Mattingly, Martinez and Miley Headline Baseball Leadoff Dinner
January 21, 2003 | Baseball
Jan. 21, 2003
LOUISVILLE, KY - Former Yankee great Don Mattingly, current St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Tino Martinez and Louisville Bats Manager Dave Miley will headline the 2003 University of Louisville Baseball Leadoff Dinner on February 6 at 7:30 p.m in the Brown and Williamson Club of Papa John's Cardinal Stadium.
The banquet is sponsored by Colgate/Palmolive and Republic Bank and tickets can be purchased for $50 by calling (502)852-1974.
Mattingly, an Evansville, Indiana native, won the American League MVP award in 1985 while batting .324 with 35 home runs and 145 RBI. He won nine Gold Gloves and was named to the All-Star team six times. In a career that was shortened by chronic back injuries, he posted a .307 lifetime average with 222 home runs and 1,099 RBI. Mattingly, affectionately known as "Donnie Baseball" is the last player to have captained the Yankees and had his number retired by the Bronx Bombers in 1997.
Mattingly has recently teamed with fellow former major leaguer Cal Ripken Jr. as part owners of a minor league team that will make Evansville its home beginning the 2004 season.
Martinez, who completed his first season with the St. Louis Cardinals, won four World Series rings with the Yankees after replacing Mattingly at first. A two-time All-Star, Martinez has 284 career home runs and 1,077 RBI over a 13-year career.
Miley, who enters his fourth season as manager of the Louisville Bats and 14th season managing in the Reds organization, lead his team to the 2001 International League Championship. Last season he picked up his 1,000th win and managed the the International League in the 2002 Triple-A All-Star Game. He was named American Association Manager of the Year after the 1997 campaign and Baseball America's best major league managerial prospect in the International League in 1998.
The annual dinner is the primary fundraising event for the U of L baseball team, who is lead by Conference USA's 2002 Coach of the Year Lelo Prado. Louisville set school records for wins(39), conference wins(21) and advanced to an NCAA Regional for the first time in school history last season.
The 2003 slate opens on February 21 when the Cards face Northern Illinois at Cardinal Stadium, for the first of four games against the Huskies.
