Target Field Collectible and Make-a-Wish

Bob Ibach, a friend of mine who raises money for Make-a-Wish, forwarded this along to those of you that might be interested. I gotta say - the plaque sounds pretty cool. I've gone out an located the items on the site listed below. You can buy the ball here and the plaque here .

Oh, and check back later tonight for my first post following a week long vacation.

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For Immediate Release
Contacts: Bob Ibach (847-922-6686 or 941-312-4588)
Make-A-Wish Foundation of Minnesota: Jean Carlson (612-767-2764)

Only 5,000 Inaugural Season Baseballs to Be Produced

First Game at Twins New Ballpark
Signals New Era of Outdoor Baseball in Minnesota
Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Minnesota Will Also Benefit

Minneapolis – Finally a ballpark to call their very own.

When the Twins christen Target Field on Monday, April 12, against the visiting Boston Red Sox, it will mark the first time that the home team will be playing in a facility built ONLY for them. The Twins first home years ago, Metropolitan Stadium, was originally a minor league ballpark and the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome the past 28 seasons also served as a football stadium.

This is the sixth ballpark in franchise history since its start as the Washington Senators and the 39,504 seat open-air ballpark in the Warehouse District north of downtown Minneapolis between 5th and 7th Streets promises to be one of the best parks in all of baseball. The park was built by the same group that constructed Oriole Park at Camden Yards, PNC Park in Pittsburgh and AT&T Park in San Francisco—all considered among the elite sites in major league baseball.

To celebrate this great moment in Minnesota sports history, and to also raise awareness and money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Minnesota, which grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions, Nikco Sports announced a program that will allow Twins fans to own a unique piece of history.

A limited edition baseball featuring a stunning color photo of the new Target Field on one of the panels, and important historic information printed on the other panels, along with the official Inaugural Season logo is being produced to commemorate the first game at the new ballpark on April 12. Only 5,000 baseballs will be made, priced at $39.95, and each comes with a handsome acrylic display case. From each sale, $4 will go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Minnesota.

In addition, a limited edition framed photo plaque that features a picture of the new Target Field, along with a special inset photo of Twins All-Star catcher and fan favorite Joe Mauer and a piece of actual dirt from the ballpark’s new infield will also be made available to fans. Only 2,010 double matted photos will be produced, and each comes with an engraved nameplate. It is priced at $89.95. Fans can order either commemorative at 1-800-345-2868 or by visiting www.nikcosports.com.

In recent years, Nikco Sports has raised more than $1.7 million for children’s charities, including several projects in Minnesota.

One panel on the Inaugural Season Target Field baseball will feature a colorful panoramic shot of the new facility that captures the essence of the outdoor playing field. The official Inaugural Season stadium logo is positioned on another panel. A third panel lists the championship history of the franchise, including the three World Series titles won in 1991, 1987 and 1924 when the team was in Washington. It also lists the six American League pennants (1991, 1987, 1965, 1933, 1925 and 1924) along with Central Division/Western Division crowns.

A separate panel contains information on the new ballpark, including capacity, (39,504), the date of groundbreaking (2007), the April 12 first game date against Boston, and the field dimensions to left, center and right.

The framed and double matted photo plaque measures 15 x 17 inches and will feature a colorful stadium shot in the center. Along the bottom left of the presentation is an action shot of Joe Mauer and to the right is an engraved nameplate and a small capsule of dirt that is authenticated and taken from the Target Field infield under MLB supervision.

“Twins fans have eagerly waited for this historic ballpark opening for quite some time, and this is something every Twins fan will want to celebrate and remember,” noted Nikco Sports CEO and president Craig Bidner. We hope this will be a moment for Twins fans to remember for years to come, and also advance the funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Minnesota as they continue to help youngsters who have life-threatening medical conditions.”

Many of Nikco Sports’ projects have honored amateur and professional teams (Super Bowl, World Series, NBA, NHL, NASCAR and NCAA) and have recognized some of the greatest athletes such as (baseball) Ozzie Smith, Kirby Puckett, Ryne Sandberg, Randy Johnson, Ichiro, Paul Molitor, Pedro Martinez, Greg Maddux, Cal Ripken, Jr., Jim Thome, Adam Dunne, Nolan Ryan, Ken Griffey, Jr. and Edgar Martinez; (football) Peyton Manning, John Elway, Dan Marino, Troy Aikman, Jim Kelly, Jerome Bettis, Ben Roethlisberger, Carson Palmer, Steve Young, Brett Favre, Emmitt Smith and Kurt Warner; (basketball) Magic Johnson, LeBron James, John Stockton, David Robinson, Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas; (motor sports) Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt, Jr.; (hockey) Brett Hull; (golf) Tiger Woods.

About the Make-A-Wish Foundation
The Make-A-Wish Foundation® grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. First started in 1980 when a group of caring individuals helped a young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer, the Foundation is now the largest wish-granting charity in the world, with 65 chapters in the U.S. and its territories. With the help of generous donors and nearly 25,000 volunteers, the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants more than 12,600 wishes a year and has granted more than 168,000 wishes in the U.S. since inception.