3RD ANNUAL FIRST PITCH DINNER UPDATE
Bulletin
3RD ANNUAL FIRST PITCH DINNER UPDATE A lively crowd of nearly 200, including Knights players, family members, fans and varsity baseball alumni are expected at the Jon Bittmann First Pitch Dinner taking place at the Park Ridge Marriott on Saturday, February 23 at 5:00 PM. One week after the celebration, the Knights will travel south to Savannah, GA to open their 2013 season against Savannah State. After advancing to the NEC conference play-offs in 2012, expectations for the Knights’ upcoming season are high. “We’re focused on building upon on our success in 2012,” says Head Coach Gary Puccio. “The First Pitch Dinner provides FDU fans and family the opportunity to give the team a great send-off. The dinner is our biggest baseball event each year, and it has really taken off. With close to 200 people attending, we had to book a much bigger room than in the past.” Tickets to the dinner are $80 per person. To reserve your ticket, mail a check made out to “FDU First Pitch Dinner” to Gary Puccio, Fairleigh Dickinson University, 1000 River Road, Teaneck, NJ 07666
Knights 1950s All-Decade Team to be Honored The First Pitch Dinner will be highlighted by recognition of the 20 players named to the 1950’s All-Decade Baseball team. From 1951 to 1959 the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights, playing for Head Coach Harvey Woods, racked up an impressive
February 2013
130-94-1 record for a solid .580 winning percentage. Among the talented players who helped shape the FDU baseball program during that first decade, six FDU baseball Knights went on to play professional baseball and many more of them made their mark with area semi-pro teams. In addition, infielder Don Patlen and pitcher Bill Pollack are members of the FDU Division 1 Athletics Hall of Fame. OUTFIELD Bill Fiorelli 54-56 Ralph Guadagno 59, 60 John Kelleher 52-54 Frank Pinto 56-58 Fred Roedel 51-54 Ira Schwartz 57-59 INFIELD John DeSantis 56-58 Frank Gilabert 58-59 Jim Livolsi 54-56 Jim Miller 52-55 Don Margolin 55-57 Don Patlen 51-55 Joe Prieto 58-60 CATCHER Phil Kutt 57-59 Tony Maisano 57-58 Frank Monello 53-56 PITCHER Frank Buono 51-53 Frank Gilabert 58-59 Russ Hughes 51-52 Bill Pollack 59-60 George Zuchniewicz 52-53
Alumni Pitch In for “First Pitch” The line-up of Knights baseball alumni planning to attend the First Pitch Dinner promises to be the largest in First Pitch dinner history. The number of alumni who come to the dinner has grown every year head, Coach Puccio reports. “We may fill three tables with Knights alumni this year, and we’ll have at least one player from every decade, including 10 FDU Hall of Fame members. The varsity players are really looking forward to meeting the men who played such a big role in establishing the FDU baseball tradition.” Hall of Famer Sal Racobaldo will be on hand to present Ryan Kresky with the 2012 Northeast Conference Player of the Year Award. Sal, one of the Knights’ all-time leading hitters and run producers, won the NEC Player of the Year Award in 1994. Jon Bittmann, named to the Hall of Fame in 2006, will present the traditional First Pitch ball to the hurler selected to open the season against Savannah State. It’s a Great Time to Adopt a Player For $200, you can join nearly 20 alumni that have adopted one of the 2013 Varsity Baseball Knights. Your contribution buys his cleats, turfs, hats, pullovers and other accessories (socks, belts, etc.). We encourage you to adopt a player who fields the same position that you did during your playing days and follow him throughout the season online at www.fduknights. com. Mail your check made out to “FDU Baseball” memo “Adopt a Player” to Gary Puccio, Fairleigh Dickinson University, 1000 River Road, Teaneck, NJ 07666.
3RD ANNUAL FIRST PITCH DINNER UPDATE A lively crowd of nearly 200, including Knights players, family members, fans and varsity baseball alumni are expected at the Jon Bittmann First Pitch Dinner taking place at the Park Ridge Marriott on Saturday, February 23 at 5:00 PM. One week after the celebration, the Knights will travel south to Savannah, GA to open their 2013 season against Savannah State. After advancing to the NEC conference play-offs in 2012, expectations for the Knights’ upcoming season are high. “We’re focused on building upon on our success in 2012,” says Head Coach Gary Puccio. “The First Pitch Dinner provides FDU fans and family the opportunity to give the team a great send-off. The dinner is our biggest baseball event each year, and it has really taken off. With close to 200 people attending, we had to book a much bigger room than in the past.” Tickets to the dinner are $80 per person. To reserve your ticket, mail a check made out to “FDU First Pitch Dinner” to Gary Puccio, Fairleigh Dickinson University, 1000 River Road, Teaneck, NJ 07666
Knights 1950s All-Decade Team to be Honored The First Pitch Dinner will be highlighted by recognition of the 20 players named to the 1950’s All-Decade Baseball team. From 1951 to 1959 the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights, playing for Head Coach Harvey Woods, racked up an impressive
February 2013
130-94-1 record for a solid .580 winning percentage. Among the talented players who helped shape the FDU baseball program during that first decade, six FDU baseball Knights went on to play professional baseball and many more of them made their mark with area semi-pro teams. In addition, infielder Don Patlen and pitcher Bill Pollack are members of the FDU Division 1 Athletics Hall of Fame. OUTFIELD Bill Fiorelli 54-56 Ralph Guadagno 59, 60 John Kelleher 52-54 Frank Pinto 56-58 Fred Roedel 51-54 Ira Schwartz 57-59 INFIELD John DeSantis 56-58 Frank Gilabert 58-59 Jim Livolsi 54-56 Jim Miller 52-55 Don Margolin 55-57 Don Patlen 51-55 Joe Prieto 58-60 CATCHER Phil Kutt 57-59 Tony Maisano 57-58 Frank Monello 53-56 PITCHER Frank Buono 51-53 Frank Gilabert 58-59 Russ Hughes 51-52 Bill Pollack 59-60 George Zuchniewicz 52-53
Alumni Pitch In for “First Pitch” The line-up of Knights baseball alumni planning to attend the First Pitch Dinner promises to be the largest in First Pitch dinner history. The number of alumni who come to the dinner has grown every year head, Coach Puccio reports. “We may fill three tables with Knights alumni this year, and we’ll have at least one player from every decade, including 10 FDU Hall of Fame members. The varsity players are really looking forward to meeting the men who played such a big role in establishing the FDU baseball tradition.” Hall of Famer Sal Racobaldo will be on hand to present Ryan Kresky with the 2012 Northeast Conference Player of the Year Award. Sal, one of the Knights’ all-time leading hitters and run producers, won the NEC Player of the Year Award in 1994. Jon Bittmann, named to the Hall of Fame in 2006, will present the traditional First Pitch ball to the hurler selected to open the season against Savannah State. It’s a Great Time to Adopt a Player For $200, you can join nearly 20 alumni that have adopted one of the 2013 Varsity Baseball Knights. Your contribution buys his cleats, turfs, hats, pullovers and other accessories (socks, belts, etc.). We encourage you to adopt a player who fields the same position that you did during your playing days and follow him throughout the season online at www.fduknights. com. Mail your check made out to “FDU Baseball” memo “Adopt a Player” to Gary Puccio, Fairleigh Dickinson University, 1000 River Road, Teaneck, NJ 07666.
