Bandits celebrates stadium award with free admission April 21

Dave Heller has a party planned — and the entire Quad Cities area is invited. The longtime owner of the Quad Cities River Bandits announced Thursday morning, April 11, that Sunday, April 21, is a Free Admission Day at Modern Woodmen Park. Palmer Chiropractic Clinics is partnering with the local minor league baseball team to […]

Dave Heller has a party planned -- and the entire Quad Cities area is invited. The longtime owner of the Quad Cities River Bandits announced Thursday morning, April 11, that Sunday, April 21, is a Free Admission Day at Modern Woodmen Park.

Palmer Chiropractic Clinics is partnering with the local minor league baseball team to celebrate the iconic Davenport riverfront stadium recently being voted as the “Best Minor League Ballpark” in USA TODAY’s 10Best 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards. The honor was announced Wednesday, March 20, and marks the historic venue’s second USA TODAY award after the local ballpark earned the same distinction in the publication’s last ranking in 2013. Mr. Heller and the Bandits hosted a similar open house in 2016 to celebrate Ballpark Digest naming Modern Woodmen Park the best minor league ballpark at the Single-A level. Bleacher Report and Parade Magazine also have recognized the Davenport stadium since Mr. Heller’s Main Street Baseball purchased the club in 2007. “For us to win this award is really special,” Mr. Heller said during a news conference today, April 11, inside the stadium’s Diamond Club. “It speaks to the quality of staff here that works so hard to give people the best baseball experience they possibly can. I am so pleased and proud of the staff for the work they do here,” he said.

“So often in the Midwest, we are overlooked with these kinds of awards going to people on the coasts,” he added. “So, for us to win this award in the middle of America is a great win for this community, for this region and for this area.” Officials at Davenport’s Palmer agree -- which made it easy to support a free game for local families. “This is such a great feature for this community,” said Michael Tunning, Palmer College’s dean of Programs. “It’s a great place for the community to come together and at Palmer we love being a part of that.” Among other events, Palmer also sponsors both the Quad City Times Bix 7 and the TBK Bank Quad Cities Marathon running events. Mr. Heller also noted Palmer offers free care for the needy as well as veterans, active duty military, reservists and guardsmen. “We feel we are the leader in chiropractic care nationally and we also have the best ballpark in the country here – so that’s exciting to bring those two things together for a celebration,” said Tara Schulz, Palmer’s executive director of Clinic Operations. The April 21 celebration features a 1 p.m. game start against regional rival Peoria -- but Mr. Heller encouraged spectators to arrive as early as the gates opening at 12:15 p.m. The Bandits players – some, he said, who will be part of Major League Baseball’s next generation of stars – will be available for autographs, too. And after the game, children will be allowed on the field to run the bases – a staple of Family Day Sundays for several years now following the Bandits’ games. “We love giving back to this community,” Mr. Heller said. “This is why Palmer Chiropractic Clinics is such a great partner for this because they love giving back to this community, too. “And this is a great chance for us to say thank you to everybody in the Quad Cities who supported the River Bandits and voted to help us win this great award.” “I expect it’s going to be packed. I think we are going to have a full house,” he added. “It’s going to be a great event.”