BETTENDORF, IOWA (August 26, 2019) — Over the last ten years, Veto League Baseball (or “The VLB”) has collected 7,353 pounds of food for the River Bend Foodbank during the sandlot baseball league’s annual night game. On Saturday, August 31, 2019, the most-organized pick-up baseball-league in the Quad City area will again reward its 22 most consistent regular-season players with a night game at Bettendorf’s Saldivar Field. And The VLB will again collect food for the River Bend Foodbank. The VLB hopes to surpass last year's 1,025 pounds.
Admission is free, but spectators are asked to bring non-perishable food items, and in return, will receive a free raffle ticket for a chance to win one of a handful of gift cards that will be drawn throughout the nine-inning, sandlot-style baseball contest. We will also be offering concessions for sale. Festivities (announcements, starting lineups, national anthem, on-field group photos, etc) will begin at 6:30PM with a first pitch slated for 7PM. This game is intended to showcase the league and help the community.
About The VLB: The VLB was organized in 1998 by Matt Veto, a Moline native and former Quad Cities resident. The intention of the league is to cater to the less-experienced adult baseball enthusiast. It's for folks that didn't stand out on their high school baseball team — or perhaps never even played past Little League — but love the game of baseball. There is no fee to play Veto League Baseball. In 22 seasons, 769 players have played in the league. The majority of Saturday night’s 22-man roster consists of players with deep roots in the Quad-Cities metro area.
To ensure the comfort and enjoyment of players of all skill-levels, pitches are thrown at batting-practice speed with no intention of striking the opposing-batter out. There are no called-balls or strikes, nor are there steals, and we do not suit up a catcher, but place a ninth-fielder in foul-ground behind the plate to cover home and attempt to catch foul pop-ups. The rest of the game is baseball as you know it.
Staff will be on hand to collect information from visitors new to the league who may wish to play next season. The league runs from mid-April through August. For more information, visit www.thevlb.com or contact The VLB president Josh Paul at vetoleague@gmail.com or (563) 529-3462.
