For the City Times

World Series walk-off home run hero Rob Calabrese honored with talking bobblehead

WISCONSIN RAPIDS — As the unveiling of the promotional schedule continues, the Rafters are excited to announce five bobblehead giveaways that will take place during the 2018 season.

The first bobblehead giveaway will take place on Saturday, June 2nd and will feature 2017 Northwoods League Manager of the Year Craig Noto, while also highlighting the Rafters record-breaking season a summer ago. Craig led last year’s team to a Northwoods League record 52 regular season wins while helping the Rafters become the first team in the League’s history to win four consecutive South Division halves. Craig will be entering his fourth season as the Rafters skipper this summer. He has a career regular season record of 134-78 through his first three seasons with Wisconsin Rapids, leading the team to its first Summer Collegiate World Series Championship in 2016.

Join the Rafters Wednesday, June 20th for Skyward Educators Appreciation Night and be one of the first fans to receive an Educator Rosco bobblehead featuring the Rafters mascot carrying a backpack and iPad. Washington Elementary School 5th grade Teacher, Mrs. Mary Sabo, who was named the Skyward Central Wisconsin Teacher of the year will also be honored at the game with a bobblehead of her own and inducted into the Skyward Teacher of the Year Wall of Fame at the ballpark that evening.

On Thursday, July 12th Paul Gross Jewelers presents Wisconsin Sports Night with the first-ever Cheesehead Rosco bobblehead giveaway, to honor the Wisconsin dairy state cheesehead tradition. The Rafters encourage fans to wear their favorite Wisconsin sports team’s gear and be entered into a drawing to win sports memorabilia throughout the night.

On Friday, July 27th the Rafters will take a trip down memory lane to recall one of the fondest moments in Rafters’ history. Current San Francisco Giants prospect Rob Calabrese was at the center of a defining moment on the way to the Rafters winning the first Summer Collegiate World Series Championship in the team’s history in 2016. To honor this moment, Aspirus Riverview Hospital & Clinics is presenting a Rob Calabrese talking bobblehead, featuring the 2016 World Series Walk-Off Home Run call by radio broadcaster Cooper Perkins. This is one fans surely will not want to miss out on!

The final bobblehead giveaway of the season will take place on Sunday, August 5 as Advanced Disposal presents a Harry Potter themed Rosco Bobblehead on Harry Potter Night. All fans should be prepared to enter Witter Field’s Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for the evening.

Single-game tickets for the 2018 season go on sale at 9 am on Friday, April 20. The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters will begin their season on the road against the Madison Mallards on Tuesday, May 29. The Home Opener is slated for Friday, June 1 against the Wisconsin Woodchucks. The entire 2018 Rafters schedule is available at www.raftersbaseball.com.