Griffey to Headline Curve Hot Stove Dinner Jan. 27
Published on December 21, 2005 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
ALTOONA-- The Altoona Curve, the Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, announced today that the club's Sixth Annual Hot Stove Dinner and Benefit Auction will be held on Friday night, January 27th beginning at 6 PM at the Blair County Convention Center in Altoona. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Navasky Foundation for Life, a non-profit organization founded by cancer survivor Chuck Navasky in part to fund cancer research and to make a difference in the lives of those afflicted by the disease.
"We are very proud of what the annual Hot Stove Dinner and Auction has become and we are once again excited to host a casual, fun and festive event during which we can celebrate the upcoming Curve season and provide fans the opportunity to meet our special Curve and baseball guests," said Curve General Manager Todd Parnell. "We are also very committed to continuing to do our part in the battle against cancer as part of our partnership with the Navasky Foundation for Life. Mr. Navasky is a cancer survivor and is passionate about his fight against this terrible disease and we're proud to work with him and his foundation."
The featured guest for this year's event will be major league veteran and two-time World Series champion Ken Griffey, Sr. Griffey spent 19 seasons as a major league outfielder with the Cincinnati Reds (1973-81, 88-90), New York Yankees (1982-86), Atlanta Braves (1986-88) and Seattle Mariners (1990-91). During the 1970s, he was the right fielder on Cincinnati's famed "Big Red Machine", which captured captured six National League Western Division Titles and played in four World Series, winning back-to-back championships in 1975 and â76.
During his 19-year playing career, Griffey was selected to participate in three Major League All-Star Games (1976, â77, â80) and was named the Reds' Most Valuable Player for the 1980 season, the same season in which he was named the MVP of the All-Star Game. In 2096 career games and just over 7,200 at-bats, he compiled a .296 average with 152 home runs and 859 RBI's. In 2004, Ken was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds' Hall of Fame.
His son, current Reds' outfielder and future Baseball Hall of Famer Ken, Jr., is considered one of the greatest players of his generation. "Junior", who completed his 17th big league season with the Reds in 2005, has been selected to the Major League All-Star Game starting lineup 12 times during his career with Seattle (1989-99) and Cincinnati (2000-Present), while also earning an amazing 10 consecutive Rawlings Gold Glove Awards from 1990-99 and being voted by his peers as the Player of the Decade for the 1990s. Through the end of the 2005 season, he ranks tied for 12th on the all-time major league home run list with 536.
The Griffeys have come to be known as one of the most prominent father-son tandems in Major League history. Through the end of the 2005 season, the duo ranks 2nd behind Bobby and Barry Bonds on the all-time father-son home run list with 688 combined longballs. In one of the more unforgettable moments of each of their careers, Senior and Junior became the first father and son tandem in big league history to start a game on the same team when they were together in the lineup for the Seattle Mariners on August 31, 1990 vs. Kansas City. Two weeks later, the duo smacked back-to-back home runs in a game against the California Angels, another Major League first.
Since his playing days ended in 1991, Ken Sr. has remained in the game of baseball and has served in a variety of roles, most notably as a member of the major league coaching staff in Seattle (1993, â95), Colorado (1996) and Cincinnati (1997-00). He's also worked as a minor league hitting coach, minor league roving instructor, player development assistant and, most recently, as a Special Consultant to Reds' General Manager Dan O'Brien. This coming March, Griffey will serve as the first base coach for Team USA at the inaugural World Baseball Classic.
As was the case with previous Hot Stove events, fans in attendance can expect to meet and greet several former, current and future Curve players and coaches, as well as guests from around baseball. Newly appointed Curve manager Tim Leiper will be among the other guests in attendance for the event and several other additions to the roster of invitees will be announced as they are confirmed. Fans can visit www.altoonacurve.com for updates on the list of guests for the event.
Individual tickets for the January 27th event will cost $60 each for adults and $35 for children and can be purchased by visiting the Blair County Ballpark Ticket Office or by calling (814) 943-5400 or toll-free at 1-877-99-CURVE. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the Curve Stockyard location at the Logan Valley Mall through the Holiday season. Additionally, corporate tables and event sponsorships for the Hot Stove Dinner and Auction are also available. Businesses interested in purchasing a corporate table of eight or an event sponsorship should contact the Altoona Curve offices.
The main program for the event will consist of dinner, a sports memorabilia silent auction and an entertainment portion featuring interviews and question and answer segments with featured guests. The dinner and entertainment portion of the event will begin at 7 PM, preceded by an hour of mingling, fun and games, autographs with special guests and the start of the sports memorabilia auction. Dinner will feature grilled marinated top sirloin steak served with sauteed mushrooms with a vegetable medley for adults and a chicken fingers meal for children.
The Navasky Foundation for Life was founded by Chuck Navasky and his wife, Jaye. The foundation benefits both cancer patients and research as well as helping to fund youth-oriented programs such as drug and alcohol education, big brother and sister programs, regionals YMCA programs and other activities that are instrumental in keeping our children safe and educated. As a long-time musician, Navasky created the "One Less Tear" CD, a compilation of inspirational songs performed by some of the most well-known recording artists in the world, such as Olivia Newton-John, southern rock legends Donnie and Johnny Van Zant, rockers Mark Slaughter and Vince Neil and Hollywood legend Tony Curtis. In addition, several sports celebrites have also joined his foundation, including pro football stars L.C. Greenwood, Tony Dorsett and Curtis Martin, Olympic Gold Medalist and WWE superstar Kurt Angle and many others. All proceeds from sales of the One Less Tear CD and concert events benefit cancer patients and cancer research.
Among the projects funded by the Navasky Foundation for Life and the One Less Tear CD was the 2003 renovation of the Radiation Oncology Department at the Altoona Hospital. For more information on the Navasky Foundation for Life visit www.onelesstear.com.
The Curve opens the 2006 regular season on Thursday, April 6th against the Trenton Thunder (Yankees) at Blair County Ballpark in Altoona. 2006 Eastern League All-Star Game tickets, Season Ticket packages, Mini-Plans, Flex Books and Group Outings are currently available by calling the Curve at (814) 943-5400 or toll-free at 1-877-99-CURVE. Fans can also purchase All-Star Game seats and learn more about all Curve ticket packages by logging on to www.altoonacurve.com.
Eastern League Stories from December 21, 2005
- Griffey to Headline Curve Hot Stove Dinner Jan. 27 - Altoona Curve
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