Sundays Baseball Alumni Game Features 130 Players

It’ll be a veritable showers of baseball stars on campus and at Dudy Noble Field this weekend as nearly 130 former players, managers and coaches gather for the 11th Mississippi State Alumni Baseball Weekend. Capping the weekend’s activities is the Maroon/White Alumni Baseball Game, set for a 1:30 p.m. first pitch. There is no charge for admission.

Seven decades of Bulldog Baseball featuring 10 all-Americans, 34 All-Southeastern Conference performers and six past or current Major Leaguers are anticipated for a weekend of food, fun, fellowship and baseball on the MSU campus.

“We always look forward to having our baseball alumni back for the weekend with the highlight of the weekend being the alumni baseball game,” said Mississippi State head baseball coach Ron Polk. “We anticipate always, a great response from our fans to welcome the baseball alumni back to campus.”

Many of the returning former MSU baseball players will take part in a Noon golf tournament Saturday at the MSU Golf Course, followed by a 7:30 p.m. banquet in the ball room of the MSU Colvard Student Union.

Three players who competed on the Major League level of professional baseball in 2004 -- Baltimore Orioles pitcher Eric DuBose, San Diego outfielder Jon Knott and Texas Rangers pitcher Jay Powell, along with former big leaguers Will Clark, Jack Lazorko and Bobby Thigpen are expected to join the biennial baseball reunion.

All 10 of Mississippi State’s Southeastern Conference baseball championship teams will be represented during the weekend, including Lefty Brandon, Johnny Grace and Floyd Johnson, all members of State’s first two SEC championship teams in 1948 and 1949.

The weekend will also reunite several baseball-playing family members -- brothers Scott and Will Clark, Dan and Kirk Purnell and John and Scott Mitchell and the father/son tandem of Larry and Allen Buckley.

Batting practice for Sunday’s game begins at 11:30 a.m., and the former players will be available for autographs during a 10-minute autograph session along the first and third base foul line fences beginning at 1:10 p.m.

ALUMNI WHITE TEAM

1947 to 1982 /1998 to 2004

NAME - POS. (MSU YEARS)

Russ Aldrich ‹ C (1977-78)

Gus Ashby ‹ SS (1954)

Don Bell ‹ SS (1964-66)

Del Bender ‹ OF (1977-78)

Lefty Brandon ‹ P (1947-49)

Matthew Brinson ‹ 1B (2000-03)

Brooks Bryan ‹ OF (1996-98)

Allen Buckley ‹ P (2001-02)

Larry Buckley ‹ OF (1972-75)

Mike Burns ‹ OF (1963-66)

Bruce Castoria ‹ 3B (1979-82)

Scott Clark ‹ OF (1996-1999)

Chris Curry ‹ C (1999)

Dustin Dabbs ‹ C (1995-98)

Robert Dailey ‹ P (1976-77)

Mike Darby ‹ P (1975-78)

Gary Dempsey ‹ 3B (1958-61)

Steve D¹Ercole ‹ SS/P (1980-81)

Jim Doescher ‹ 1B (1960-62)

Kevin Donovan ‹ P (1996-2000)

Fred Dunlap ‹ OF (1973-76)

Don Gardiner ‹ 2B (1956-58)

Steve Gendron ‹ IF (2001-04)

Willis Gholson ‹ IF (1955-59)

Larry Gore ‹ OF (1955-59)

Johnny Grace ‹ OF (1947-49)

Bill Hamilton ‹ OF (1965-66)

Kenny Hudson ‹ P (1970)

Doug Hutton ‹ P/SS (1960-64)

David Ingram ‹ P (1973-76)

Jeremy Jackson ‹ P (1995-98)

Floyd Johnson ‹ P (1948-51)

Van Johnson ‹ P (1995-98)

Brantley Jones ‹ P (1967-1970)

Jim Kallaher ‹ 1B (1975-77)

Jon Knott ‹ OF-1B (1997-2001)

Kenny Kurtz ‹ P (1979)

Jeff Lacher ‹ P (2000-04)

Fred Lamon ‹ 1B (1950-52)

Jack Lazorko ‹ P (1977-78)

Terry Loe ‹ C (1977-81)

Chris Lotterhos ‹ 2B (1998-99)

Harvey Luby ‹ P (1971-75)

Paul Maholm ‹ P (2001-03)

Matthew Maniscalco ‹ SS (2000-03)

Tom McCullough ‹ 1B (1977-78)

Don McNair ‹ 2B (1957-59)

Thomas Miller ‹ 1B (1966-70)

Monroe Mitchell ‹ P (1954-57)

Curt Monroe ‹ P (1952-53)

Bill Montgomery ‹ 2B (1973-76)

Ronnie Norton ‹ 1B (1960-63)

Jonathan Papelbon ‹ P (2000-03)

John Edd Parker ‹ P (1955)

Claude Passeau ‹ P (1964-66)

Barry Patton ‹ C (1995-98)

Billy Paul ‹ P (1950-52)

Joe Pearce ‹ 1B (1949)

Frank Portera ‹ C (1964-67)

Jamie Rock ‹ OF (1999-2000)

Bob Smith ‹ C (1979-80)

Mike Smith ‹ SS (1977-78)

Roger Smith ‹ OF (1980)

Bobby Statum ‹ P (1975)

Mike Sterling ‹ C (1977-79)

Pete Torres ‹ 3B (1978-79)

Jack Vaughan ‹ IF (1956-58)

Gerald Walker ‹ OF (1951-53)

Barry Walters ‹ P (1995-98)

Tim Weisheim ‹ 1B (1978-79)

Harold Wells ‹ (1952-53)

Brian Wiese ‹ OF/P (1996-99)

Jimmy Willcutt ‹ 2B (1962-64)

Charlie Williams ‹ P (1953-55)

Lee Williams ‹ P (1950-52)

Gary Willoughby ‹ P (1976-77)

Josh Wooten ‹ P (2000-01)

Chris Young ‹ P (2000-02)

MANAGERS

Alan Leonard (1997-2001)

Dan Purnell (1976-79)

Kirk Purnell (1978-81)

Matt Walker (1996-99)

ALUMNI

MAROON TEAM

1983-1997

NAME - POS. (MSU YEARS)

Craig Bane ‹ OF (1990-94)

Brian Clark ‹ 1B (1992-96)

Will Clark ‹ 1B (1983-85)

Brent Deweese ‹ 2B (1992-96)

Eric DuBose ‹ P (1995-97)

Jerry DuPuy ‹ P (1993-94)

Terry Ellis ‹ P (1984-88)

Park Evans ‹ C (1990-92)

Jimmy Gammill ‹ OF (1987-91)

Richie Grayum ‹ 3B (1987-89)

Bob Griffin ‹ C (1984-88)

Joey Hamilton ‹ OF (1987-91)

David Hayman ‹ OF (1993-96)

Jody Hurst ‹ OF (1986-89)

Trent Intorcia ‹ P (1983-86)

Ben Jenkins ‹ SS (1994-96)

Joel Johnson ‹ SS (1985-86)

Wes Johnson ‹ P (1986-88)

Russ Mahan ‹ P (1986-89)

Chris Maloney ‹ 1B (1980-83)

Burke Masters ‹ IF (1986-90)

David Mitchell ‹ OF (1986-90)

John Mitchell ‹ 1B (1984-87)

Scott Mitchell ‹ IF (1986-90)

Doug Newman ‹ IF (1992-95)

Bobby Permenter ‹ P (1984)

Jay Porter ‹ C (1980-83)

Jay Powell ‹ P (1991-93)

Tommy Raffo ‹ 1B (1987-90)

Bobby Reed ‹ P (1987-90)

John Scott ‹ 3B (1983-86)

Bobby Thigpen ‹ OF/P (1984-85)

Dan Van Cleve ‹ OF (1981-85)

Brad Winkler ‹ OF (1980-83)

MANAGERS

Gary Cagle (1985-86)

Steve Fandel (1983-84)

Paul Thomas (1984-85)

Wally Vanderford (1982-86)

COACH

Tim Sumner (1983-85)