The River Bandits are the only team with two jerseys among the top 10; voting continues until Aug. 25
DAVENPORT, Iowa (August 11, 2015) - A pair of River Bandits one-time jerseys are among the leaders for the best specialty jersey in Minor League Baseball. In a field of 124 specialty jerseys in MiLB.com's Jersey Joust at MiLB.com/jersey, fans nationwide have ranked the team's 2014 Autism Awareness photo jerseys second overall and the 2015 Boy Scouts jerseys ninth overall, as of Tuesday morning.
The Jersey Joust contest runs until Aug. 25, and fans may vote online following the link at riverbandits.com or at MiLB.com/jersey. Fans may vote for their favorite jersey among randomly selected pairs, or follow the "Find A Jersey" or "View Leaderboard" links at MiLB.com/jersey to locate the River Bandits' jerseys and be taken to a jersey voting matchup that includes one of those jerseys.
On each night the River Bandits players wore the specialty jerseys, proceeds from an auction at Modern Woodmen Park went to benefit Quad Cities-area charities. Proceeds from the Autism Awareness photo jersey auction supported the Quad Cities Autism Center, and proceeds from the Boy Scouts jerseys went to benefit the Boy Scouts of America ILLOWA Council.
"Specialty jerseys and auctions are not just highlights on our promotional schedule, but are always among our favorite charitable activities," said River Bandits owner Dave Heller. "Those specialty jerseys are not only fun, they have already made a difference to people in the Quad Cities, and we encourage fans to celebrate that impact by voting for the Autism Awareness jerseys and Boy Scouts jerseys in the online Jersey Joust."
The River Bandits wore Autism Awareness photo jerseys Aug. 8, 2014, for the team's third annual photo jersey auction and fifth annual Autism Awareness Night at Modern Woodmen Park. The front of the jersey included a pattern of blue, red, and yellow jigsaw puzzle pieces, which are symbols of autism awareness. The jersey backs had numbers featuring fan-submitted photos of those affected by autism. The River Bandits' 2013 edition of the Autism Awareness photo jerseys and auction received a Golden Bobblehead Award for the Best Charity Promotion or Event in Minor League Baseball. This season, the River Bandits wore special caps for an in-game auction on Autism Awareness Night Aug. 7. The proceeds of the annual Autism Awareness Night auctions have benefited the Quad Cities Autism Center.
On June 19 this season, the River Bandits wore their first-ever Boy Scouts-themed jerseys for Boy Scouts Night June 19. The torso of the jersey was tan on the front, and the back resembled a green Boy Scouts backpack, with numbers in the middle. The green sleeves included the Boy Scouts emblem and the American flag on opposite shoulders.
"Each year we work with our charitable partners to find creative ways to raise awareness and benefit the Quad Cities community, and our specialty jersey auctions give our fans a memorable way to support their neighbors in the Quad Cities," said River Bandits General Manager Andrew Chesser. "It is a treat every summer to see our players wear unique jerseys, and see our fans meet and get autographs from the players whose jerseys they just bought for a great local cause."
The River Bandits and Modern Woodmen Park have been recognized several times nationally in recent seasons. This year, the team's name was voted as one of the top eight in all of Minor League Baseball in a Sporting News contest. In May, the team's logo was voted among the top eight - and the best in the Midwest League - in Baseball America's Logo Mania, and Modern Woodmen Park's R.I.A. Federal Credit Union Hon. Lane Evans Patriot Seats were voted the No. 2 Best Seats at any minor league ballpark in the country - and the top view of any ballpark at the Class-A and short season level - by fans on MiLB.com. In June, fans voted Modern Woodmen Park the "Best of the Ballparks" in a contest featuring all 30 Class-A ballparks at BallparkDigest.com.
