Waterloo, Iowa – Tonight, the Waterloo Bucks will welcome the City of Hudson Baseball and Softball Program to Cost Cutters Field at Riverfront Stadium as they are recipient of this year’s Share the Glove Equipment Grant Program. As part of the Northwoods League 25^th Season Celebration, the Northwoods League Foundation is providing 20 equipment grants with approximately $2,500 in Rawlings equipment to each of its affiliate teams.

The Bucks received many applicants in its inaugural year of this grant and are proud to have an impact in providing this equipment to an organization in the Cedar Valley. As part of the Our Bucks Community Initiative, the Bucks partnered with the Northwoods League Foundation in providing this equipment and would like to congratulate the Hudson Baseball and Softball Program in receiving this year’s Share the Glove Equipment Grant.

Each grant features a collection of Rawlings equipment, including two sets of catcher’s gear, ten gloves, eight batting helmets, six bats and one bucket of practice balls.  The Share the Glove initiative was developed to encourage participation in youth baseball and softball activities throughout the Northwoods League footprint.  Northwoods League affiliates promoted the grant and collected applications from youth organizations in their local markets over a six-week period this Spring.

According to Gary Hoover, Northwoods League Foundation Secretary, “The Share the Glove program delivers right from the heart of the Foundation’s mission – it brings together the Northwoods League, its Affiliates and partners to recognize and support the important role youth sports participation plays in developing character and strong communities.”

The Bucks begin a two-game series tonight versus the St. Cloud Rox at 6:35 pm at Cost Cutters Field at Riverfront Stadium where the team welcomed a new state of the art video board in 2016 thanks to a matching grant from the Black Hawk County Gaming Association.  Team ownership has invested more than $170,000 in improvements since the end of the 2014 season including painted bleachers, public Wi-Fi, sound system, group outing areas, kids zone inflatables, and concessions equipment.  Fans are encouraged to stay in touch with the Bucks by utilizing their website at www.waterloobucks.com or utilizing the Northwoods League Mobile App.  Tickets are now on sale by calling the Bucks’ Ticket Line at 319-232-5633.

# # #

The Waterloo Bucks are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Now in its 25th anniversary season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 190 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (TOR).  All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit http://www.waterloobucks.comor download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Bucks as your favorite team.