MWL1 Quad Cities River Bandits

Lucky Couple Selected for Bandit Wedding

Published on July 2, 2009 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Quad Cities River Bandits News Release


The Quad Cities River Bandits are in the business of making memories that will last a lifetime.

But nobody needs to explain that to Michael Spain and Ashley Baxter, who are the winners of the River Bandits' wedding of a lifetime! The Bandit Wedding, selected by a fan-vote as the winner of this season's Modern Woodmen Bank "Name the Promotion" contest, will include a pre-game ceremony and in-game reception as part of Fan Appreciation Day at Modern Woodmen Park on September 4.

"Our goal is for every guest that enters Modern Woodmen Park to have an amazing experience that they will never forget," said team owner Dave Heller. "Whether it is a baseball game, a wedding reception in our Suite Banquet Area, an office party, family reunion, or another type of special event, we want to provide a memory that will last for years. The Bandit Wedding gives us the chance to create wonderful lifetime memories for Michael, Ashley and all of their family and friends - and we feel very honored to have that opportunity."

Michael, a 26-year-old from Delmar, Iowa, and Ashley, a 25-year-old from DeWitt, Iowa, were chosen for the Bandit Wedding by the River Bandits' staff because everyone was so touched by their story. The couple first met in 2000, when Michael was pitching for Maquoketa High School while Ashley played softball at DeWitt High School. Their first date was the Homecoming dance their junior year, and the rest is history.

Baseball has always been an integral part of Michael and Ashley's lives. The high school sweethearts both went on to Kirkwood Community College where they continued to play baseball and softball. After Michael transferred to William Penn University, Ashley rarely missed a game. Even now, the couple spends four nights a week playing slow-pitch softball together over the summer. Ashley discovered the contest after heading to RiverBandits.com to inquire about having their engagement pictures taken at Modern Woodmen Park, in the process stumbling upon the chance to win a wedding of a lifetime.

"We are so excited to get married at the ballpark and to have our reception during a ballgame," said Ashley. "Not only will our special day be perfect, but it will be unique and one that our guests - and us - will never forget. Our family and friends have all said that this is absolutely perfect for us. Our relationship was built through ballgames and after ballgames, and it is exciting to have baseball be a part of our special day."

More than 400 of the couple's guests are expected to attend the wedding, which will feature a pre-game ceremony on the field. After Michael and Ashley exchange "I do's" - and throw out the first pitch, of course - they will head upstairs to the Suite Banquet Area where the entire party will enjoy an upscale wedding reception. In addition to all of the standard amenities of a banquet hall, the group will also have access to the Sky Deck and an opportunity to take in the ballgame. A multitude of local Quad City Area businesses will be participating in this event to add to the amenities offered to Michael and Ashley.

"When we got Ashley and Michael's essay, we knew they were exactly the type of couple we were looking for," said River Bandits Vice President and General Manager Kirk Goodman. "Not only did they grow up playing baseball and softball, but they met on a baseball diamond and the sport has played an important part in their lives ever since. Even Ashley's grandmother said they should get married on a ball field!"

UP NEXT: The Quad Cities' first Independence Day party will take place on July 2 at Modern Woodmen Park on a Thirst-day Thursday which will include $2 draft beer and fountain Pepsi products before an extravagant post-game fireworks show. The homestand concludes on July 3 as the City of Davenport's Red, White and Boom fireworks show kicks off at Modern Woodmen Park after the game for another huge Fourth of July party!

ABOUT THE BANDITS: The Quad Cities River Bandits drew more than 103,000 fans in the first half of the season for only the third time in team history. Ticket sales, concessions, merchandise sales, sponsorships and even Kids' Zone revenues are all up over last season, which was one of the team's best in history! Banditwear, mini-plans, and individual game tickets 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!

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Midwest League Stories from July 2, 2009


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