MACON, Ga. – Mercer University head baseball coach Craig Gibson announced that former Major League Baseball star Darryl Strawberry will serve as the keynote speaker for the 2015 First Pitch Classic on Tuesday, February 10 at Hawkins Arena. Tickets for the event will go on sale starting January 5.
The seventh annual event kicks off the 2015 baseball season and benefits the Bears' baseball program. An autograph session at 5:30 p.m. in the President's Dining Room opens the night, followed by dinner at 7 p.m. on the floor of Hawkins Arena.
Strawberry, whose son Jordan is a member of Mercer's men's basketball team, joins a long list of decorated guest speakers who have headlined past events. The renowned speakers at previous events include Gordon Beckham, Jeff Francoeur, Chipper Jones, Dale Murphy, Pete Rose and John Smoltz.
An eight-time MLB All-Star, Strawberry is widely considered one of the best power hitters of his time. The first pick of the 1980 draft by the New York Mets, Strawberry earned National League Rookie of the Year in 1983. He would go on to compile 335 home runs, 1,000 RBI and 221 stolen bases over the course of his 17-year career, while winning four World Series titles. A four-time finalist for NL MVP, Strawberry was one of the first 10 players in MLB history to join the exclusive 30-30 club, after clubbing 39 home runs and swiping 36 bases during the 1987 season.
Since retiring from professional baseball in 1999, Strawberry has been active in the community as both an Action for Autism and youth outreach advocate as well as a N.Y. Times best-selling author. An ordained minister and founder of the Darryl Strawberry Foundation, he will serve as the 2015 conference chairman for Promise Keepers.
For more information, please contact Mercer Baseball Volunteer Assistant Coach Tanner Gordon at (478) 301-2738 or by email at firstpitchclassic@mercer.edu.
