SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PRESS RELEASE
Phone: 817.739.3693
Website: xsbaseball.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 20 , 2024
SCHOLTEN JERSEY ARRIVES IN COOPERSTOWN
EXPLORERS ARE IN THE HALL
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Sioux City Explorer J.D. Scholten’s game-worn jersey from his first start on July 6, 2024, against the Milwaukee Milkmen has a forever home at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York. The Iowa House of Representative and 44-year-old right-hander was in New York this week and personally delivered the jersey Thursday morning September 19 to Hall of Fame President Josh Rawitch. The Sioux City native had been previously invited to Farm Aid to both the food and agriculture conference and the music festival in Saratoga, New York.
“It was such an honor to be able to pitch again for the Sioux City Explorers. That July 6th game was magical and something I’ll never forget. I cannot even begin to comprehend that the National Baseball Hall of Fame would be interested in an artifact from that game. To hand deliver my jersey and to walk through the museum was so incredibly special and emotionally overwhelming.
I love baseball, and I love Sioux City, and to have those two things combined at the National Baseball Hall of Fame for generations to come, it’s arguably the most meaningful thing to happen to me,” said Scholten.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum had asked for Scholten’s game-worn cap from his first start of the year. The only problem was it sustained damage in the bus fire the team suffered on the night of August 2. The cap was also thought to be with other damaged items in a ditch between I-80 and Earlham, Iowa. Explorers VP/GM Tom Backemeyer drove to Kane County following the bus fire and spent the weekend with the team in Geneva, Illinois. On his drive back to Sioux City August 4, he found the cap in the ditch. The lid made it to the hall in early August, but because of the conditions from smoke damage, the item posed the threat of damage to other artifacts in the museum. The Hall of Fame then asked about the game-worn jersey, and Scholten and the Explorers agreed that they would get that to New York once the season ended.
The Scholten story was the feel-good story of baseball during the 2024 season worldwide. Scholten, who is a member of the Iowa House of Representatives for District 1, was signed by the Explorers to make an emergency start Saturday, July 6 when Jared Wetherbee came up with a stiff neck. After 102 pitches, the 44-year-old Scholten left the game with a quality start, going 6.2 innings and holding Milwaukee to two earned runs on seven hits to pick up the win. Scholten was in attendance at Lewis and Clark Park the night before as a spectator in game one of the series with Milwaukee and went from fan and state politician to the Sioux City rotation in the blink of an eye.
The next week he would make another start as he swung through Fargo where he helped end a three-game losing streak by tossing another quality start, going six innings while holding the RedHawks to one run in a 3-1 win. He was on the stump July 20 in another winning campaign stop at home, going 5.1 innings and picking up a win over Sioux Falls in game two of a doubleheader sweep of the Canaries. He also went 4.1 innings down in Texas against the red-hot Railroaders on July 26 with six strikeouts, getting a no decision. Scholten then returned home and faced the Lincoln Saltdogs on August 1 where he tossed six innings in a win. He tossed 6.1 innings while giving up two earned runs, bumping his record to (4-0). It was the first of four straight appearances where he went six innings. Scholten would suffer his first loss against Kansas City on the road August 6, going six innings and giving up seven earned runs. He was charged with another loss on his next start against eventual league champion Kane County at home on August 13, but he rebounded, going six innings on August 18, helping secure a sweep for Sioux City over Winnipeg. He missed a quality start by one run in his final inning, giving up four earned runs. On August 23 he made a special start on the field where he pitched one year in college– the University of Nebraska at Haymarket Park. Scholten tossed five innings, giving up four runs in a no decision. The right-handed rep tied for the team lead in wins with a September 2 outing against the Cleburne Railroaders.
Scholten added, “Growing up, I just wanted to play baseball every day. Never did I think that something I was part of would be worthy enough for the National Baseball Hall of Fame. It’s surreal.”
Scholten has a full-time job serving the people of the State of Iowa and his native Sioux City as a member of the Iowa House of Representatives for District 1. He attended Morningside College, where he pitched and played first base for three years. He later transferred to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln to pitch for the Nebraska Cornhuskers as a senior. In 2002, he led the Cornhuskers in earned run average and would earn his degree from Nebraska in December 2003. He played baseball and basketball at East High School in Sioux City and was born in Ames.
For more information or for media requests, please feel free to reach out to the Explorers media team at 817-739-3693. For details on season tickets and partnership opportunities give the Explorers a call at (712) 277-9467.