NORFOLK, VA— The 2014 National League Manager of the Year Matt Williams of the Washington Nationals will be the keynote speaker for the 38th annual ODU Baseball Banquet at the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel, Jan.30, 2015.
Williams, a former all-star player and Arizona Diamondbacks coach, became the fifth manager of the Washington Nationals on Nov. 1, 2013 and guided the team to the 2014 National League East title, winning the Division by 17 games with a 96-66 record. He was named by the Sporting News as NL Manager of the Year last week.
A native of Carson City, Nevada, Williams was the third overall pick in the first round of the 1986 Major League draft from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas where he is the all-time homerun leader with 58. He would later become one of the premier fielders at third base, earning four Gold Glove Awards. He hit more than 30 home runs and 90 or more RBI in a season six times. His best season was 1994 when he hit a National League best 43 homers and knocked in 96 runs during the shortened season, due to the Major League Baseball players strike.
Williams led the National League in RBI with 122 in 1990, but his career single season best for runs driven in was 142 in 1999 with Arizona which he now shares with Luis Gonzales (2001). Williams was an original member of the Diamondbacks.
He was the first player to homer for three separate teams in the World Series (Giants 1989, Cleveland 1997 and Diamondbacks 2001)and earned a World Championship ring with the Diamondbacks in 2001. He completed his 17-year major league career with 378 career home runs and 1218 career RBI’s and a .268 batting average.
Since retiring in 2003, Williams has served the game of baseball as a manager, coach, executive, broadcaster and minority owner. He spent four seasons on the coaching staff of Arizona prior to being named manager of the Nationals.
The ODU banquet has annually featured some of the top names in Major League Baseball. In the past, Hall of Famers Ozzie Smith, Rollie Fingers, Don Sutton, Andre Dawson, Rich Gossage, Joe Morgan, Brooks Robinson, Hank Aaron, Lou Brock, Steve Carlton, Jim Palmer, Johnny Bench, Bob Gibson, Tom Seaver, Gaylor Perry, Jim Rice, Dave Winfield, Cal Ripken, Jr., the late Jim “Catfish” Hunter, Tony Gwynn, Bob Feller and Robin Roberts along with Luis Tiant, John Smoltz as well as managerial greats Tommy Lasorda, Buck Showalter, and the late Sparky Anderson have spoken at the banquet. Last year’s speaker was Los Angeles Dodgers pitching great Don Sutton.
Individual tickets for the Friday Jan. 30 banquet are $65.00 each, with a special rate for groups or teams of $45.00 each (20 or more tickets) by calling 683-6963. Table sponsorships, which include amenities such as VIP reception with the headliner, autographed baseballs and more, are available as well. Contact the Old Dominion Athletic Foundation (ODAF) at 683-6963 for sponsorship information.