Dan O’Brien highlights the Frontier League Hall of Fame Luncheon on Wednesday at the Drees Pavilion.
The former general manager of the Cincinnati Reds will be the keynote speaker for the event, which will also feature Frontier League Commissioner Bill Lee inducting the Hall of Famers and the introduction of all 2016 Frontier League Y’All Stars.
O’Brien began his career with the Seattle Mariners in 1977 before stops with the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers. Prior to being named the GM of the Reds in 2003, his roles primarily included scouting and farm system oversight.
While with the Reds he signed Johnny Cueto, and drafted Jay Bruce and Homer Bailey. During his tenure with other teams, he acquired HOF Craig Biggio, future HOF nominee Jeff Bagwell and Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana.
Most recently, O’Brien served as the Special Assistant to Milwaukee Brewers GM Doug Melvin for Baseball Operations and for the Kansas City Royals.
The Frontier League will be inducting five players, one umpire, and a special moment at the event on Wednesday. The players include OF Richard Austin, OF Willie Edwards, C Charlie Lisk, OF Joey Metropolous, and LHP Matt Schweitzer all of whom etched their names across the Frontier League record books.
Umpire Max McLeary, who worked in the Frontier League for 10 years and is believed to be the only one-eyed umpire in professional baseball history, will also be inducted.
The special moment in league history is Brian Tollberg’s Major League debut. Tollberg became the first Frontier League alumnus to reach Major League Baseball when he appeared for the San Diego Padres on June 20, 2000.
During the luncheon, the Frontier League All-Stars will be introduced as well. Twenty-seven Frontier League alumni have gone on to reach the Major League level with hundreds being picked-up by MLB organizations.
The event will take place at the Drees Pavilion in Covington and will begin at 11:30 a.m. Limited seating is still available for the event and can be secured by calling Amanda Sipple at 859-594-4487 ex. 17.
The Florence Freedom are hosting the Frontier League Y’All-Star Festivities this season. It all began with the Battle of the Sexes softball game Monday. The week continues with the Frontier League Home Run Derby on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. and the Frontier League Y’All Star Game at 7:05 p.m. on Wednesday.
More information and tickets for all of the Y’All Star Week events can be found here.
Y’All Star Week Kicks off with Battle of the Sexes Softball Game
The Y’All Star Week kicked off Monday with an entertaining Battle of the Sexes softball game. The matchup featured three inside-the-park home runs and a minor, light-hearted scuffle as the Chicago Bandits defeated the Florence Freedom, 8-4.
After the Bandits took a 2-0 lead in the first, Austin Newell and Andrew Godbold hit back-to-back inside-the-park home runs to pull Florence even.
The Freedom took the lead for the first time in the third when Tony Vocca delivered an RBI single to right field, but the Bandits answered with a four-spot in the sixth, including an inside-the-park home run by Kelsey Dotson.
In a moment that put a bow on the fun evening, Newell, who had thrown the bat twice earlier in the game, had his hands taped by Florence trainer Bryan Jett. He held on to the bat, but ended up striking out to complete the ballgame.
Fourteen Florence players took swings in the game. Jaired Dozier, the Freedom’s Bullpen Catcher, was named Player of the Game after singling and scoring in the sixth. Megan Blank had two hits and two runs scored for Chicago, while Dotson’s home run put the Bandits ahead for good.
From Freedom Communications