The Northwoods League franchise, known for their viral Missouri River Motorboaters rebrand in 2023, will change their name for one game on August 8

July 1, 2024

(Bismarck, ND) – In honor of North Dakota’s ranchers and cattle farmers, the Bismarck Larks baseball team of the Northwoods League will change their name to the Heartland Holy Cows for one game on Thursday, August 8.

The players and coaches will wear specially designed hats and jerseys for the game against the Mankato Moondogs at Bismarck Municipal Ballpark, Home of Dakota Community Bank & Trust Field.

Jerseys will be auctioned off during the game courtesy of the North Dakota Beef Commission with all net proceeds being used to purchase beef and then donated to the Great Plains Food Bank. The Great Plains Food Bank is a volunteer-based organization that serves as the only food bank in the state of North Dakota.

The team also has a variety of Holy Cows t-shirts, tank tops, hats and other merchandise for sale now at heartlandholycows.com.

“Our team aimed to honor the remarkable ranching industry in our state and throughout the Heartland of the United States,” said Larks CEO and Owner John Bollinger. “Farmers, ranchers, and landowners are incredibly hardworking individuals who rarely take a day off, except for attending church on Sundays. They play a crucial role in feeding the nation with their dedication to growing and caring for our food supply. This tribute is for them.”

The Heartland Holy Cows gives a nod to ranchers and farmers with the logo featuring a Red Angus cow with a church/cowbell around its neck. The halo above the cow and the baseball o’s are tilted like that of an angel. The colors green, brown, gold, and red represent the same colors that cattle roam in grown grass, prairie dirt, golden fields, and a red barn in the background.

The American Heartland comprises the 20 states in the middle of the country, which are those states included in the east-north central, west-north central, east-south central, and west-south central of the United States census regions. The states are Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin.

Since 1954, the North Dakota Beef Commission has worked together to ensure local beef is promoted to consumers, enhancing beef demand, strengthening consumer trust, and exceeding customer expectations.

The Great Plains Food Bank was launched in 1983 and serves as a food recovery and distribution center to recover food that otherwise would go to waste. Volunteers distribute the food to a network of more than 200 partner food pantries, shelters, and soup kitchens across the region.

The Bismarck Larks won the 2023 Northwoods League Promotion of the Year award by rebranding to the Missouri River Motorboaters last season. This unique promotion celebrated the vibrant culture of pontoon boating on the Missouri River, honoring the numerous boat captains who enjoy the river each summer. The campaign resonated widely, generating millions of impressions across social media platforms and capturing the attention of major sports media outlets including ESPN’s SportsCenter, Barstool Sports, and even integrated into the popular video game MLB The Show.

Learn more and shop exclusive Heartland Holy Cows gear at heartlandholycows.com.