Updates for Jan. 25, 2007
The Celebrity Softball Classic is pleased to announce ESPN's Terry Bowden will serve as emcee for Friday evening. Meanwhile, UCF alumni and NFL standouts Doug Gabriel and Michael Gaines have committed to playing in Saturday's softball game. Check below to see the complete list of celebrities that are already on tap to play in the event.
Celebrity Gala & Roast
Tickets: $200 per person. Valet parking will be available. Contact Vantage Sports Management at 407-628-3131.
Friday, January, 26 - 6 p.m.
The event will be held at the FAIRWINDS Alumni Center on the UCF campus. UCF baseball head coach Jay Bergman, who is in his 25th year at the helm of the program, is the honorary guest. Former New York Mets manager Davey Johnson and former Minnesota Twins pitcher Frank Viola will be two of the featured roasters.
Bergman has 1,156 career collegiate wins, and will coach his 1,500th game at UCF in early March this year. Johnson guided the Mets to the 1986 World Series crown and has a total of 1,148 victories as a major league skipper. Viola had a 15-year career in the majors, and was 3-1 in the 1987 playoffs en route to winning the World Series MVP award.
Celebrity Softball Game
Tickets: General Admission $7 - UCF students $5 - Children four years and younger are free. Contact the UCF Ticket Office at 407-823-4314.
Saturday, January, 27 - Gates Open 11 a.m.
Home Run Derby Begins at Noon. First pitch for the game slated for 1 p.m.
Held at Jay Bergman Field at UCF, the Celebrity Softball Game will showcase plenty of big names from MLB and the NFL, past and present, including:
Stephanie Best (UCF, NPF - Pro Softball)
Andrew Brown (San Diego Padres)
Kevin Davidson (Houston Astros)
Terrell Davis (retired, Denver Broncos)
Rick Eckstein (St. Louis Cardinals org.)
Doug Gabriel (UCF, Oakland Raiders)
Michael Gaines (UCF, Carolina Panthers)
Jason Grilli (Detroit Tigers)
Alex Haynes (UCF, Carolina Panthers)
J.R. House (Baltimore Orioles)
Rashad Jeanty (UCF, Cincinnati Bengals)
Davey Johnson (Former MLB manager)
Dolly Konwinski (Original member of All-American Girls Pro Baseball League)
Kenard Lang (Denver Broncos)
Mike Maroth (UCF, Detroit Tigers)
John Mobley (retired, Denver Broncos)
Chad Mottola (UCF, Toronto Blue Jays)
Elton Patterson (UCF, Jacksonville Jaguars)
Callie Piper (NPF, Professional Softball)
Thurman Thomas (retired, Buffalo Bills)
Frank Viola (retired, Minnesota Twins)
Ricky Watters (retired, San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagels)
More Information
In addition to UCF baseball, proceeds from the weekend will benefit two non-profit organizations. UCF baseball has been involved for many years with The Miracle League, whose mission is to help children with disabilities build self-worth, overcome boundaries and achieve their dreams by participating in America's past-time, baseball. The Florida Hospital Diabetes Center is committed to providing state-of-the-art training and self-management education to all people with diabetes and their families. The Center is the only Central Florida facility to earn national recognition from U.S. News & World Report as one of "America's Best Hospitals" for diabetes care in 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005.