Jan. 16, 2012
NORFOLK, VA-- Tim Druzgala has spent the last three decades devoting his time, efforts and financial support to baseball, a sport he fell in love with as a youngster in Ellicott City, Md. A member of the ODU baseball team from 1980-84, and a driving force behind the renovations to the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex, Druzgala has been named the 35th recipient of the 2012 Bud Metheny Award, which will be presented at the 35th annual "GTI Systems, Inc., Meet the Stars" banquet on Friday, Jan. 20, as part of the annual ODU baseball clinic weekend.
A native of Baltimore, "Druz" was a member of the late ODU Coach Bud Metheny's last recruiting class in 1979, after playing high school ball at Mount St. Joseph's. He played his college career under ODU Hall of Famer Mark Newman, starting every year from 1981 through 1984 at second base. Druzgala was a solid defensive player for the Monarchs as a second baseman as he hit .310 twice and was named the Monarchs Defensive Player of the Year. He led the team both as a junior with five sacrifices and senior year with four. He also helped lead ODU to the school's first NCAA Division I regional in 1982.
Durzgala also competed for "Fett" in the Hampton Roads Thoroughbred League during his ODU tenure, winning two national titles in 1981 and 1982.
"Coach Metheny took a chance on me and three other players from Baltimore sight unseen 30 years ago. This is quite an honor to be viewed in a class of so many former distinguished Bud Metheny award winners that have done so much for the community. Coach Metheny taught me how to respect the game of baseball, be a good teammate and get the most out of my abilities. I'm committed to teach these same values to the baseball youth across the Hampton Roads area." - Tim Druzgala
Tim served as a partner in the financial services division of Accenture, a global consulting firm for 20 years following his ODU graduation. He is the current owner of Global Data Services, based in Baltimore, Md.
His baseball involvement in Hampton Roads has been extensive, serving as the director of the area Showcase Baseball Teams for the past six years placing over 70 players on NCAA college rosters, of which 28 are playing on the Division I level and eight with ODU. In addition, three players have been drafted by the Major Leagues from Showcase area teams.
Tim is a current partner in "Hitters Warehouse Training Academy" with facilities in Virginia Beach and Newport News, which trains and develops children between the ages of nine and 14 and currently has 150 children enrolled in the programs. He has also served as the assistant baseball coach under Jimmy Hunt at Princess Anne High School in Virginia Beach for the past six years.
A long time member of the Old Dominion Athletic Foundation and an ODU football and basketball season ticket holder, Tim has helped spearhead a $1,000,000 project to renovate the Bud Metheny Complex on ODU's campus, which include a new outfield fence with padded wall and graphics,a new fence in the bleachers, a new 40-foot four poles, over 500 feet of brick wall down the firstand third base sides with new gates, a new batter's eye and a new brick backstop with net. Tim earned his bachelor's degree in management information systems from ODU in 1984, and holds an MBA degree from the University of Maryland. His family continues to live in the Baltimore area, including his mother Eleanor, and brother Adrian and his wife Melanie, and their two children Megan and Danny.
Individual tickets for the Jan. 20th banquet are $65 each with a special rate for groups or teams at $45.00 each (20+ tickets) by calling 683-4444. Table sponsorships, which include amenities such as a VIP reception with the headliner, autographed baseballs and more, will be available as well. Please contact the Old Dominion Athletic Foundation (ODAF) at 683-6963 for sponsorship information.
The annual ODU Baseball Clinic will be held Saturday, Jan. 21 at the spacious Virginia Beach Field House (2157 Landstown Road) from 9 a.m. to noon for children, grades, 1-8.
Admission for participants is $5 for pre-registrations, and $10 the day of the clinic (parents are admitted free), with proceeds assisting ODAF for the baseball program. Register at www.beachfieldhouse.com (go to the baseball link for more information), or call the Virginia Beach Field House at 427-3955. All participants should bring their own glove and no metal spikes or Screw-in spikes are permitted.
PREVIOUS BUD METHENY WINNERS1978 Dave Rosenfield General Manager, Norfolk Tides, Clinic Co-Founder1979 George Kotarides President, Milton's Pizza1980 Ed Nagourney Rices Nachman Dept. Store1981 Bud Metheny Former ODU Baseball Coach1982 George McClelland Former Executive Sports Editor - The Virginian Pilot1983 Charlie Sugg Real Estate Assessor, City of Norfolk1984 Don Fett President, Waymar, Inc.1985 Clyde McCullough Former Major League Scout1986 Abe Goldblatt Sports Writer, The Virginia Pilot/Ledger Star1987 Richard J. Davis President, Tidewater Professional Sports, Inc.1988 Harry Postove Major League Scout1989 Hank Foiles Foiles Insurance, Former Major League Scout1990 Lewis D. Hirschler Hofheimer's Inc.1991 Richard Alexander Umpire1992 Bob Rathbun Former Sports Anchor, WTKR-TV, WTAR Radio1993 Sandra Picken Founder of the Peninsula Muscular Dystrophy Benefit Baseball Tournament1994 John T. Callahan Former President of Tidewater Baseball League1995 Gary Wright Tidewater Summer League and AAU Baseball1996 Paul Fraim Mayor of Norfolk1997 Roy L. Burton, Jr. Founder of Willard-Lakewood Athletics Assoc. & Granby Booster Club1998 Paul Vestal President Greenbrier Athletic Association1999 Ken Young President, Norfolk Tides Baseball Team2000 Lester Bangs Local Baseball Scout2001 Warren Spivey President Spivey Rentals2002 Bill Swann Former Head Baseball Coach - Va. Wesleyan and Asst. Coach at ODU2003 Tim Miller Chairman ACS Systems & Engineering2004 Luke Newman President of Greenwich Kitchens Center2005 Pat Baker Local Dentist2006 Tony Zontini Coach/Teacher2007 Towny Townsend Coach/Teacher2008 Henry Morgan Peninsula Businessman/Peninsula Pilots Owner2009 Jake Hardison Challenger Little League Baseball 2010 Ed Fraim ODU Fundraiser2011 Wayne Gomes/Major Leaguer