Jan. 3, 2007
Orlando, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - UCF has announced plans to host the Central Florida Celebrity Softball Classic Jan. 26-27. The two-day event features the Celebrity Gala & Roast honoring head baseball coach Jay Bergman and Celebrity Softball Game highlighted by numerous professional athletes and former UCF alumni from the National Football League and Major League Baseball. Proceeds from the weekend benefit UCF baseball, The Miracle League and the Florida Hospital Diabetes Center.
The Celebrity Gala & Roast will be held at the FAIRWINDS Alumni Center at UCF on Friday, January 26 at 6 p.m. The event will honor UCF head coach Jay Bergman, who is beginning his 25th season with the Golden Knights. WESH-TV sports director Pat Clarke will serve as emcee, while 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 UCF game this season in early March. 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 had a 3-1 record in the 1987 playoffs en route to winning the World Series MVP award.
The Celebrity Softball Game will be held at Jay Bergman Field at UCF on Saturday, January 27, with gates opening at 11 a.m. and game time is set for 1 p.m. The game will showcase plenty of big names from MLB and the NFL, past and present, including Kenard Lang (Denver Broncos), Rashad Jeanty (UCF, Cincinnati Bengals), Thurman Thomas (retired, Buffalo Bills), John Mobley (retired, Denver Broncos), Mike Maroth (UCF, Detroit Tigers), Jason Grilli (Detroit Tigers), Chad Mottola (UCF, Toronto Blue Jays), Sal Butera (Special Assistant to the GM for the Toronto Blue Jays) and John Hart (UCF alum, Senior Advisor for the Texas Rangers).
Tickets for both events go on sale Friday, Jan. 5. To purchase tickets to the softball game, contact the UCF Ticket Office at 407-823-4314. Kids four years and younger are free, while general admission is just $7. No reserved seating is available and bleacher seats are limited and available on a first come basis - blankets and chairs are recommended. Gala & Roast tickets are $200 per person and may be purchased by calling Vantage Sports Management at 407-628-3131.
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.
For the latest news and information on the Golden Knights, log on to www.ucfathletics.com - the official site for UCF athletics.