The Windy City ThunderBolts have announced their new hitting coach for the 2011 season, and it’s a familiar name. Brent Bowers, who managed the team in 2005 and 2006, will rejoin the organization as the batting instructor under Field Manager Mike Kashirsky.
Following Rob Mackowiak, Bowers becomes the second consecutive Bolts hitting coach with Major League playing experience. He spent a month in the American League in 1996, helping the Baltimore Orioles make the playoffs by hitting .308 in 21 games with three RBI and six runs scored. Aside from that cup of coffee, he has been a minor league lifer, amassing a .259 career batting average over 14 years in the secondary circuits.
Bowers became the Windy City manager in 2005, three years after his playing career ended. In two years as the team’s top field man, the Bolts went 80-111.
He had more success in his second managerial stint. Between 2008-2010, Bowers coached the Edmonton Cracker-Cats/Capitals of the now defunct Golden League. He led the team to the playoffs in both 2008 and 2009 before resigning on August 7, 2010.
With the ThunderBolts, he takes over the team's offense that finished atop the Frontier League a year ago with a .277 team batting average.
The Windy City ThunderBolts are a member of the twelve-team Frontier League, the oldest professional independent baseball league in the nation. The ThunderBolts open the 2011 season at Standard Bank Stadium on Thursday, May 19th. Season tickets, flex plans, and all group tickets (including suites, picnics, party box, & spa) are on sale now! Single-game tickets for the 2011 season go on sale Saturday, April 30th. For more information please call 708.489.BALL or visit wcthunderbolts.com.
