Another Bandit For Illinois Senator

The Quad Cities River Bandits have made no secrets about their desire to enhance the quality of life in the community. On Monday, the club took this commitment to the next level by jumping into the political arena and publicly endorsing Bob Evans, the River Bandits’ Director of Baseball Operations, to fill Illinois’ vacant Senate seat formerly held by President-elect Barack Obama.

“This is a chance for the people to have their voices heard,” said River Bandits Vice President and General Manager Kirk Goodman. “Bob is a lifelong Illinois resident, a fan favorite of many people in the Quad Cities, and he knows his home state as well as anybody. Moreover, the people of Illinois can benefit tremendously from the great value associated with River Bandits baseball.”If the reports from U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald are correct, and Governor Blagojevich is indeed trying to sell the U.S. Senate seat to the highest bidder, then the River Bandits are prepared to enter the fray. The team is offering the Governor quite a bounty for the vacant Senate seat, including four club season tickets – featuring private wait staff delivering food and beverage orders directly to fans’ seats – as well as two nights in a luxury suite at Modern Woodmen Park, and advertising for the State of Illinois on the brand new LED ribbon board that will be installed this spring. The team has also offered ten Northwest Bank & Trust “Back in Black-gojevich” t-shirts and five bobbleheads of former Illinois Senator Barack Obama, sponsored by Pepsi, from Modern Woodmen Park’s Bobble-Election last August. The team will also throw in some pine tar and batting gloves to help with the greasy palms.

“I feel honored that the River Bandits have selected me as their choice for United States Senator and am confident that I will be a great asset to the state government,” said Evans, 65, as he spoke from his Moline home. “As an usher, greeter, concession stand worker, salesman and little league coach, I’ve worked with Illinois baseball fans for decades. I know what people want. Also, I’ve worked with a lot of umpires here at Modern Woodmen Park and I know I make better calls than most of them. And quite frankly, I don’t see how the Governor can turn down all of the great perks and benefits that are on the table if I’m appointed to the position.”

Evans also made clear that he is not afraid to take a stand on the tough issues of the day.

“I’m for more jobs, cheaper health care and better schools,” Evans said. “I’m also opposed to high taxes and high prices. That’s why I’d like to bring the River Bandits approach to Washington – better entertainment, bigger food portions and cheaper tickets – all with free parking across the street. That’s the kind of straightforward common sense Washington could use right now.”

ABOUT THE BANDITS: Under new ownership and management in 2008, the Quad Cities River Bandits topped 207,000 fans for only the sixth time in team history and the first time in 12 years. Having recently completed one of the most successful seasons in the history of the franchise, the club is staying busy over the off-season as a popular venue for Christmas parties and other special events. With a renewed dedication to fans, sponsors and the Quad Cities community, the return of the River Bandits has brought a resurgence of support for the team. Banditwear makes an ideal Christmas gift and season tickets and mini-plans are on sale for the 2009 season by calling (563) 3-BANDITS or heading to www.RiverBandits.com. But hurry – good seats are going fast!

From Quad Cities River Bandits press release