Joe davis stadium

Joe Davis Stadium, home of the Huntsville Stars, will be the site of the 2nd Amendment Celebration promotion on July 3 where the Stars will give away raffle tickets redeemable at Larry's Pistol and Pawn for three guns to fans in a drawing. (Eric Schultz/eschultz@al.com)

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - The Huntsville Stars minor league baseball team is planning to give away the opportunity to win guns to fans in drawings at the July 3 game at Joe Davis Stadium.

The game is being billed as "2nd Amendment Night."

The Stars have clarified on Twitter than the promotion is a raffle and that the guns will not be given away at the stadium.

Stars general manager Buck Rogers said today there will be no guns given away at the game, only the raffle tickets redeemable at Larry's Pistol and Pawn. Guns are prohibited at all Huntsville Stars games.

Rogers said several organizations routinely raffle off guns.

"And since everybody's buying guns hand over fist and Larry's Pistol and Pawn wants to get involved in some sponsorships and they had a line out there a mile long (to buy guns)," Rogers said. "We're having a Second Amendment night to talk about things anyway. It's an educational night. No guns coming to the game. Nobody is giving away guns"

Rogers said the timing of the promotion -- the day before Independence Day -- is the ideal time to hold a Second Amendment celebration.

"Our approach on our Fourth of July show, we're going to do a night talking about the Constitution," he said. "We're handing out copies of the Declaration of Independence to all the fans coming into the game and making it a patriotic salute.

"One of the hot button issues right now is the Second Amendment that everybody's running from. We're not touching base on First Amendment, Fourth Amendment, abortion or any of that type of stuff. A lot of stuff makes people uncomfortable.

"Maybe it's time Americans basically said, 'Hey, what's going on? What's wrong with this? Day in and day out, people's rights are being taken away. The government is spying. We've got phone companies selling our information - the whole nine yards."

The office of U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville, announced earlier this week that he will be attending the game and meeting with constituents.

According to Brooks' office, he "will present to Iraq veteran Staff Sergeant James West a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol in his honor. Staff Sergeant West will be throwing out the first pitch. Congressman Brooks will make brief remarks."

The Facebook page of the Huntsville Stars today was updated with information about the promotion. It is sponsored by Larry's Pistol and Pawn and fans will have the chance to win one of three guns in a drawing.

Ruger 10-22-TD

The promotion also states that free admission will be given to anyone who presents their NRA membership card.

Because a larger than normal crowd is expected -- Rogers said up to 8,000 fans are expected -- there will be additional police presence. Bags will also be inspected upon entering the stadium, he said.

"It will be beefed up," Rogers said.

Updated today, June 28, 2013, at 3:58 p.m. with comments from Stars general manager Buck Rogers.

Updated today, June 28, 2013, at 3:23 p.m. that the promotion is a raffle.