Ozzie Smith, Budweiser Continue Campaign to Make MLB Opening Day a National Holiday

ST. LOUIS, March 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith, in partnership with Budweiser, is still on the campaign trail to make MLB Opening Day a holiday. With days until the March 26 deadline, the petition hosted at WhiteHouse.gov needs roughly 8,000 signatures to meet the 100,000 threshold warranting an Administration response.

Fans 21 and older are encouraged to visit Budweiser.com/OpeningDay to sign the petition and honor MLB Opening Day, which this year falls on March 31, as a day of national observance via presidential proclamation.

Smith launched the campaign last month from St. Louis Cardinals Spring Training with a video trumpeting the merits of Opening Day. The online series – supplemented by testimonials from a host of retired MLB players and coaches – continues with new content this week at Budweiser.com/OpeningDay and YouTube.com/Budweiser.

"We owe it to the generations before and ahead of us to nationally observe Opening Day as a holiday," said Smith. "Budweiser and baseball, what's more American than that?"

With today being the first day of spring, baseball fans are eagerly anticipating the start of a new MLB season. For centuries, sometimes obscure stats have helped define America's National Pastime and this year, as fans rally to make Opening Day a holiday, is no different. Here's a look at the numbers* behind MLB Opening Day 2014.

• 8,000 more signatures needed at WhiteHouse.gov to garner an official response from the Administration on making Opening Day a holiday
• 22 million Americans admit to having played hooky to watch or attend an Opening Day game
• 1,092 baseballs are used on Opening Day
• 1.3 million fans will attend Opening Day games in 2014
• 19,500 pounds of peanuts and 148,000 pounds of hot dogs will be consumed on Opening Day

For more information on joining Budweiser's movement to make Opening Day a holiday, visit Budweiser.com/OpeningDay.  

About Budweiser
Budweiser, an American-style lager, was introduced in 1876 when company founder Adolphus Busch set out to create the United States' first truly national beer brand – brewed to be universally popular and transcend regional tastes. Each batch of Budweiser follows the same family recipe used by five generations of Busch family brewmasters. Budweiser is a medium-bodied, flavorful, crisp and pure beer with blended layers of premium American and European hop aromas, brewed for the perfect balance of flavor and refreshment. Budweiser is made using time-honored methods including "kraeusening" for natural carbonation and Beechwood aging, which results in unparalleled balance and character. The brand celebrates great times and has used the phrase "Grab Some Buds" in advertising since 2010.

About Anheuser-Busch
Based in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch is the leading American brewer, holding a 47.7 percent share of U.S. beer sales to retailers. The company brews Budweiser and Bud Light, two of the world's largest-selling beers. Anheuser-Busch is a major manufacturer of aluminum cans and has been a leading aluminum recycler for more than 30 years. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the leading global brewer, and continues to operate under the Anheuser-Busch name and logo.  For more information, visit anheuser-busch.com.

* Numbers approximate. Provided by KRC Research, Rawlings Sporting Goods, Major League Baseball, Sportservice Management Services, and National Hot Dog and Sausage Council. For more information, visit newsroom.anheuser-busch.com.

Media Contact:
Jeff Grass, Budweiser
314.765.2126
[email protected]

Jen Crichton, Weber Shandwick
314.552.6788
[email protected]

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140320/CG87550-INFO

SOURCE Anheuser-Busch

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