EL1 New Hampshire Fisher Cats

Pesky, Gedman and Carbo Among First Six Confirmed Dinner Guests

Published on September 15, 2008 under Eastern League (EL1)
New Hampshire Fisher Cats News Release


Manchester, NH-The Fisher Cats Foundation today announced the first six confirmed guests for the Granite State Baseball Dinner, scheduled for Saturday, November 22, 2008, at the Manchester National Guard Armory. Legendary Boston Red Sox infielder Johnny Pesky joins fellow Red Sox alums Rich Gedman, Bernie Carbo and Lou Merloni. In addition, minor league pitchers Jeremy Papelbon and Josh Papelbon, twin younger brothers of Red Sox closer Jonathan Papbelbon, will also be special guests at the charitable dinner that benefits the Children's Hospital at Dartmouth (CHaD), the Ted Williams Museum and the Fisher Cats Foundation, a statewide charitable organization that provides scholarships to college-bound, New Hampshire high school seniors.

"The spirit of this dinner is to bring our fans together with the baseball stars of yesterday, today and tomorrow while raising money for three important causes," said Fisher Cats President Rick Brenner. "This initial guest list represents four players whose Major League careers have spanned over the last seven decades and two bright young minor league pitchers with hopes of fulfilling their big-league dreams over the next decade. We are excited to announce this starting line-up and look forward to adding more names leading up to the event on November 22."

Tickets to the dinner are $75.00 per person and can be purchased in person at Merchantsauto.com Stadium, by visiting www.nhfishercats.com or by calling the Fisher Cats Ticket Office at (603) 641-2005.

Doors to the event will open at 5:00pm with a silent auction from 5:00pm-7:00pm. Dinner will be served at 7:00pm. An autograph session with all honored guests will be held prior to the dinner and is included in the price of the dinner ticket.

Pesky played nearly eight of his 10 Major League seasons with the Red Sox as a shortstop and third baseman, while also spending time with the Detroit Tigers and Washington Senators. As a 22-year-old rookie in 1942, Pesky led the Major Leagues with 205 hits. He missed the next three seasons while serving with the Navy in World War II. Upon his return in 1946, Pesky was an American League All-Star and helped the Red Sox reach the World Series. He finished his career as a .307 hitter. The right field foul pole at Fenway Park is officially known as the Pesky Pole, and Pesky was given the honor of raising the Red Sox 2004 World Series Championship banner on the centerfield flag pole with Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski.

Gedman, a native of Worcester, MA, played for the Red Sox between 1980 and 1990 as part of a 13-year Major League career. The longtime catcher was a two-time American League All-Star (1985-86), won the 1981 Sporting News American League Rookie of the Year award and now serves as the manager of the Worcester Tornadoes of the independent Can-Am League.

Carbo is a Red Sox Hall of Famer most known for his dramatic, pinch-hit, three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning of Game 6 of the 1975 World Series that set the stage for Carlton Fisk's game-winning, walk-off, 12th-inning homer. Carbo, the 1970 National League Rookie of the Year for the Cincinnati Reds, slugged 96 career HRs over his 12-year career.

Merloni, a Framingham, MA, native, spent most of his nine-year career with the Red Sox (1998-2003) and is now a commentator for the Red Sox pre-game and post-game television broadcasts on NESN.

Jeremy Papelbon, a left-handed reliever in the Chicago Cubs organization, posted a 2-1 record with a 2.57 ERA and two saves for the Advanced-A Daytona Cubs of the Florida State League in 2008.

Josh Papelbon, a right-handed reliever in the Red Sox organization, posted a 4-3 record with one save and a 4.46 ERA for the Advanced-A Lancaster JetHawks of the California League in 2008.

For more information about the charitable Granite State Baseball Dinner, please contact Fisher Cats Director of Media Relations Mike Murphy at (603) 606-4119 or visit www.nhfishercats.com. Corporate sponsorships are also available.

Fisher Cats Full-Season and Half-Season Tickets are available now by calling (603) 641-2005 or visiting www.nhfishercats.com. Opening Night at Merchantsauto.com Stadium is Wednesday, April 9, 2009, when the Fisher Cats host the New Britain Rock Cats at 6:35pm.

Check out the New Hampshire Fisher Cats Statistics

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