RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech baseball program is proud to announce the date and keynote speaker for its second-annual first-pitch banquet. This year, the banquet will take place on Saturday, January 24 and will feature former MLB manager, Bobby Valentine.
  Ticket information will be released soon, so be sure to stay connected to Arkansas Tech athletics online: www.arkansastechsports.com and on social media: @ATU_Athletics (X/Twitter), @ATUAthletics (Facebook).  
The banquet will start at 6 p.m. with dinner (provided with purchase of a ticket) as well as a silent auction. Valentine will speak afterwards followed by a moderated Q&A. The event will take place inside the Multi-Sport Complex, which is attached to the left field wall of the Wonder Boys' home field, Baswell Field.
 
"We are really excited to carry on a first-pitch banquet into a second year," said ATU head baseball coach Dave Dawson. "Last year, we were extremely honored to have the legendary Terry Francona as our keynote speaker and are equally as excited to have Bobby Valentine in year two. Like last year, this will be an amazing opportunity for baseball fans in the State of Arkansas and beyond."
 
Valentine played for five different MLB teams over a playing career that spanned from 1969-1979. Not long after his time playing, Valentine began a 16-year MLB managing career in 1985 with the Texas Rangers. He would go on to manage both the New York Mets and the Boston Red Sox, leading the Mets to the 2000 World Series against the New York Yankees.
 
In addition to his time as a big-league manager, Valentine spent time in Japan with two stints as the manager of the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Nippon Professional Baseball (1995 & 2004-09). In 2005, Valentine led the Marines to a Japan Series victory, the organization's first since 1975.