First Pitch Dinner Tickets / Free Webcast on Facebook Live
Jan. 11 Update: The First Pitch Dinner is officially sold out. A video stream of the speeches and program will be available for free on the Purdue Athletics Facebook page.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Tickets remain available for Purdue baseball's inaugural First Pitch Dinner, the location of which is changing venues to Holloway Gymnasium to accommodate a larger crowd for the Saturday, Jan. 19 event.
With longtime head coach Dave Alexander scheduled to be honored at the dinner, numerous prominent Boilermakers have confirmed they plan to be in attendance. That list includes Gene Keady, Jeff Brohm, Dave Shondell, Leroy Keyes, Bernie Allen, Matt Kinzer, Kevin Plawecki and Nick Wittgren.
The event is still slated for 5 to 7:30 p.m. ET as it moves from the Buchanan Club inside the Ross-Ade Pavilion to the more spacious Holloway. It will feature a cocktail/social hour followed by the dinner and program. The cost to attend is $35 per person. There is also an option of sponsoring a student-athlete's dinner. The cost is also $35 to sponsor a student-athlete. Tickets and sponsorships can be purchased HERE.
The deadline to purchase tickets is Friday, Jan. 11. The Jan. 19 dinner is on the same day as the Indiana-Purdue men's basketball game at Mackey Arena. Tipoff for the annual rivalry showdown is set for 2 p.m. ET. Dinner attendees will not need basketball parking passes to park in lots surrounding Ross-Ade and Mackey. All lots will be available as of halftime of the basketball game.
Plawecki will serve as the guest speaker. As a longtime friend and colleague of Alexander, Coach Keady is also scheduled to speak. Purdue radio announcer Rob Blackman is serving as the host of the event.
Click HERE for a full list of notable guests and Purdue baseball alumni planning to attend the Jan. 19 dinner.
The Boilermakers open official preseason practice Jan. 25, three weeks before the national opening day of the 2019 season Feb. 15. Purdue is looking to build on a successful 2018 campaign in which the program won 38 games, finished second in the Big Ten and earned the No. 2 seed at an NCAA Regional in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The upcoming season is set to be year No. 3 under head coach Mark Wasikowski.
At the First Pitch Dinner, Alexander will be honored with a commemorative No. 24 jersey, his number as the head coach of the Boilermakers from 1978 to 1991. In addition, the No. 24 will be emblazoned on the outfield wall at Alexander Field. To pay homage to Coach Alexander, Wasikowski has not issued No. 24 since becoming head coach.
After leading the Boilermakers to a then program-record 407 victories in his 14 seasons as head coach, Alexander also served as an administrator for Purdue Athletics until 1994. Alexander Field, the home of the Boilermakers since the fall of 2012, was named in honor of his parents, Purdue alumni John and Anna Margaret Ross Alexander. Dave provided the lead gift for the project.
As the 2012 Big Ten Player of the Year, Plawecki helped lead the Boilermakers to a program-record 45 wins, a pair of Big Ten titles and an NCAA Regional appearance. He was selected 35th overall in the 2012 MLB Draft and made his big league debut with the New York Mets in April 2015. After four season with the Mets, Plawecki was traded to the Cleveland Indians on Sunday.
It was the 2012 team that broke the single-season wins record established by Alexander's 1986 team, which won 37 games and set the stage for the program's first-ever NCAA Regional appearance the following season. Alexander's Purdue teams won 30-plus games seven times from 1981 to 1991 after the program had never enjoyed a 30-win campaign prior to the 1980s.
The Boilermakers have earmarked Sunday, Feb. 10 for its preseason fan fest inside the Mollenkopf Athletic Center. The popular free event features skill stations and other indoor activities for children as well as autograph opportunities.
GUESTS OF HONOR
Dave Alexander
Gene Keady
Leroy Keyes
Orlando Itin
FEATURED SPEAKERS
Gene Keady
Kevin Plawecki
Mark Wasikowski
Rob Blackman – Event Emcee
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS
The Griffith Family – Parents and Siblings of the late Landyn Griffith
John Dennis – Mayor of West Lafayette
Tony Roswarski – Mayor of Lafayette
Nick Wittgren – Miami Marlins
Bernie Allen – Purdue Athletics Hall of Famer
Jermaine Allensworth – Purdue Athletics Hall of Famer
Jeff Isom – Manager of the Joliet Slammers
Jaime Sailors – Former Purdue Pitching Coach
Morgan Burke – Retired Purdue Athletics Director
Glenn Tompkins – Retired Purdue Associate Athletics Director
Zach Chartrand – Lafayette Aviators
Brent McNeil – Lafayette Aviators
PURDUE COACHES AND ADMINISTRATORS
Jeff Brohm
Dave Shondell
Dan Ross
Jason Butikofer
Lee De Leon
Ed Howat
Tom Moreland
Tom Schott
Nancy Cross
Chris Clopton
Tom Mitchell
Cathy Wright-Eger – Purdue Leadership Advisor
Marcy Towns – Purdue Faculty Athletic Rep
PROGRAM ALUMNI
Bernie Allen, 1959-61
Jermaine Allensworth, 1991-93
Dave Alexander, 1960-62
Jeff Allison, 1984-87
Pete Altenberger, 1987-90
Tanner Andrews, 2015-18
John Anthrop, 1978-80
Greg Beno, 1978-81
Mike Biltimier, 1991-93
Brian Bittner, 1982
John Cummins, 2006-09
Dan Crabb, 1974-76
Nick Dalesandro, 2016-18
Bob Dietrick, 1977
P.J. Dietrick, 1982-84
Jason Driscoll, 2003-04
Erik Frei, 1998-00
Bob Hallas, 1979-82
Les Hansen, 1985-86
Mike Hansen, 1983-86
Andy Helmer, 1997-00
Sean Helsel, 1992-93
Jeff Isom, 1991-93
Todd Jensen, 1991-95
Matt Kinzer, 1982-84
Bill Liebler, 1974-75
Josh Loggins, 1996
John Madia, 1975-78
Kent Maggard, 1986
Jacson McGowan, 2016-18
Tom Morey, 1991-94
Jordan Minch, 2013-14
David Omholt, 1989-92
Kevin Plawecki, 2010-12
Jeff Scott, 1990-93
Harry Shipley, 2015-18
Ray Starnes, 1965-67
Shannon Stigleman, 1992-94
Alfredo Suarez, 1991-94
Jim Szucs, 1973-74
Steve Urbanski, 1979-82
Chris Walker, 1997-00
Nick Wittgren, 2010-12
Dan Zanolla, 1992-93
Jan. 11 Update: The First Pitch Dinner is officially sold out. A video stream of the speeches and program will be available for free on the Purdue Athletics Facebook page.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Tickets remain available for Purdue baseball's inaugural First Pitch Dinner, the location of which is changing venues to Holloway Gymnasium to accommodate a larger crowd for the Saturday, Jan. 19 event.
With longtime head coach Dave Alexander scheduled to be honored at the dinner, numerous prominent Boilermakers have confirmed they plan to be in attendance. That list includes Gene Keady, Jeff Brohm, Dave Shondell, Leroy Keyes, Bernie Allen, Matt Kinzer, Kevin Plawecki and Nick Wittgren.
The event is still slated for 5 to 7:30 p.m. ET as it moves from the Buchanan Club inside the Ross-Ade Pavilion to the more spacious Holloway. It will feature a cocktail/social hour followed by the dinner and program. The cost to attend is $35 per person. There is also an option of sponsoring a student-athlete's dinner. The cost is also $35 to sponsor a student-athlete. Tickets and sponsorships can be purchased HERE.
The deadline to purchase tickets is Friday, Jan. 11. The Jan. 19 dinner is on the same day as the Indiana-Purdue men's basketball game at Mackey Arena. Tipoff for the annual rivalry showdown is set for 2 p.m. ET. Dinner attendees will not need basketball parking passes to park in lots surrounding Ross-Ade and Mackey. All lots will be available as of halftime of the basketball game.
Plawecki will serve as the guest speaker. As a longtime friend and colleague of Alexander, Coach Keady is also scheduled to speak. Purdue radio announcer Rob Blackman is serving as the host of the event.
Click HERE for a full list of notable guests and Purdue baseball alumni planning to attend the Jan. 19 dinner.
The Boilermakers open official preseason practice Jan. 25, three weeks before the national opening day of the 2019 season Feb. 15. Purdue is looking to build on a successful 2018 campaign in which the program won 38 games, finished second in the Big Ten and earned the No. 2 seed at an NCAA Regional in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The upcoming season is set to be year No. 3 under head coach Mark Wasikowski.
At the First Pitch Dinner, Alexander will be honored with a commemorative No. 24 jersey, his number as the head coach of the Boilermakers from 1978 to 1991. In addition, the No. 24 will be emblazoned on the outfield wall at Alexander Field. To pay homage to Coach Alexander, Wasikowski has not issued No. 24 since becoming head coach.
After leading the Boilermakers to a then program-record 407 victories in his 14 seasons as head coach, Alexander also served as an administrator for Purdue Athletics until 1994. Alexander Field, the home of the Boilermakers since the fall of 2012, was named in honor of his parents, Purdue alumni John and Anna Margaret Ross Alexander. Dave provided the lead gift for the project.
As the 2012 Big Ten Player of the Year, Plawecki helped lead the Boilermakers to a program-record 45 wins, a pair of Big Ten titles and an NCAA Regional appearance. He was selected 35th overall in the 2012 MLB Draft and made his big league debut with the New York Mets in April 2015. After four season with the Mets, Plawecki was traded to the Cleveland Indians on Sunday.
It was the 2012 team that broke the single-season wins record established by Alexander's 1986 team, which won 37 games and set the stage for the program's first-ever NCAA Regional appearance the following season. Alexander's Purdue teams won 30-plus games seven times from 1981 to 1991 after the program had never enjoyed a 30-win campaign prior to the 1980s.
The Boilermakers have earmarked Sunday, Feb. 10 for its preseason fan fest inside the Mollenkopf Athletic Center. The popular free event features skill stations and other indoor activities for children as well as autograph opportunities.
GUESTS OF HONOR
Dave Alexander
Gene Keady
Leroy Keyes
Orlando Itin
FEATURED SPEAKERS
Gene Keady
Kevin Plawecki
Mark Wasikowski
Rob Blackman – Event Emcee
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS
The Griffith Family – Parents and Siblings of the late Landyn Griffith
John Dennis – Mayor of West Lafayette
Tony Roswarski – Mayor of Lafayette
Nick Wittgren – Miami Marlins
Bernie Allen – Purdue Athletics Hall of Famer
Jermaine Allensworth – Purdue Athletics Hall of Famer
Jeff Isom – Manager of the Joliet Slammers
Jaime Sailors – Former Purdue Pitching Coach
Morgan Burke – Retired Purdue Athletics Director
Glenn Tompkins – Retired Purdue Associate Athletics Director
Zach Chartrand – Lafayette Aviators
Brent McNeil – Lafayette Aviators
PURDUE COACHES AND ADMINISTRATORS
Jeff Brohm
Dave Shondell
Dan Ross
Jason Butikofer
Lee De Leon
Ed Howat
Tom Moreland
Tom Schott
Nancy Cross
Chris Clopton
Tom Mitchell
Cathy Wright-Eger – Purdue Leadership Advisor
Marcy Towns – Purdue Faculty Athletic Rep
PROGRAM ALUMNI
Bernie Allen, 1959-61
Jermaine Allensworth, 1991-93
Dave Alexander, 1960-62
Jeff Allison, 1984-87
Pete Altenberger, 1987-90
Tanner Andrews, 2015-18
John Anthrop, 1978-80
Greg Beno, 1978-81
Mike Biltimier, 1991-93
Brian Bittner, 1982
John Cummins, 2006-09
Dan Crabb, 1974-76
Nick Dalesandro, 2016-18
Bob Dietrick, 1977
P.J. Dietrick, 1982-84
Jason Driscoll, 2003-04
Erik Frei, 1998-00
Bob Hallas, 1979-82
Les Hansen, 1985-86
Mike Hansen, 1983-86
Andy Helmer, 1997-00
Sean Helsel, 1992-93
Jeff Isom, 1991-93
Todd Jensen, 1991-95
Matt Kinzer, 1982-84
Bill Liebler, 1974-75
Josh Loggins, 1996
John Madia, 1975-78
Kent Maggard, 1986
Jacson McGowan, 2016-18
Tom Morey, 1991-94
Jordan Minch, 2013-14
David Omholt, 1989-92
Kevin Plawecki, 2010-12
Jeff Scott, 1990-93
Harry Shipley, 2015-18
Ray Starnes, 1965-67
Shannon Stigleman, 1992-94
Alfredo Suarez, 1991-94
Jim Szucs, 1973-74
Steve Urbanski, 1979-82
Chris Walker, 1997-00
Nick Wittgren, 2010-12
Dan Zanolla, 1992-93