BALTIMORE — From one Wink to the other, the Baltimore Ravens have invited entertainer Wink Martindale to its game after he spoke to TMZ Sports about wanting tickets due to the name he shares with the team's defensive coordinator.
Don "Wink" Martindale has been the Ravens defensive coordinator since 2018 and has been a coach with the Baltimore since 2012.
In his interview with TMZ Sports, Martindale joked that he would sue for the rights to his name. But seemed in general to find the coincidence humorous.
While the two may not know each other, the elder Martindale has heard his name mentioned a few times on Ravens broadcast, because he shares it with the Baltimore coach.
Hollywood's Martindale does not have any affiliation with the Ravens, nor did he grow up close to Baltimore. But the gesture by the Ravens and its staff is certainly a humorous one.
The 86-year-old is best known for his role as a game show host throughout the previous decades for shows like Tic-Tac Dough, Gambit, High Rollers and Debt.
“We offered. We sent an email to his people,” Ravens coordinator Martindale said Thursday. “It’s up to him if he wants to go. I think it would be great.”
The Ravens will play the Tennessee Titans on Saturday at 8:15 p.m. It will be broadcasted on WUSA9.