Riverdogs cancel planned ‘OJ Trial Night’ promotion for May

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The Charleston RiverDogs removed one of its planned promotions related to the O.J. Simpson trial from its May calendar.

The New York Yankees’ minor league affiliate canceled its plans for an “OJ Trial Night,” which was originally set for May 26, when the Riverdogs are scheduled to play the Columbia Fireflies.

Riverdogs President Dave Echols confirmed Friday that the event had been removed from the team’s calendar.

CBS Sports reported the decision to cancel the event followed backlash the team received.

“The trial of the century gets a juicy new spin,” a release issued Monday stated about the then-planned event. “We will finally receive the verdict that everyone has been waiting for...pulp or no pulp?”

The description claimed fans would act as “jury,” voting with custom paddles to reach verdicts “on various topics” throughout the evening.

Fans were also to receive an “OJ Trial” shirt upon entering the stadium, the release stated.

“If the shirt don’t fit, you must...see if we have a different size,” the release stated, playing on the famous phrase, “If the gloves don’t fit, you must acquit,” which was uttered by Simpson defense attorney Johnnie Cochran to the jury.

Simpson stood trial for the deaths of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ron Goldman. Simpson was acquitted of murder in the two deaths in October 1995.