By BRIAN DULIK Staff Writer Grady is still golden and fireworks continue to sizzle at Progressive Field. The rest of the Indians’ promotional schedule, however, has seen mixed results at the box office this year. The Tribe ranks just 22nd in Major League Baseball in paid attendance, averaging 25,788 per date entering its Thursday series finale with San Francisco. Those numbers mean just eight franchises are drawing fewer fans to their ballparks — Florida, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Tampa Bay, Oakland, Texas, Minnesota and Cincinnati — at the midpoint of Cleveland’s 81-game home schedule. In other words, the Indians passing the one million mark on the season Wednesday isn’t much to brag about, but it’s a more positive storyline than the team’s win-loss record, which currently is 25th in MLB. A look at what has and hasn’t worked at the gate in 2008: o Opening Day against the White Sox drew the largest crowd of the season at 41,871, but right behind are Grady Sizemore Gold Glove Bobblehead Night (40,504), postgame fireworks against Texas (39,947) and Sizemore Fleece Blanket Night (38,141). The concept of “Grady’s Ladies” is no myth as the popular center fielder draws female fans to games like no one else in Cleveland sports. o The most unexpectedly successful promotional items were 1970s Logo Cap Night against San Diego (37,484), which drew the fourth-largest crowd of the season, and Hot Dog Mascot Plush Doll Day against the Rangers (35,464). o In a major surprise, Cleveland’s three-game series against the Rangers in late May drew the highest average attendance at 38,638. It came during the long Memorial Day weekend, but clearly, the team’s marketing department deserves a large share of the credit for scheduling fireworks, Sizemore bobbleheads and hot dog dolls at the contests. o Similar smart planning helped attract an average of 33,967 fans to the first weekend series after school let out (and the second-best set of the year). The Padres provided the opposition, but fireworks, the aforementioned cap night and Travis Hafner Kids Bat Day played huge roles in getting families to come out to the park. o On the flip side, the MLB schedule maker is responsible for a trio of contests against the hated Yankees only drawing 29,880 per game. Obviously, that’s a solid number, but it would have been much higher had New York not made its lone 2008 visit in late April. Ditto for two games against the world champion Red Sox, which flunked the box office test at 23,469 earlier in the month. o The Indians’ first traditional home doubleheader in many years came on May 12 against Toronto, but was overshadowed by Game 4 of the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals next door. The Cavaliers and Celtics sold out Quicken Loans Arena to the tune of 20,562 fans, while the Tribe and Blue Jays drew 16,045. o Discount tickets, family-oriented packages and high profile opponents only go so far in drawing baseball crowds on the North Coast. Fireworks were, are and seemingly always will be the most irresistible reason to see the Indians play. Postgame pyrotechnics are averaging 29,429 fans, slightly more than the increasingly popular Sunday Kids Days (29,029). o If you visit Progressive Field often and fireworks aren’t your thing, hot wieners covered with Stadium Mustard probably are. Dollar Dog Nights are bringing in 27,672 people per contest, making them a decisive winner in the Tribe’s discount showdown over Half-price Student ID Nights (19,662). Dulik may be reached at brisports@hotmail.com or 330-721-4059.