Lou Pinella to Meet Fans at BB&T Ballpark on June 1
February 11, 2016 - International League (IL1)
Charlotte Knights News Release
(UPTOWN CHARLOTTE, NC) - Legendary baseball player and manager Lou Pinella, who guided the Cincinnati Reds to a World Series championship as their skipper in 1990, will meet fans and sign free autographs at BB&T Ballpark on Wednesday, June 1. Pinella, who was recently hired by the Reds as their senior advisor to baseball operations, has spent over 50 years in the game of baseball as a player, manager, coach, broadcaster, and front office executive.
Gates will open at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 1 and fans will have a chance to meet the 1969 American League Rookie of the Year before the team's 7:05 p.m. game against the Syracuse Chiefs (Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals). Pinella, who will also throw out a ceremonial first pitch, ranks 14th all-time in managerial wins at the big league level.
As a player, Pinella hit .291 with 1,705 hits, 102 home runs, and 766 RBIs over parts of 18 major league seasons with the Baltimore Orioles (1964), Cleveland Indians (1968), Kansas City Royals (1969-1973), and New York Yankees (1974-1984). He was an American League All-Star in 1972 with the Royals and finished that season with a .312 batting average, 179 hits, a league-high 33 doubles, 11 home runs, and 72 RBIs. Pinella was a two-time World Series champion with the New York Yankees (1977-1978).
As a manager, the Tampa, Florida native won 1,835 games over 23 seasons with the Yankees (1986-1988), Reds (1990-1992), Seattle Mariners (1993-2002), Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2003-2005), and Chicago Cubs (2007-2010). He is a two-time American League Manager of the Year Award winner (1995 & 2001) and one-time National League Manager of the Year Award winner (2008).
Pinella joins National Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Rollie Fingers on the team's list of distinguished guests during the epic 2016 All-Star season at BB&T Ballpark. Fingers will meet fans and sign free autographs at BB&T Ballpark on Wednesday, May 18. The Knights will announce their full promotional lineup on Thursday, February 18.
The Charlotte Knights return home to BB&T Ballpark for their 2016 home opener on Thursday, April 14. Season tickets, as well as partial season ticket plans for the 2016 season, are on sale now and can be purchased in person at the BB&T Ballpark Ticket Office, online at CharlotteKnights.com, or by phone at 704-274-8300. Single-game tickets will go on sale to the general public starting at 9:00 a.m. at the BB&T Ballpark Ticket Office on Saturday, February 20. Single-game tickets will then go on sale online and by phone starting at 12 noon on February 20.
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