Fans Encouraged To Bring Guns To Michigan Ballpark

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (WWJ/AP) — Hold the mustard and pass the ammunition ... Baseball fans are being encouraged to bring their guns to a Michigan ballpark as part of a promotional event.

"2nd Amendment Education Night" is Friday at C.O. Brown Stadium when the Battle Creek Bombers host the Rochester (Minnesota) Honkers.

Bombers General Manager Tony Iovieno tells the Battle Creek Enquirer that plans for the event have been in the works since at least October as a way to promote gun safety and to showcase Freedom Firearms, the area business that's sponsoring the event.

Iovieno tells WOOD-TV extra security is planned, and that those with guns will get a wristband and won't be allowed to purchase alcohol.

While there's been a lot of positive support, the event also has its detractors.

One person posted on the Bombers Facebook page: "What kind of idiot organization would host an open carry gun event for a family baseball game? Shame, Shame Shame."

Another wrote: "Bombers you have just lost a fan. I will no longer be bringing my kids to your games thanks to your promoting open carry at an upcoming game. "

But Freedom Firearms co-owner Joel Fulton isn't bothered by he negativity.

"It's gonna be a great time! We're gonna have a lot of fun," Fulton told WWJ's Beth Fisher. "It's American as baseball and apple pie — and firearms, like it or not for some folks, are part of the fabric of our society."

"They've got almost a sold out night," he added. "So there aren't obviously too many people that are terrible skittish about being around firearms."

The Bombers will provide free trigger locks to fans at the game.

The team is part of the Northwoods League, a summer league made up of college players.

Gun laws are back in the spotlight in the wake of a devastating attack at a gay nightclub in Orlando Florida, that left 49 people dead. The gunman, Omar Mateen, was armed with an assault rifle and a Glock that were legally purchased despite the fact he was on two federal terrorist watchlists.

Democratic leaders staged a sit-in earlier this week at the House of Representatives in Washington, D.C., to protest the lack of action on gun control. "The sit-in became a social media happening. Tweets sent by Reps. Scott Peters and Eric Swalwell with Periscopes were viewed over 1 million times and the hashtags #NoBillNoBreak and #HoldTheFloor were tweeted over 1.4 million times, according to Twitter," per CNN.

The fight will return to local districts across the country after the lawmakers July 4th break, according to CNN.