Rockford RiverHawks
There will be no shortage of Bull at Rockford RiverHawks FanFest 2008.
The team announced on Monday that Leon “Bull” Durham and Gary “Sarge” Matthews have joined the list of former Chicago Cubs who will appear at the RiverHawks’ annual midwinter event.
FanFest will be held 5-9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7 at Giovanni’s Restaurant, 610 N. Bell School Rd. Tickets for the event are $25 and includes dinner, with tables for 10 available. Ticket proceeds will benefit the Rockford Boys and Girls Clubs.
Tickets can be purchased at Road Ranger Stadium, Giovanni’s, Rock Valley Federal Credit Union, Tom Harmer Sports, and Got Quarters in Cherry Vale Mall.
Chicago Cubs general manager Jim Hendry will headline FanFest. Wayne Messmer, the public-address announcer at Wrigley Field, will be the event’s master of ceremonies.
FanFest will be something of a reunion of the Cubs’ 1984 National League East championship team. Durham, a first baseman, and Matthews, a left fielder, join center fielder Bob Dernier on the guest list. Matthews and Dernier came over from Philadelphia in the same spring-training trade in 1984.
“We’re naming the field right now and this is your opportunity to get tickets,” RiverHawks general manager Josh Olerud said. “If you plan on attending FanFest, you should buy your tickets soon. This is a first-class event and a first-class venue. I’d be really surprised if we didn’t sell out.”
Durham was St. Louis’ first-round pick in 1976. The Cardinals dealt him to Chicago in the Bruce Sutter trade and Durham spent the majority of his 10 major-league seasons with the Cubs.
In 1982, his first season as a regular, he hit .312 with 22 home runs and 90 RBI. Durham, who also played for Cincinnati, was a two-time All-Star and a career .277 hitter.
Matthews was San Francisco’s first-round pick in the 1968 draft. He played for the Giants, Atlanta, the Phillies, the Cubs and Seattle. Matthews hit .300 for the Giants in 1973 and was the National League Rookie of the Year. In addition, Matthews was an all-star in 1979 and, with the Phillies, was Most Valuable Player of the National League Championship Series in 1983. He was a career .281 hitter.
FanFest has been revamped to resemble the annual Cubs Caravan, which will not visit Rockford this winter. Dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m. An autograph show featuring former major-leaguers, former RiverHawks and current members of the team begins at 6:30 p.m. Hendry and guests will take questions from the audience starting at 8 p.m.
Additional guests will be announced as the event draws near.
Fans will also have the opportunity to purchase RiverHawks souvenirs and apparel. In addition, the RiverHawks’ inflatable speed pitch from the stadium will be at Giovanni’s.
There will be no shortage of Bull at Rockford RiverHawks FanFest 2008.
The team announced on Monday that Leon “Bull” Durham and Gary “Sarge” Matthews have joined the list of former Chicago Cubs who will appear at the RiverHawks’ annual midwinter event.
FanFest will be held 5-9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7 at Giovanni’s Restaurant, 610 N. Bell School Rd. Tickets for the event are $25 and includes dinner, with tables for 10 available. Ticket proceeds will benefit the Rockford Boys and Girls Clubs.
Tickets can be purchased at Road Ranger Stadium, Giovanni’s, Rock Valley Federal Credit Union, Tom Harmer Sports, and Got Quarters in Cherry Vale Mall.
Chicago Cubs general manager Jim Hendry will headline FanFest. Wayne Messmer, the public-address announcer at Wrigley Field, will be the event’s master of ceremonies.
FanFest will be something of a reunion of the Cubs’ 1984 National League East championship team. Durham, a first baseman, and Matthews, a left fielder, join center fielder Bob Dernier on the guest list. Matthews and Dernier came over from Philadelphia in the same spring-training trade in 1984.
“We’re naming the field right now and this is your opportunity to get tickets,” RiverHawks general manager Josh Olerud said. “If you plan on attending FanFest, you should buy your tickets soon. This is a first-class event and a first-class venue. I’d be really surprised if we didn’t sell out.”
Durham was St. Louis’ first-round pick in 1976. The Cardinals dealt him to Chicago in the Bruce Sutter trade and Durham spent the majority of his 10 major-league seasons with the Cubs.
In 1982, his first season as a regular, he hit .312 with 22 home runs and 90 RBI. Durham, who also played for Cincinnati, was a two-time All-Star and a career .277 hitter.
Matthews was San Francisco’s first-round pick in the 1968 draft. He played for the Giants, Atlanta, the Phillies, the Cubs and Seattle. Matthews hit .300 for the Giants in 1973 and was the National League Rookie of the Year. In addition, Matthews was an all-star in 1979 and, with the Phillies, was Most Valuable Player of the National League Championship Series in 1983. He was a career .281 hitter.
FanFest has been revamped to resemble the annual Cubs Caravan, which will not visit Rockford this winter. Dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m. An autograph show featuring former major-leaguers, former RiverHawks and current members of the team begins at 6:30 p.m. Hendry and guests will take questions from the audience starting at 8 p.m.
Additional guests will be announced as the event draws near.
Fans will also have the opportunity to purchase RiverHawks souvenirs and apparel. In addition, the RiverHawks’ inflatable speed pitch from the stadium will be at Giovanni’s.
