Dec. 18, 2005
NORFOLK, VA-- Tony Zontini, an Old Dominion University baseball alumnae whohas dedicated much of his life to the sport will be honored as the 29th recipient of theBud Metheny Award at the ACS Systems "Meet the Stars" banquet, Friday, Jan. 27 at the Sheraton Norfolk-Waterside as part of the annual Greenwich Kitchens/ODU Baseball Clinicweekend. The banquet begins with a social at 6:30 p.m. followed by dinner at 7:30 p.m.this year's keynote speaker will be Cincinnati Reds catching great Johnny Bench.
Tickets for the banquet are $50, and on sale at the Old Dominion Athletic TicketOffice in the Athletic Administration Building (683-5484). The Greenwich KitchensBaseball Clinic will be held Saturday, Jan. 28 with one session, beginning at 9 a.m. inthe Old Dominion University Fieldhouse. Tickets are $5 for the session. Proceedsfrom the dinner and clinic support baseball scholarships at Old Dominion.
"To be included in the list of past recipients, all of who have contributed greatlyto the Tidewater sports community and Old Dominion, is truly an honor," saidZontini. "Being linked to the legacy of Bud Metheny is at the same time humbling,Challenging, and very much appreciated."
Tony has served as ODU's alumni baseball player representative for numerousfundraising drives and events over the past 25 years. He has served as chairmanfor ODU's Capital Campaign for Alumni Baseball support and has served as avolunteer for the baseball clinic the past 15 years. Tony has also served the Hamptonroads baseball community as well, as the headliner twice for opening dayfestivities for Lynnhaven Little League Baseball in Virginia Beach. He has spokenand coached twice at the Northern Virginia Baseball Academy in Arlington andserved as a counselor, speaker and coach for various camps in the SouthHampton Roads area for many years.
A standout athlete at Old Dominion, Zontini starred for the Monarchs from 1964-1968 in baseball, track and field and basketball. He was a three-time All-Mason DixonConference selection in baseball and a two-time Mason-Dixon Conference highand intermediate hurdle champion in track and field. Zontini signed with the Kansas CityOrganization. Tony was inducated in the the ODU Sports Hall of Fame in 1985 andserves as the chairman of the ODU Sports Hall of Fame committee.
Zontini also served as head baseball coach at Norfolk Catholic High School,William and Mary and was an assistant baseball coach at ODU with legendary coach BudMetheny. He also served as head coach at Kempsville Junior High.
Tony's character, integrity and leadership has served to make him a role modelfor many young boys and girls. This is especially true today in his positionas director of Education for the Judeo-Christian Outreach Center in Virginia Beach.
For more information about the clinic and banquet, please contact the AthleticTicket office at 683-5484.
PAST BUD METHENY RECIPIENTS
1978 Dave RosenfieldGeneral Manager, Norfolk Tides Co-Founder of ODU Clinic1979 George KotaridesPresident, Milton=s Pizza1980 Ed NagourneyRices Nachman Dept. Store Co-Founder of ODU Clinic1981 Bud MethenyFormer Old Dominion baseball coach1982 George McClellandFormer Executive Sports Editor The Virginian Pilot/Ledger-Star newspapers1983 Charlie SuggReal Estate Assessor, City of Norfolk1984 Don Fett President, Waymar, Inc.1985 Clyde McCulloughFormer major league scout1986 Abe GoldblattSportswriter, The Virginian Pilot/Ledger Star1987 Richard J. DavisPresident, Tidewater Professional Sports, Inc.1988 Harry PostoveMajor League Scout1989 Hank FoilesFoiles Insurance, former major leaguer1990 Lewis D.HirschlerHofheimer=s Inc,1991 Richard AlexanderUmpire1992 Bob RathbunFormer sports anchor, WTKR TV WTAR Radio1993 Sandra PickinFounder of the Peninsula Muscular Dystrophy Benefit Baseball Tournament1994 John T. CallahanFormer President of Tidewater Baseball League1995 Gary WrightTidewater Summer League, AAU1996 Paul FraimMayor of Norfolk1997 Roy L.Burton,Jr.Founder of Willard-Lakewood Athletic Association & the Granby Booster Club1998 Paul VestalPresident Greenbrier Athletic Assoc.1999 Ken YoungPresident, Norfolk Tides Baseball Team2000 Lester BangsLocal Baseball Scout2001 Warren SpiveyPresident Spivey Rentals2002 Bill SwanFormer Head Baseball Coach at Virginia Wesleyan Former Assistant Baseball Coach at ODU.2003 Tim MillerChairman ACS Systems & Engineering2004 Luke NewmanPresident of Greenwich Kitchens Center2005 Pat BakerLocal Dentist