By Chris Harris
Biloxi Shuckers
The Shuckers ended their opening homestand on Sunday, and attendance through the first five games enjoyed a 21 percent increase over the opening series in 2016. A total of 14,806 fans came through the gates to see the Shuckers take on the Blue Wahoos, an increase of 2,577 fans from last season.
The opening homestand also saw the premieres of new weekly promotions, All-You-Can-Eat Wednesday and Thirsty Thursday.
The Shuckers and MGM Park received national attention on Thursday night, when center fielder Johnny Davis robbed a home run from Pensacola’s Alex Blandino. The leaping grab over the right-center field wall was SportsCenter’s top play of the night, and a clip of the play received 767,000 views on SportsCenter’s Instagram page.
“We are greatly appreciative of and excited about the support we received from Shuckers fans to open up the season,” said Shuckers General Manager Chuck Arnold. “Our new promotions were a success and the opening week helped us identify areas where we can make them even better. We want our fans to know that we are constantly evaluating opportunities for improvement in order to make attending a Biloxi Shuckers game the best experience in baseball.
“We also want to congratulate Johnny Davis on the play of the year that brought positive national recognition to the Shuckers and the City of Biloxi.”
A homestand-high 4,006 fans came to MGM Park on Saturday for a Jackie Robinson Day celebration. The Shuckers wore the uniforms of the Southern Negro League’s Biloxi Dodgers and honored former Dodgers players in a pregame ceremony. Though the Shuckers lost 2-1 in 11 innings, most fans stuck around for the first fireworks show of the season.
The Shuckers play their next five games on the road at Chattanooga before returning home to begin a five-game series against the Jackson (Tenn.) Generals (an Arizona Diamondbacks affiliate) on Saturday. For the game, the Shuckers will partner with March of Dimes for a benefit jersey auction. The jersey features a unique aquatic design, showcasing the beauty of the Mississippi Gulf Coast and was designed by Ocean Springs tattoo artist Matt Stebly. Saturday also features the second fireworks show of the season. The homestand continues with Family Fun Day and a ZOOperstars! performance on April 23, Bark in the Park presented by Raising Cane’s on April 24 and the first Education Day of the year on April 26.
Fans are encouraged to buy tickets in advance at any Ticketmaster outlet or at biloxishuckers.com.
About the Biloxi Shuckers: The Biloxi Shuckers are the Double-A Southern League Affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. The Shuckers play at MGM Park in Biloxi, Mississippi. For more information, please visit biloxishuckers.com and follow us on Twitter @biloxishuckers and at facebook.com/biloxishuckers.com.
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Video: See the Johnny Davis catch
