***MEDIA ALERT***

 

NEWS CONFERENCE SCHEDULED

PRIOR TO CUBS CARAVAN PROGRAM

 

January 7, 2008                                            Contact:  Tom Nichols at (219) 882-2255

 

Gary, Ind.—A news conference featuring participants in the Chicago Cubs Caravan visit to Northwest Indiana will take place prior to the event on January 17^th.  

 

The news conference will run from 11:00 a.m.-11:15 a.m. in the Grandview Room at Avalon Manor, 3550 E. U.S. Highway 30 in Merrillville.

 

The format of the news conference will be slightly different than in 2007.  Due to the condensed 15 minute format, there is no guarantee of individual one-on-one media interviews for this year's event.  Media will have the opportunity to ask questions of Cubs personnel in a podium setting.  If time allows, individual interviews will be made available.

 

IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THIS NEWS CONFERENCE, PLEASE REPLY TO THIS EMAIL AT RAILCATSMEDIA@AOL.COM WITH THE NAME OF THE REPORTER AND ORGANIZATION.

 

The Cubs Caravan visit to Northwest Indiana is sponsored by U. S. Steel and coordinated by the Gary SouthShore RailCats Professional Baseball Club.  The luncheon will take place at Avalon Manor on January 17th.  The event features a lottery-based autograph session, and a question and answer exchange.  Doors will open at 10:00 a.m. on January 17^th.  The autograph session will begin at 11:45 a.m. and end at 12:15 p.m.  The event will also include a silent auction of Chicago Cubs memorabilia. 

 

Tickets can be purchased at U.S. Steel Yard or by calling (219) 882-2255.  Tickets are $20.00 per person with proceeds donated to the Home Field Advantage Foundation.

 

The Chicago Cubs' tentative participants list includes manager Lou Piniella; infielder Ryan Theriot; pitchers Rich Hill, Carlos Marmol, and Kevin Hart; first base coach Matt Sinatro; and Northwest Indiana natives Dan Plesac, a former Cub who is currently a television studio analyst for Comcast SportsNet, and Jeff Samardija, a minor league pitcher in the Cubs organization and former baseball and football star at Notre Dame. 

 

More Info:  The Gary SouthShore RailCats are a Professional Minor League Baseball Team serving Northwest Indiana and Chicago's south suburbs. The RailCats won the Northern League championship in 2005 and 2007 and for each of the last four years, they have been chosen "Best Local Spectator Sport" by Northwest Indiana Business Quarterly.  Their 96 game schedule includes 48 home games at beautiful U. S. Steel Yard, an award-winning 6,000 seat state-of-the-art facility located next to the Indiana Toll Road (I-90) with easy access to I-65.

 

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