這和張艾嘉無關：說老實話，當一個棒球迷提到棒球，誰還理那環肥燕瘦的女性肉體呢？
這次去美國，進了三個球場，分別是 Yankees Stadum, Phillies 的 Citizen Bank Park, 還有，舊金山 Gaints 的 SBC Park.
而這三個球場所屬的球隊，最近都有大新聞：Yankees 的 A-Rod, 成為大聯盟史上最年輕的三百轟的球員：夭壽的是，他才二十七八而已；Pillies 的 Jim Thome，最近打出了四百轟，而且目前以二十三發全壘打領先大領盟，成為費城人人氣最火的明星；而 Gaints 的Bonds, 在打破了教父 Mays 的六百六十發之後，早就成為全世界棒球迷中的超級英雄．．．更不用說，二十世紀末的強打少年小葛瑞菲，在受傷三年後，今年以勢如破竹之勢快速累積到四百九十九發，然後在沈澱了幾天之後，在父親節（美國時間六月二十日）當一大打出眾人期待的五百發．．．那時，我正在 SPC Park 看 Jason Schmidt 一安打完封九十年沒有對陣過的 Boston Red Sox（一九一八年以後，這兩隊就沒有對陣過了）．．．
當大銀幕傳來小葛的五百發時，全場歡聲雷動，好像 Gaints 拿到世界冠軍一樣！！
不過全場我最開心的時候，當然還是 Berry Bonds 被故意四壞球保送的那一刻！！現在全聯盟的對手都知道，只是一壘是空的，二壘以上是有人的，沒有投手會願意投球給 Bonds 打，而我自己看到那一幕時，心中的感動真是無以言喻呀!
It's the record of baseball history! and I saw it ^^
照片上的那個小男生，坐在我的前方，手上拿著一隻 rubber chicken（橡皮雞），用力地揮舞，同樣地，本壘後方大約有幾百個球迷也是這樣作～～～原因是因為對手投手的膽小，just like a chicken，所以，有幾個球迷自發性起發起這個行動：而球場也在大銀幕用動畫搞了一群雞跑來跑去，還配上雞叫的聲音，真是好笑 ^^ 那次，是 Gaints 本季第六十八次被故意敬遠四死了（當然，大都是針對 Bonds 而來的：Bonds 個人就有五十二次，大幅領先大聯盟其他球隊的總合．．．第二名的紅雀隊，全隊只有三十二次呢 ^^）
球賽結束，我馬上去球場販賣部想要買那個小雞，可是，店員說．．．那個雞沒有地方賣，那是球迷自己去玩具店買的 >_< 我覺得非常奇怪，這麼有創意的商品，像美國人那麼會賺錢的民族，怎麼官方不賣呢？就好像孔慶祥的突然紅起來，或是道奇隊蓋尼”Game Over”的衣服（他已經連續八十一場沒有救援失敗了，現在只要他一出場教援，球場就打出：Game Over 的動畫，有點像台灣的凱撒說）．．．只要有一個賣點，應該就會被作成商品呀？
呵呵呵，結果，果然，這兩天官方貼出告示，以後舊金山的主場，將會有一個叫作：'Operation Cluck'（小雞行動）的運動，一隻”官方”發行的小雞（名字叫 Walk'er：弱者（保送）雞）賣十元美金，讓球迷可以在對手故意保送 Bonds 時可以揮動，叫囂，然後在右外野的牆上，會像北京烤鴨一樣，掛上一長串繩子，只要巨人被故意保送一次，就多掛一隻 Walk'er 在繩上．．．相當地好笑 ^^
相信我，我這次雖然沒趕上，可是全場球迷一起揮動 Walk'er 的景象，一定會在未來的 ESPN 中看到：如果全場有三萬隻 rubber chicken 一起揮動，那有多好看呀 ^^ 當然，那又是三十萬美金（大約一千萬台幣的生意了 ^^）～～～雖然，官方說那些錢會被捐到社區基金會去，可是，誰知道那天，那隻叫作 Walk'er 的小雞，會不會成為另一個像天使隊逆轉猴的熱賣商品，或是乾脆去拍電影，成為另一個電影英雄呢？
在行銷至上的美國，沒有什麼是不可能的 ^^
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06/20/2004 10:56 PM ET
Giants launch 'Operation Cluck'
Rubber chickens the rage to protest intentional walks
By Mark Thoma / MLB.com
A string of rubber chickens at SBC Park now keeps track of the Giants' intentional-walk total. (Chris Shuttlesworth/MLB.com)
SAN FRANCISCO -- If opposing managers are going to chicken out and intentionally walk Barry Bonds whenever possible, the Giants figure the spineless skippers might as well have some company.
In the culmination of a grassroots protest movement started by fans last year, the Giants on Monday begin selling "Walk'er," the team's official rubber chicken. Friday, the team added a string of chickens along the right-field wall, to which another rubber chicken is added whenever a Giant is intentionally walked.
At SBC Park, whenever a Giants hitter gets the four-finger salute from an opposing manager, hundreds of fans stand up and twirl rubber chickens above their heads. But since rubber chickens aren't exactly the most ubiquitous commodity, the Giants figured they should sell official poultry of protest at the park.
"We noticed last year that there was a rising trend, that fans were starting to get upset about so many intentional walks," Giants senior vice president of corporate marketing Mario Alioto said. "So we thought maybe there would be some way to help them protest the excessive use of the intentional walk.
"The bottom line, we want to have some fun, but it also gives fans a chance, in a fun way, to protest their frustration at not getting to see their favorite hitter swing the bat more often."
So, a few months ago, the Giants began planning "Operation Cluck." Its figurehead, Walk'er, is not your ordinary rubber chicken. He's got orange skin and a black comb, for one thing, and is a certified Giants fan, with the team logo tattooed on his back. He will be available for sale at stands inside and outside SBC Park.
Walk'er, the Giants official rubber chicken
At 21 inches and six ounces, Walk'er doesn't have the power to offer Bonds any help on the field, but he's pretty serious about fan support. The individually packaged, nonperishable fowl bears a sticker instructing fans on how to use him.
"At first sign of intentional walk, hold rubber chicken by the neck and wave it in the air (best if used between April and October)," the sticker reads.
In addition to being an activist for managerial reform, Walk'er is also a big presence in the community -- or, at least, he plans to be. A portion of Walk'er's $10 price benefits the Giants Community Fund.
The Giants also plan to add an intentional-walk counter to the string of chickens in right. It's all a part of Operation Cluck, which includes chicken-themed music and scoreboard animations.
Operation Cluck has its roots in fans like Betty Durango and Brent Pectol of San Carlos, who began bringing a rubber chicken to the park midway through the 2003 season.
"A few of us brought in these chickens last year, and it's kind of caught on here," Pectol said. "What else can you do? They won't let Bonds play the ballgame."
Bonds leads the Major Leagues in slugging percentage and is Major League Baseball's all-time leader in intentional walks and ranks third in career home runs. Bonds has more intentional walks this season (52) than any Major League team (St. Louis is a distant second with 32). Understandably, fans got tired of watching other teams back down from Bonds, and out came the chickens.
The idea caught on, and today it's not hard to find a fan with a rubber chicken at the ready. Bill Suoja of Dublin thinks Operation Cluck is a good way for fans to protest opposing managers' fowl tactics.
"That's the only way [fans] can vent their displeasure," Suoja said. "It's a good idea and you can have a lot of fun with it."
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