Jerry “The King” Lawler, Rollie Fingers Among Celebrities to Appear at Witter Field
For the City Times
Former MLB pitcher and Hall of Famer scheduled to appear on Friday, June 9.
WISCONSIN RAPIDS — The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters unveiled a star-studded lineup of celebrity guests set to appear at Rafters games this summer to meet with fans and sign autographs.
All single game tickets for the 2017 season go on sale beginning on Friday, April 21 at 9:00 a.m. However, the Rafters are making all four guest appearance dates available on a 24 hour flash sale through 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19. Single game tickets to these four events can be purchased exclusively online at raftersbaseball.com during the time period by entering the promo code: CELEBRITY.
On Friday, June 9, Bull’s Eye Credit Union is presenting Mustache Night along with a special guest appearance by a man with one of the most recognizable mustaches in baseball history, MLB Hall of Famer and former Milwaukee Brewers closer Rollie Fingers. Fingers will be on hand to meet with fans and sign autographs when the gates open at 6:00 p.m.
The first fans through the gates on June 9th will also receive their very own handlebar mustache to wear throughout the evening.
One of the most popular figures in Wisconsin Rapids Twins history will return to Wisconsin Rapids on Saturday, June 17 at 6:05 p.m. when the Rafters host the Wisconsin Woodchucks. Elmore “Moe” Hill, who spent eight seasons in the Midwest League with the Twins Class A affiliate, will return to Witter Field for Bull’s Eye Credit Union Turn Back the Clock Night. The first fans through the gates at 5:05 p.m. will receive a Rapids Twins Moe Hill Midwest League Triple Crown bobblehead to honor his accomplishment in 1974.
That year, he batted a career-best .339 to go with 32 home runs and 113 RBIs, becoming the first player in Midwest League history to win the Triple Crown. In 1999, Baseball America selected Hill as the greatest Midwest League player ever, after posting a .283 batting average with 201 homers and 720 RBIs in 969 games in his career at that level.
After paying tribute to the ‘90s a year ago, the Rafters will host their first ‘70s Night on Thursday, June 22 this summer when they host the Green Bay Bullfrogs at 7:05. Joining the Rafters to meet with fans will be a gentleman who symbolized the 70s American dream of success—Jimmie Walker—who played gleamy-toothed J.J. Evans in the popular 1970s CBS hit TV series Good Times.
Walker’s catchphrase “Dyn-o-mite!” became a popular item in the American vernacular and he became such a major celebrity that Time Magazine named him “Comedian of the Decade.” In addition to appearing in Good Times from 1974-1979, Walker has also appeared in films such as Let’s Do It Again (1975), Airplane! (1980), and Monster Mash: The Movie (1995). The Rafters encourage fans to don their 1970s attire and be ready to ‘dance the night away’ to classic tunes from the ‘70s.
The fans have spoken! On Sunday, July 30, LubDub Sports presents Wrestling Night at the ballpark with special guest Jerry “The King” Lawler. The Rafters will host the Lakeshore Chinooks at 4:05 p.m. and fans will be able to meet “The King” beginning at 3:05 p.m. when the gates open. There will be interactive features available for fans to engage all evening long and win special prizes, courtesy of LubDub Sports.
The defending Northwoods League Champion Rafters host their season opener on Tuesday, May 30 at 7:05 p.m. when they take on the Kenosha Kingfish. Rafters single game tickets go on sale on Friday, April 21 at 9:00 a.m. Tickets will be available by visiting Raftersbaseball.com or calling the Rafters ticket office at 715-424-5400.