault and back again.

To say that reaction was all over the map concerning Manny's signing is a vast understatement. Some see it as low risk/high reward, as the A's will actually only commit roughly $380K after Manny serves his 50-game suspension for a second offense in violation of MLB's drug policy. Indeed, if Manny rediscovers the swing that produced 555 HR and a .312 lifetime batting average, it would be a no-brainer.

However, others point to Oakland's youth movement and the fact that Manny takes away at-bats from younger stars looking to make their mark. Surely, Manny won't be around much longer than a year anyway, further stagnating potential young bats from maturing.

Whatever your take on the Manny signing, it was clearly an "Omigod, did you hear what Oakland did?" moment, with many viewing it as strictly a PR move by the Athletics.

Teenage Girl Strikes out Both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig

In 1931, the New York Yankees were heading back north after spring training and were scheduled to stop during the way and play an exhibition game against the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts.

In the first inning of the game, the starting pitcher for the Lookouts gave up two hits and the Lookouts manager replaced him with 17-year-old left-hander Jackie Mitchell.

While the switch in pitchers in itself wasn't unusual, what was unusual was the fact that Mitchell was a woman.

The first Yankee that Mitchell faced was none other than Babe Ruth. After taking a ball from Mitchell, Ruth swung and missed at the next two offerings, and then Mitchell reared back and fired another pitch, which Ruth let pass for a called third strike.

The very next batter, Lou Gehrig, struck out on three straight pitches.

There probably aren't too many pitchers in history who can claim to have struck out Ruth and Gehrig back-to-back, let alone a 17-year-old girl.

Casey Stengel Introduces Future New York Mets "Faces of the Franchise"

In 1962, the New York Mets embarked on their very first season, and they were being led by 71-year-old manager Casey Stengel.

Famed sports journalist and author Robert Lipsyte was covering the Mets during their first spring training in St. Petersburg, Florida. He fondly recalled a moment during camp when Stengel completely bamboozled the entire New York press corps.

"

With a straight face, he (Stengel) introduced his two worst rookies to the press as the future face of the franchise. Their fame was affirmed in the next day’s issues of the seven daily New York City newspapers. The youngsters were soon cut and never heard from again.

"

SI Senior Writer Tom Verducci Suits Up for Toronto Blue Jays

Nowadays, Sports Illustrated senior writer and MLB Network personality Tom Verducci reports on the inner happenings of the baseball world. However, in 2005, Verducci was part of the inner happenings.

That particular year, Verducci participated as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays in spring training, spending five days working out with the likes of Vernon Wells, Eric Hinske and Frank Catalanatto, and taking batting practice swings against Roy Halladay and Miguel Bautista.

On his fifth day in camp, Verducci made an appearance in an intrasquad, popping out to first base in his only at-bat against youngster Chad Gaudin.

Verducci was given his unconditional release immediately after the game.

It was a good thing he already had a day job.

Source: Sports Illustrated

The Introduction of the Orange Baseball

In the spring of 1973, Oakland Athletics owner Charlie Finley came up with what he thought was a brilliant idea—the introduction of an orange baseball.

Finley saw two advantages to an orange baseball. First, fans could follow the ball easier because of its brighter color, and second, batters could pick up the ball better coming from a background of a white uniform on the pitcher.

The ball was used only once, in an A's exhibition game loss to the Cleveland Indians. Players loudly complained about the orange ball, and it was immediately retired.

Kevin Costner Escaping His Field of Dreams and Entering Reality

In March 2002, the San Bernardino Stampede, the Single-A minor league team in the Seattle Mariners' farm system, participated in an exhibition game against the Mariners. Their starting shortstop that day? None other than actor Kevin Costner.

Costner, known for his appearances in the legendary baseball films Bull Durham, Field of Dreams and For Love of the Game, didn't exactly shine on a real baseball diamond. He was 0-for-3 at the plate and committed an error.

However, in the ninth inning, Costner was called upon to pitch, and Mariners' manager Lou Piniella decided to insert himself as a pinch-hitter. Piniella, 58 at the time, was sent to the ground by Costner's first pitch.

“We try to tell our players not to charge the mound, and I’ve got to set the example,” Piniella said, who was known to be just a bit feisty during his days as a player and manager. Piniella ended up taking a four-pitch walk.

Bruce Hornsby Is an Angel for a Day

In the spring of 1997, singer Bruce Hornsby, who gained fame with his group Bruce Hornsby and the Range and later with the Grateful Dead, lived his dream for one day with the Anaheim Angels.

Hornsby played in one exhibition game for the Angels, appearing as a pinch runner for Kevin Bass. In exchange for the Angels' generosity, Hornsby used the sound of pitcher Mark Langston's fastball hitting the catcher's mitt in a track for a future song.

Langston met Hornsby ten years earlier, and the two became fast friends, hence Hornsby's appearance at a major league camp.

1921 Yankees Move Spring Training to Shreveport, Louisiana

The New York Yankees of the early 1920s were known to be a group of hard partiers and rabble rousers, and ownership at the time attempted to do something about it.

In the spring of 1921, Yankee owners decided to move spring training from its normal home in Jacksonville, Florida all the way to Shreveport, Louisiana. Owners apparently hoped that the isolation would help their team concentrate more on baseball than on drinking and other extracirricular activities.

It didn't quite work. Babe Ruth, who was one of the leading rabble rousers, purchased a car and led his teammates through the back roads of Louisiana fueled by high octane licquor.

Magnum Goes to Motown

During his days portraying private investigator Thomas Magnum in the CBS series Magnum, P.I., actor Tom Selleck would often be seen on the show sporting a Detroit Tigers cap.

In 1991, Selleck got his chance to show the Tigers his stuff.

In an exhibition game against the Cincinnati Reds, Selleck suited up for the Tigers and faced pitcher Tim Layana.

Layana had been instructed to throw nothing but heat to Selleck. However, Selleck fouled off several pitches before finally striking out.

Billy Crystal Becomes a Designated Hebrew for the New York Yankees

Throughout his life, actor and comedian Billy Crystal has been as diehard a New York Yankees fan as there has ever been. In 2008, Crystal lived his dream for one day with his team of choice.

On March 12, 2008, Crystal signed a one-day contract with the Yankees, and the following day, Crystal appeared in an exhibition game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Leading off the game as the designated hitter, or, as Crystal put it, the "Designated Hebrew," he struck out on a full-count against Pirates pitcher Paul Maholm and was replaced by Johnny Damon.

The following day, Crystal was released on his 60th birthday.

The Curious Case of Sidd Finch

During spring training in 1985, it was being widely reported that the New York Mets were trying out a pitcher who could supposedly throw a ball 168 MPH—that's right, 168 MPH.

His name was Hayden "Sidd" Finch, and he was supposedly trying to decide whether or not to pursue a career in baseball or follow his lifelong passion of playing the French horn.

Turns out that Finch was the figment of an elaborate imagination by none other than famed writer George Plimpton, who once tried out for the Detroit Lions as a backup quarterback.

Garth Brooks Takes San Diego by Storm

During his recording career, country music legend Garth Brooks has sold 128 million record, second all-time to legendary Elvis Presley. But for Brooks, recording a hit came a lot easier than getting a hit.

Brooks, who starred on his high school baseball team and went to Oklahoma State on a track scholarship, was offered a tryout by the San Diego Padres in 1998. Brooks appeared in two games as a pinch runner, and was invited back by the Padres the following year.

However, Brooks found out quickly the vast difference between high school and professional baseball. Brooks was 1-for-22 that spring. He would also make spring training appearances for the New York Mets (2000) and Kansas City Royals (2004), finishing his exhibition career with a robust .048 batting average.

Brooks' spring training efforts weren't a total wash, however. His appearances benefited his non-profit Touch 'Em All Foundation, raising millions for various children's charities.

Michael Jordan and His Transformation to Baseball

In June 1993, NBA basketball legend Michael Jordan was on top of the world. His Chicago Bulls had just won their third consecutive NBA title and Jordan's popularity as a basketball icon was at an all-time high.

Just a few short months later, Jordan abruptly retired from the NBA, citing a loss of desire to continue playing the game he loved. The following March, Jordan announced he was back in sports—however, this time, as a baseball player.

Jordan signed a contract with the Chicago White Sox, and was assigned to the Double-A Birmingham Barons. Jordan wasn't terrible, but he wasn't very good, either, finishing the season with a .202 batting average, three HR, 51 RBI and 30 stolen bases.

Jordan was back with the Bulls a year later.

Doug Mead is a featured columnist with Bleacher Report. His work has been featured on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, SF Gate, CBS Sports, the Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle. Follow Doug on Twitter, @Sports_A_Holic.