As part of a promotion on Tuesday, the Quad Cities River Bandits (Low A; Midwest League) will offer 100 fans the opportunity to throw a ceremonial first pitch.
Gates at Modern Woodmen Park will open at 5:35 p.m. for the 6:35 game, and mark the beginning of a fairly unique promotion. The River Bandits will allow the first 100 fans who choose to do so the opportunity to throw out a ceremonial first pitch prior to the game. Fans can either pick the first pitch or select one of 600 mystery bobbleheads that will be available on Tuesday, but cannot choose both offerings, which will leave many with an interesting decision to make.
Those who do choose to throw out a first pitch will have their name announced over the ballpark’s PA system. Having 100 ceremonial first pitches within a fairly short window requires careful planning by the River Bandits, so general manager Andrew Chesser and the club’s front office have mapped out how the process will unfold. More from the Quad-City Times:
Plans are for a bucket of balls to be carted onto the field before the first pitches begin to fly.
To make it work during the allotted 35-minute time, an average of one ceremonial first pitch will have to be thrown every 21 seconds.
River Bandits staff members and Quad-Cities players who volunteer to help will rotate catching the lengthy string of first pitches, which is expected to conclude around 6:10 p.m. when final field preparations are scheduled to begin.
“It’s something a little unique, a little different,’’ Chesser said. “Dave (Heller, the River Bandits owner) always says that we are in the memory-making business. This is an opportunity for people to have a special memory of their own for years to come.’’
Tuesday’s game will see the River Bandits host the Cedar Rapids Kernels.