CINCINNATI — The new friendlier Frisch’s Big Boy statue now grins at fans from the third-base concourse of Great American Ball Park, and he and fans have a lot to smile about.

To celebrate his arrival, Frisch’s has invited customers to enter to win free Big Boy sandwiches for a year — 46 lucky Frisch’s fans will be selected — a nod to Big Boy’s jersey number and the year the Frisch’s Big Boy sandwich was created.

“Frisch’s is a classic American brand with an illustrious history,” Frisch’s CEO Jason Vaughn said. “While we recognize our proud past, this new statue is a symbol of the great future ahead for this franchise. We hope our customers know Frisch’s will always be a place for good fun and great food. And what is more fun than free Big Boy sandwiches for a year?”

The statue unveiled Friday is wearing a Cincinnati Reds uniform, but in a few weeks, work will begin on the first new-look Big Boy statue to be installed in a yet-to-be-named restaurant. For the first time in 35 years, Big Boy is ditching his checkered overalls and bringing back the striped-pants look that started it all when Dave Frisch introduced the Big Boy sandwich in 1946.

New statues will be installed at locations throughout the Frisch’s chain in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana as needed, in lieu of repairing old models.

Frisch’s customers are encouraged to enter the Big Boy Sandwiches-for-a-Year contest by taking a picture with any Big Boy statue at the ballpark or at their local Frisch’s. Customers can then post the pictures to Facebook or Instagram, tagging @frischsbigboy and using the hashtag #FreeBigBoyForAYear. The contest runs through April 30, and winners will be selected at random, May 1.

Winners of the Big Boy Sandwiches-for-a-Year contest will receive coupons redeemable for one Big Boy sandwich per week for 52 weeks.