Utah baseball team cancels ‘Hourglass Appreciation’ event

OGDEN, Utah – A minor league baseball team in Utah cancelled a planned “Hourglass Appreciation Night” promotion Tuesday after coming under fire for the event’s references to women’s bodies.

A news release from the Ogden Raptors promised “gorgeous women whose curves rival those of any stud pitching prospect!” Decorated with drawings of women in bikinis, the announcement said a “different stunner each half-inning” would appear and pose for pictures with fans at an Aug. 11 game.

The news release disappeared from the team’s website Monday night, after it attracted criticism on social media and was covered by news outlets.

Raptors President Dave Baggott apologized and said in a statement that the team “in no way supports or condones the objectification of women.”

He said the release wasn’t authorized by managers or owners and the team has taken steps to make sure it wouldn’t happen again.

Baggott said the Raptors wouldn’t take questions about the event. A man giving out copies of a statement at the team’s field about 40 miles north of Salt Lake City did not give his name or answer further questions.

The Raptors are an Ogden, Utah-based minor league affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers didn’t immediately return messages seeking comment. Baggott said the event didn’t represent Dodgers values.

The Raptors had also hosted “drag nights” where men put on dresses and pulled a drag mat around to groom the infield until they were cancelled last year after fan complaints.

Another Utah minor-league baseball team, the Orem Owlz, cancelled a promotion called “Caucasian Heritage Night” in 2015. That team, a minor league affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels, apologized for what they said was intended to be a joke with wonder bread on burgers with mayonnaise, clips of the “Friends” and “Seinfeld” TV shows and an attempt to “solve the vertical leaping challenge.”

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Whitehurst reported from Salt Lake City.