MWL1 Quad Cities River Bandits

Hawkeyes Heading To The Quad Cities

Published on February 11, 2009 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Quad Cities River Bandits News Release


Modern Woodmen Park has seen a variety of different events over the past year, hosting everything from outdoor festivals and concerts to wedding receptions and corporate events. Now, the ballpark can add one more line on its resume: Division I baseball.

On April 21, Modern Woodmen Park will play host to an NCAA clash between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Western Illinois Leathernecks. The 6:30 p.m. ballgame will take place while the River Bandits are on the road, giving the Big 10 and Summit League opponents a neutral playing field between Iowa City and Macomb.

"We are proud to give our fans yet another new and exciting event to attend at Modern Woodmen Park," said River Bandits' owner Dave Heller. "Even though the River Bandits will be on the road, there will be exciting baseball in the Quad Cities featuring two local teams that both have strong local alumni bases. This is going to be a great ballgame featuring all of the fun in-game entertainment, superior quality of service and exceptional value that fans have come to expect from an event at Modern Woodmen Park."

The gates will open at 5:00 p.m. for the Tuesday evening contest. Ticket prices and rainout policies will remain the same as a regular season game. Group packages and picnic outings are also available, enabling alumni to support their teams in force and enjoy delicious buffet spreads in the spacious Party Plaza, on the upscale Sky Deck or on the soothing Jumer's Casino & Hotel Hot Tub Deck. Tickets went on sale Wednesday morning, February 11, at 9:00 a.m. by calling (563) 3-BANDIT, going online to www.RiverBandits.com or visiting the Modern Woodmen Park box office at 209 S. Gaines Street in downtown Davenport.

"We are very excited about the opportunity to play in the Quad Cities against Western Illinois," said Jack Dahm, Head Coach of the Hawkeyes. "We are looking forward to showing the Hawkeye fans the progress that we have made as a program over the years. I want to thank Kirk Goodman and the River Bandits for this opportunity. We are looking forward to an outstanding working relationship for years to come."

The University of Iowa has previously played at Modern Woodmen Park - most recently in 1999 - against St. Ambrose University, an NAIA school that uses the diamond as its home playing field. The April 21 game between Iowa and Western Illinois is believed to be the first ever clash between two Division I schools in the 78-year history of Modern Woodmen Park.

"This is a relationship that we are happy to have and look forward to developing," said Goodman, the River Bandits Vice President and General Manager. "When Mother Nature threw us a curveball with the floods last summer, the people at the University of Iowa were extremely gracious in lending us a helping hand and letting us play a home game at Duane Banks Field. I am pleased to see this come full circle so they now have a home game at Modern Woodmen Park."

UP NEXT: The River Bandits will kick off the 2009 season early on Sunday, April 5, welcoming in the Double-A Springfield Cardinals in an exhibition game at Modern Woodmen Park. On Tuesday, April 21, the park will play host to NCAA Division I baseball for the first time with a match-up between the University of Iowa and Western Illinois. The River Bandits' regular season home-opener will take place on April 13 against the Beloit Snappers. Tickets for the 2009 regular season as well as the exhibition and college game are available by calling (563) 3-BANDIT, going to www.RiverBandits.com or stopping by the Modern Woodmen Park box office.

ABOUT THE BANDITS: Under new ownership and management in 2008, the Quad Cities River Bandits topped 207,000 fans for only the sixth time in team history and the first time in 12 years. Having recently completed one of the most successful seasons in the history of the franchise, the club has stayed busy over the off-season as a popular venue for holiday parties and other special events. With a renewed dedication to fans, sponsors and the Quad Cities community, the return of the River Bandits has brought a resurgence of support for the team. BanditWear, season tickets and mini-plans are on sale for the 2009 season by calling (563) 3-BANDIT or heading to www.RiverBandits.com. But hurry - good seats are going fast!

Check out the Quad Cities River Bandits Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Midwest League Stories from February 11, 2009


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central