Tote Bag Features 'Good-Looking' Tigers Manager Brad Ausmus
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
CBS DETROIT - It's no secret Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus, 45, has a special appeal to some members of the female demographic.
Anyone who questions that fact can just check out the Twitter caption of this shirtless photo from what the manager now terms an ill-conceived photo shoot from back in his days as a major league catcher.
Thanks to a new item offered on the online marketplace Etsy, ladies who love the Tigers -- and/or just the team's dark-haired manager -- have one more way to show their appreciation.
Sara Richards, the creator of the item, wrote in an email that she has sold 100 of the bags. The concept began as just a joke, but she followed through on the idea and said the result has been more than she expected.
"I've gotten a great response so far," Richards said. "Most women love it, and I think people enjoy it because it has a bit of humor to it.
"I've seen the shirtless photos definitely, and I know we all enjoy them, but I wanted it to be Tigers-based," she continued. "I know Tigers fans and people in the area always love to represent their love for their team and their city, so I thought this pic would be a good match. Plus it shows that great smile of his."
The description of the item is as follows:
So this season the Detroit Tigers named ex-Tiger Brad Ausmus as their new Team Manager. There's been some talk around town that he's a good looking guy. Everyone can have their own opinion obviously but he has my vote, and all of my friends' votes and their friends' votes too.
Anyway, on a ladies' night out we started throwing ideas out there and the "Hey Girl" theme seemed to fit perfect with Detroit's newest addition. So, I made it and here it is.
The bag retails for $14 -- and it's sized at 14 by 16 inches -- just under the legal limit for bags at Comerica Park.
"The bag is in final stages of copyright, but just the concept of the bag and the phrase," Richards said. "I have no copyright of Ausmus and haven't spoken to anyone from the Tigers organization. It started off as just a bag that I thought would make people laugh. I didn't imagine it would generate this kind of buzz."
Richards said she has only been able to get to a few Tigers games and has not seen the bags out at Comerica yet, but with more exposure recently, she expects to start seeing them soon.
