Jan. 24, 2007
NORFOLK, VA-- Bob Gibson , a two-time World Series MVP, nine-time gold glove award winner and Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher with the St. Louis Cardinals will be the keynote speaker and clinician for the 30th annual GTI Systems, Inc. "Meet the Stars' Banquet and the annual Greenwich Kitchens/ODU Baseball Clinic Jan. 26 and 27, 2007.
Tickets for the Clinic are $5, and are on sale at the Old Dominion Athletic ticket Office in the Athletic Administration Building (683-5484), and at the door Saturday, Jan. 27 with one session, beginning at 9 a.m. in the Constant Convocation Center.
Gibson, known as a fierce competitor, pitched for the Cardinals from 1959 to 1975. Gibson completed his career with 3,117 strikeouts and was a seven time All-Star.In 1968, Gibson recorded a 1.12 earned run average which is still the best in Major League live ball era, and second best all-time.
Gibson threw 13 shutouts in 1968 and allowed only two earned runs in 92 straight innings of pitching. Later that year he won game one of 1968 World Series, beating 30-game winner Denny McLain, 4-0, striking out 17 Detroit Tigers to set a World Series record which still stands today. Gibson led the Cardinals to three World Series, winning in 1964 and 67, including the game three clinchers. He also won a World Series best eight games. Gibson struck out 200 or more batters nine times and led the National League four times in shutouts.
Gibson pitched his only major league no-hitter on Aug. 14, 1971 in Pittsburgh'sThree Rivers Stadium. He was the second pitcher in Major League history (afterWalter Johnson) to strikeout over 3,000 batters and the first to do so in the National League.
Gibson was also one of the best-hitting pitchers of all time. He hit .206 with 24homeruns, plus two in the World Series) and 144 RBI's. Before joining the Cardinalsorganization, Gibson was a standout collegiate basketball player at Creighton Universityand he played with the Harlem Globetrotters from 1957-58.
Gibson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981. In the previous29 years of the clinic, 110 major leaguers, managers, coaches and administrators haveparticipated the clinic weekend. Past Baseball Hall of Famers have included Hank Aaron,Brooks Robinson, Lou Brock, Jim "Catfish" Hunter, Tommy Lasorda, Harmon Killebrew, Dave Winfield, Sparky Anderson, Ferguson Jenkins, Gaylord Perry, RobinRoberts, Bob Feller, Steve Carlton, Johnny Bench, Jim Palmer, and Tom Seaver.
Towny Townsend, who has devoted most of his life to the game of baseball andfounded the first baseball camps in the State of Virginia will be honored at the GTI Systems banquet as the recipient of the Bud Metheny Award, for contributions to the game of baseball in Hampton Roads.
OTHER CLINICIANS PARTICIPATING
Wayne Gomes (ODU'93), Former Major leaguerJeff Eure (ODU'01) in Milwaukee organizationDonnie Smith (ODU'04) In the St. Louis Cardinal organizationTim Hummel (ODU' 00) former major leaguerDana Arrowood (ODU'06) In the Detroit Tigers organizationJason Godin (ODU'06) In the Kansas City Royals organizationPatrick Nichols (ODU'06) Washington Nationals OrganizationKevin Gunter (ODU'06) Cincinnati Reds OrganizationJeff Ware (ODU'92) Former major leaguerJames Burok (ODU'05) In the Colorado Rockies OrganizationKevin Gibbs (ODU'94), Former LA Dodger
Ducky Davis - Former umpire, now a scoutHank Foiles-Former Major LeaguerBugs Moran- Former Major LeaguerTim Lavigne- Univ. of Virginia and NY Mets