Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.- The Rafters 2022 season is right around the corner and a full summer of baseball brings an exciting array of promotions. Over the past two weeks, the Rafters have been gearing up for a busy season, releasing Northwoods League All-Star Game tickets and announcing some highlighted promotional nights. Today, the team announced the full 2022 promotional schedule!

“We are so excited to get the 2022 season kicked off and announce all of the fun promotions we have in store,” Rafters General Manager Chloe de Vries said. “It is going to be an eventful year and we cannot thank everyone enough for their support and excitement leading up to opening day.”

Opening Week

Opening Day is Monday, May 30th at 6:35pm against the Green Bay Rockers. The first fans through the gates will receive a 2022 season magnet schedule presented by Hotel Mead. On Wednesday, June 1st McCain Foods brings back a fan favorite to Witter Field, the ZOOperstars! Thursday June 2nd is First Responders night at the ballpark. All first responders will receive a ticket that includes a hat, hot dog and fountain drink!

Bobbleheads

The Rafters will have three bobblehead nights during the 2022 summer, the first falls on Friday, July 1st. Solarus presents the Rosco Technician bobblehead with post game fireworks. The first fans through the gate will receive a bobblehead while all package holders are guaranteed one. The second bobblehead night of the season falls on Saturday, July 30th. Aspirus Heath presents the Hawaiian Rosco bobblehead. Last but not least, on Wednesday, August 3rd, Skyward presents Programmer Rosco on Skyward Educator Appreciation Night. Central Wisconsin Teacher of the Year, Stevens Point Area Senior High’s Mrs. Kate Kaster will be recognized at the game.

Fireworks

This season will feature five firework shows to ignite the excitement. Fireworks begin shortly after the final out is made so stick around for the show! Delta Dental presents the first firework show of the 2022 season on Saturday, June 25th. The second show falls soon after on Friday, July 1st presented by Solarus. The Northwoods League All-Star Game will end with fireworks on Tuesday, July 19th. S&S Distributing presents post game fireworks on Saturday, Jul 23rd as well as a T-shirt giveaway presented by La Taqueria. Finally, Ho-Chunk Gaming Nekoosa will present the final show on Friday, August 5th.

Celebrity Appearances

Wednesday, June 22nd, Connexus Credit Union will bring Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame member, Gilbert Brown, to Witter Field. Gilbert Brown, otherwise known as, The Grave Digger, is a former nose tackle who played for the Green Bay Packers from 1993-1999 and from 2001- 2003. He has a foundation, the Gilbert Brown Foundation, that serves the Wisconsin area to put a stop to bullying in schools. Fans will have the chance to wait in line and get a Brown photograph autographed (photograph will be provided by the Rafters).

Jersey Auction Nights

This season, the Rafters feature four alternate jersey auctions. Ocean Spray presents the first of four on Wednesday, July 6th with an Ocean Spray Cranberry Crazies Team Rename with a jersey auction to benefit Central Wisconsin Gift of Life! On Thursday, July 14th, Ho-Chunk Gaming Nekoosa presents Military Appreciation Night. The worn military jersey auction will benefit the Never Forgotten Honor Flight. Catch the Rafters on the field on Share Your Superpower Night with superhero themed jerseys that will be auctioned off presented by Mid-State Technical College on Thursday, July 28th. The last jersey of the season will be worn on Saturday, August 6th for Lucky’s Autism Awareness Night. The Autism Awareness jersey proceeds will benefit the Autism Society of Central Wisconsin.

Theme Nights and Other Giveaways

This season will be full of Theme Nights and Giveaways! Come out dressed in your favorite Halloween costume for our Rosco-Ween summer Halloween party on Sunday, June 5th. Our Stand Up to Cancer night will be on Wednesday, June 8th. Join us for Rosco’s Birthday Celebration on Sunday, June 12th. There will be a doubleheader on Thursday, June 16th with the 11:35 a.m. game being Cellcom Kids Day with Lunch and Senior specials. The second game at 6:35 p.m. will have the Hunger Coalition Food Sculpture Event “United We Can” sponsored by United Way of South Wood County. Don’t miss our Aspirus Health Rally Towel Giveaway on Saturday, June 18th! We will be having a game on Father’s Day, June 19th where all fathers will be eligible for a $14 bleacher ticket that includes a beer and a hot dog. Monday, June 20th we will be inviting some of your local favorite mascots for Mascot Night and break out your golf attire for The Ridges Night on Monday, June 21st.

July will be full of exciting promotions including our Halfway to New Year’s celebration on Saturday, July 2nd as well as our Independence Day Celebration the day after on Sunday, July 3rd. Don’t miss our Christmas in July with a special guest appearance from Santa Clause! Fans are encouraged to bring new toys to donate to Christmas in July charities. Come out and support your favorite sports team that isn’t the Rafters on Tuesday, July 12th. Bring your doggies to the park on Wednesday, July 13th for Bark in the Park presented by Current Technologies! Mid-State Technical College and Skyward presents the Northwoods League Home Run Challenge as a part of our All-Star Break on Monday, July 18th! Dress up in your best Lord of the Rings attire for our Lord of the Rings themed night on Friday, July 29th.

To kick off August, Fey Printing will be presenting a Rafters baseball card set giveaway on Monday the 1st. Grab a beer at our Oktoberfest at the ballpark game presented by Point Brewery on Sunday, August 7th! On Monday, August 8th we will be handing out Rafters Team Posters presented by Luke A. Weiland. The Wisconsin Rapids Convention & Visitors Bureau presents Wisconsin Sports Night featuring the Wisconsin Rapids Area Sports Commission on Tuesday, August 9th. On Thursday, August 11th, we will have a Paul Gross Jewelers Diamond Lottery where lucky winners will win REAL diamonds! (Ages 18+) On our last game of the season we will have Founding Partner Night on Friday, August 12th.

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The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Having completed its’ 27th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 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, over 245 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and MLB All-Star Jordan Zimmermann (DET). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.raftersbaseball.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Rafters as your favorite team