We’ll have a jam-packed Thirsty Thursday when the BlueClaws return home next week: not only with the $1 beer and 50-cent wings and the Surf Taco but Andre Dawson, Baseball Hall of Famer to be, will sign autographs at that July 1st game.

Plus, we’ll have the usual PNC Bank Arts Center ticket giveaway, this time to see Chicago and the Doobie Brothers on July 9th.

Be sure to arrive early if you’re looking for Dawson’s autograph.

Note the picture on the right of the man wearing his Thirsty Thursday Club T-Shirt! Details about getting yours here.

Now, enjoy the movie.

We are two days away from our next Thirsty Thursday (and first since May 27th so I hope you’re ready)…As usual, we will be giving away tickets, thanks to PNC Bank Arts Center, and this week we have two pairs: Lynyrd Skynyrd and Weird Al (separate concerts).

Some important things to remember…

• Thirsty Thursdays are now on Facebook. Become a fan by clicking here.
• If you’re coming out in a group, and you want a free t-shirt, join the Thirsty Thursday Club. Click here for an order form.
• Essentially, as follows: each member of the Thirsty Thursday Club receives a free-t-shirt (click here).
• Since each Thirsty Thursday club membership comes with 10 undated Thursday tickets, a popular use has been for those who bring five or so people out to Thirsty Thursday. Use five tickets on two different games and away you go!
• Now, onto more fun things…

Are you ready for the World Cup? The BlueClaws are. One week from tonight the BlueClaws will host their annual Soccer Night, featuring an appearance from members of the New York Red Bulls and Sky Blue FC.

BlueClaws players will be wearing special World Cup soccer jerseys which will be auctioned off and there will be an autograph signing from the soccer players.

Plus, it’s a Thirsty Thursday, with a ticket giveaway from PNC Bank Arts Center in the WRAT Trap (two pairs: Weird Al Yankovic and Lynard Skynyrd).

More information on Soccer Night here.

The BlueClaws, Shore Point Distributors, and Jersey Shore Metromix will host a Beer Tasting at the June 16th BlueClaws game at FirstEnergy Park. Essentially, as follows:

You will be able to sample over 15 types of beer over a 90 period (6:30 to 8 pm) and, at the same time, enjoy an all-you-can eat BlueClaws picnic at the same time.

The BlueClaws host three of these events throughout the course of the season (July 21 and August 18).

Each is $34.95 and includes the unlimited beer and food plus the best view in the house, from the CF picnic area.

More info here.

This week’s Thirsty Thursday ticket giveaway is Weird Al, who plays at PNC Bank Arts Center on June 27th. We’ll have those tickets out for raffle in the WRAT Trap, plus the usual suspects ($1 beer, $1 soda, 50-cent wings).

Don’t forget about the partnership with Surf Taco. They sell tacos at Thirsty Thursday and if the BlueClaws score seven runs or more and win, bring your GA (or Thirsty Thursday Club) ticket to surf taco for a free taco!

Thirsty Thursday on Facebook here. Photos from last week’s Thirsty Thursday here.

Enjoy Weird Al.

The WRAT Trap will be buzzing this upcoming homestand at FirstEnergy Park, starting with…Thirsty Thursday, of which there are two (May 20 and 27) over the next two weeks.

• Thirsty Thursday (May 20): $1 beer, soda, 50-cent wings…also, note our new partnership with Surf Taco.
• Info on the Thirsty Thursday Club here, but you can get that t-shirt, plus 10 undated tickets for Thursday home games (ie bring a group of your friends out but you get the t-shirt).
• Friday Happy Hour (May 21): As always on Fridays, we’ll have half-priced drinks and live music from 6-7 pm.
• Saturday Happy Hour (May 22): Similar, we’ll have live music and a happy hour before every Saturday home game (this one from 3-4 pm), on Saturday’s too, thanks to the Local Shack.
• Thirsty Thursday (May 20): $1 beer, soda, 50-cent wings…also, note our new partnership with Surf Taco, so we go full circle to wrap up what will be a fun homestand.

While you always root for the BlueClaws, those of you that enjoy the game from the Sod Squad now have a bigger reason to cheer.

If the BlueClaws score seven or more runs and win, then anyone with a Sod Squad ticket can exchange the ticket for a free taco within one week at a local Surf Taco location.

They will sell tacos at Thirsty Thursdays. On top of that, Surf Taco will now also sell tacos to those enjoying Thirsty Thursday in the Coors Light WRAT Trap. That’s in addition to the $1 beer, $1 soda, and 50-cent wings.

From Surf Taco’s website: After years of living in and traveling to exotic lands, we have compiled the freshest and healthiest recipes to give your taste buds the ultimate experience. Guaranteed to have something for everyone, our coastal cuisine menu features our unique blend of Surf Mex Tacos, burritos, wraps and salads.

Locations: Long Branch, Lacey, Silverton, Seaside Park, Manasquan, Belmar, Jackson, Point Pleasant.

We are hosting our 2nd Thirsty Thursday of the year tonight, with $1 beer and 50-cent wings in the Coors Light WRAT Trap. 95.9 WRAT will be out there tonight and the weather is perfect.

As a reminder, you can become a fan of Thirsty Thursday on Facebook here. Upload your pictures for a chance to win some BlueClaws prizes.

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The BlueClaws are on Twitter @BlueClaws.

Quick heads up, we’ll have a Thirsty Thursday this week, our second of the year, plus the first Friday Happy Hour too. Details below:

Thursday

• $1 beer and soda plus 50-cent wings in the Coors Light WRAT Trap.
• Raffle for tickets to see Toby Keith perform at the PNC Bank Arts Center (we’ll raffle off tickets at every Thirsty Thursday).
• Info on the Thirsty Thursday Club and the pictured t-shirt here.

Friday

• Pre-game Happy Hour, with live music and half-priced drinks from 6-7 pm.
• Post-game fireworks, as usual, thanks to Toyota/Scion World of Lakewood.
• Here is information on WRAT Trap entertainment in 2010.

See you in the WRAT Trap.

Some quick hitters on the BlueClaws, on and off the field.

• Yankees and Mets affiliates will be in town next week. Charleston, the Yankees affiliate, is in Monday through Thursday and Savannah, the Mets affiliate, is in Friday through Monday.
• Next Sunday, we’ll have the post-game pink jerseys, auctioned off live after the game. Anyone remember who brought in the most money in last year’s pink jersey auction?
• Click here to see the full list of special jerseys the BlueClaws will auction off in 2010.
• Next Thursday is Thirsty Thursday (and there will be a Toby Keith ticket raffle (June 19th at PNC Bank Arts Center).
• Then next Friday, the first Friday Happy Hour of the year, with 1/2 price drinks and live music from 6 – 7 pm in the WRAT Trap. Details on the music here.

And some baseball stuff…

• We mentioned the hitting streaks in the last post.
• Looking forward to seeing Colby Shreve pitch tonight. It’s the first pro start for the 2008 6th round pick. He had Tommy John Surgery in May of that year, and didn’t make his pro debut until Monday, when he gave up a home run to the first batter he faced. He was considered a 2nd round guy until he had the surgery, and the Phillies obviously were impressed enough to take him and wait two years.
• How about those Clearwater Threshers? In first place in the Florida State League. Here are their stats. Justin De Fratus, with Lakewood last year, has been closing for them.
• With Brad Lidge returning tomorrow night (he leads Clearwater in starts by the way), 2007 BlueClaws LHP Antonio Bastardo has been optioned to Lehigh Valley.

Attention music fans…we have a couple of things on BlueClaws.com that we think you’ll like.

First, May 22nd is our annual Concert Ticket Extravaganza, where you can win tickets to area music shows for this summer. Included in this year’s listing, which will grow, are Lady Gaga, Bon Jovi, and Jimmy Buffett.

Click here to see the list of what we have so far (it will grow).

Second, this summer in the WRAT Trap, we’ll have a number of different performers who earn their spot through competitions at the Local Shack, a Lakewood restaurant whose mission is to discover and develop young musical artists.

Click here to see that list and for information on how you can be a part.

New for 2010: The BlueClaws have partnered with the Local Shack, a Lakewood restaurant, to help provide entertainment for Friday and Saturday games at the Coors Light WRAT Trap.

You can audition, if you think you have what it takes, at the Local Shack through different formats, including an American Idle style competition and a Battle of the Bands competition.

To audition or for more information on the Local Shack, contact Peter Jester at 908-783-0037.

In addition, the BlueClaws will also be providing entertainment (Enjoy’s acoustic duo and the Basso Brothers) at various Thirsty Thursdays throughout the summer. Enjoy (full band) plays a Bruce Springsteen set on Springsteen Appreciation Night (July 10th) and The Snakes play an Irish set on Irish Heritage Night (August 14th).

Reminder: Book your Thirsty Thursday Club membership by April 21st and get a $10 gift card to Monmouth Mall (details here). That’s in addition to the other benefits like a free t-shirt.

Good luck.

Here is a quick offer for fans of BlueClaws Thirsty Thursdays: anyone who joins the Thirsty Thursday Club before April 21st at 5 pm (the day before our 2010 TT debut), will get a FREE $10 gift card to Monmouth Mall.

That’s in addition to the other benefits, which are as follows:

• 10 GA tickets good on Thursdays (use one at 10 games, use two at five games, or use all 10 at once)
• FREE t-shirt (shown)
• Membership card that entitles bearer to drink specials at several non-Thursday home games.

Order form here. Order online here. Or call 732-901-7000 option 2.

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If you missed it last week, we announced a first round WRAT Trap entertainment schedule here. Eight of the 12 Thursdays will have live music, as will Friday Happy Hours and Saturday Happy Hours.

Much of the Friday/Saturday entertainment will be provided this year by the Local Shack, a Lakewood restaurant that will select musicians to play the WRAT Trap through various contests. For more information on how to audition, please call Peter Jester at 908-783-0037.

You may have been a member of the Thirsty Thursday group we set up on Facebook. We’re moving.

Click here to become a fan of BlueClaws Thirsty Thursdays on Facebook today. By the way, our BlueClaws fan page is closing in on 3,100!

For more information on Thirsty Thursday and the Thirsty Thursday Club, click here.