Babies and baseball in Brooklyn

To heck with "Star Wars Night," "Western Night" or any of those worn-out minor-league baseball promotions.

The Brooklyn Cyclones came up with a doozy Sunday that was called "Bellies and Baseball: A Salute to Pregnancy."

The New York-Penn League team, an affiliate of the New York Mets, offered a Lamaze class in center field before Sunday's game. Moms-to-be could run or walk around the bases without shoes before the game, and women in their third trimesters threw out ceremonial first pitches.

There also was a food station that served pickles, ice cream and Anchovy pizza: i.e., craving food. Any expectant mom who names her baby Brooklyn or Cy gets free Brooklyn Cyclones tickets for life.

Hey, anything to get your franchise's name out there works. This promotion definitely worked.

There are some creative thinkers on the Cyclones' staff apparently. Last week, the team changed its name to the "Baracklyn Cyclones" for a night, wearing red, white and blue jerseys with "Baracklyn Cyclones" on the front, in honor of our president. Barack Obama bobbleheads, with Obama wearing a Baracklyn Cyclones jersey also were distributed to the crowd.