Bobby Valentine to Speak at Hot Stove Dinner

Bobby Valentine

Head coach Jeff Calcaterra and the Hartford baseball program have announced that the 2011 Hot Stove Dinner will be held on Saturday, February 19, at the Farmington Marriott. Former Major League manager and current ESPN analyst Bobby Valentine will be the keynote speaker for the Hawks' annual fundraiser.

The event is a partnership between the Hartford baseball program and the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association. Proceeds will benefit the Hawks and the MLBPAA's Legends for Youth clinics. The organization runs more than 40 clinics across the country featuring former Major League players instructing youth baseball players.

In addition to dinner, the Hot Stove event will feature a talk given by Valentine, who played for five Major League teams between 1969-79 before becoming a manager with the Texas Rangers, New York Mets and Chiba Lotte Marines of the Japanese Pacific League. Valentine and the Mets reached the National League Championship Series in 1999 and the World Series in 2000. Valentine currently works as an analyst for ESPN, where he will join Dan Shulman and Orel Hersheiser as the Sunday Night Baseball crew for the upcoming season.

Valentine will be joined by a panel of former Major League players, who will take part in a question-and-answer panel with event attendees. In addition, the Hawks and the MLBPAA will have many items up for bid during silent and live auctions to be held at the event. A full item list has not yet been made available, but last year's auction featured tickets to the 2010 World Series, signed jerseys from Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez, and autographed pictures and baseballs from players such as Derek Jeter, Cal Ripken, Wade Boggs, and John Franco.

Tickets are available to the event for $100 per person. Organizations or fans can also elect to purchase a table sponsorship for $1,000. A sponsorship includes nine event tickets, program recognition, a former Major League player as a guest at the table during dinner, and autographed baseballs by all the former Major Leaguers in attendance.

To purchase tickets or for more information, contact Jim Keener at jkeener@hartford.edu or 860.768.5063.