Backyard Adventures

6C PIKE PUBLISHING BACKYARD ADVENTURES 2017 Where Every Night is Throwback Night! June 1 Henderson Home Promotion-Opening Night/irsty ursday June 2 Henderson Away June 3 Muhlenberg County Home Promotion-e Balloon Guy June 4 Muhlenberg County Away June 6 Owensboro Home Promotion-Rock-Paper-Scissors Night June 7 Owensboro Away June 8 Henderson Home Promotion-irsty ursday June 9 Henderson Away June 10 Paducah Away June 11 Paducah Home Promotion-e Hoosier Queen of Caricature June 13 Madisonville Home June 14 Madisonville Away June 15 Muhlenberg County Away June 16 Muhlenberg County Away June 17 Hoptown Home Promotion-A League of eir Own Night with Peaches vs. Belles Game June 18 Hoptown Away June 20 Paducah Home June 21 Paducah Away June 22 Muhlenberg County Away June 23 Muhlenberg County Home Promotion-Zooperstars June 24 Madisonville Away June 25 Madisonville Home Promotion-Faith & Family Night June 28 Owensboro Home Promotion-Let's Make a Bombers Deal Night June 29 Henderson Away June 30 Henderson Home Promotion-Youth League Night July 1 Fulton Home Promotion-Brews in the Bullpen July 2 Fulton Away July 3 Henderson Home Promotion-Fireworks July 4 Hoptown Away July 6 Hoptown Home Promotion-College Night/irsty ursday July 7 Henderson Away July 8 Muhlenberg County Home Promotion-e Balloon Guy July 9 All-Star Game Home July 12 Owensboro Home Promotion-First 1,000 in Free by Ruxer Ford Lincoln July 13 Fulton Away July 14 Fulton Home Promotion-Sparky the Dragon July 15 Owensboro Home Promotion-Christmas in July/Host Family Night July 16 Owensboro Away July 17 Muhlenberg County Home Promotion-Fan Appreciation Night July 18 Owensboro Away July 20-30 Playoffs TBD All Times Eastern! Date Opponent Location Date Opponent Location GAME SCHEDULE Home games played in League Stadium Located in Huntingburg City Park, at the end of East First Street. Call today for Tickets 812.683.3700 Every night is literally throwback night when- ever the Dubois County Bombers take the field at League Stadium in Huntingburg. Located in Huntingburg City Park – at the end of East First Street – the city-owned League Stadi- um served as the home of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League's Rockford Peaches during the filming of the 1992 hit movie A League of Their Own, which starred Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Madonna, Lori Petty and Rosie O'Donnell, and was directed by Penny Marshall of Laverne & Shirley fame. In fact, right in front of the third base dugout at League Stadium was where Hanks, portraying Peaches' manager Jimmy Dugan, famously told one of his players, "There's no crying in baseball." While it's been 25 years since the movie was re- leased by Columbia Pictures, many of the touches that were added to League Stadium for the film – which was set in 1943, the All American Girls Professional Baseball League's first year – remain, including a hand-operated scoreboard, as well as vintage signage on the outfield fence, including some that urge viewers to "buy more war bonds." The Dubois County Bombers, who will open their 13th season when they host the Henderson Flash on Thursday, June 1, pay homage to the movie by wearing vintage-inspired uniforms, including knickered pants and stirrups, while 19 "Peaches" – female attendants dressed in uniforms similar to those worn by the Rockford players in the film – serve in a variety of roles off the field. In addition, the Bombers' mascot, Casey, pro- vides good old-fashioned fun – both on and off the field – by clowning with umpires, players and fans throughout the game. "We always promote it as that it's as much en- tertainment as it is good baseball, and that's true," said Mike Uebelhor, managing partner for the team's ownership group, Dubois County Baseball, LLC. "When we bought the team, the average attendance was right around 300, and we average now about 1,150 a night." "Most of those are people that, if you ask them the next day who won or lost the ballgame, a lot of them might not remember," Uebelhor added. "But they do remember that they had an enjoyable eve- ning, and that's what we want. That's what brings them back." The Dubois County Bombers compete in the Ohio Valley League, a summer collegiate wooden bat league consisting of eight teams from through- out western Kentucky and southern Indiana. The OVL's regular season lasts for 40 games – half at home and half on the road. The Bombers' 2017 schedule includes several pro- motions, highlighted by A League of Their Own Night on Saturday, June 17, when a Peaches vs. Belles soft- ball game – featuring collegiate softball players from throughout the area – will be played prior to a home contest against the Hoptown Hoppers. "There's quite a bit going on behind the scenes as far as promotions that are going to take place that weekend," Uebelhor said. "The city itself is working on a whole lot of projects. I know they're going to show the movie locally on Thursday night and, on Friday, there's a reception that will be held at the community's event center during which a documentary film (on the making of A League of STORY BY ED CAHILL PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED AND BY ED CAHILL BALLGAME Take me back to the Their Own) will be shown." In addition, the OVL's All-Star Game will be played at League Stadium on Sunday, July 9. This year, the team's roster is comprised of 30 players from 15 different colleges, includ- ing three local players – Jasper graduate Craig Shepherd (University of Evansville), Forest Park graduate Eli Knust ( Vincennes University) and Heritage Hills graduate Kenton Crews (Univer- sity of Evansville). "When our players sign a contract, they actu- ally pay us to play," Uebelhor said. "We're in the Ohio Valley League, and the player's fee is $ 600 throughout the league. But what we do is we charge them $400 in exchange for helping to do community service projects. We want the Bomb- ers throughout the community – going to nursing homes, helping with parks and recreation pro- grams and things like that." "A fter every game, they actually help us clean the stadium," Uebelhor added. "They work off that $200 discount." A total of 14 former Bombers have been drafted, including two current major leaguers – left-handed pitcher Sean Manaea, who went 7-9 with a 3.86 earned run average for the Oakland Athletics in 2016, and right-handed pitcher Steve Cishek, who had 25 saves with a 2.86 ER A for the Seattle Mariners in 2016. Single game ticket prices are $5 for general admission, $ 6 for reserved seating along the first and third baselines, $7 for reserved seating directly behind home plate and $ 8 for VIP seats located at the top of the stadium. Children ages 6 and under receive free general admission. For more information, call the Dubois County Bombers corporate office at 812-683-3700 or send an email to dcbombers@psci.net. HISTORIC HUNTINGBURG

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