Kings of the Diamond Dinner Partners with Miracle League of San Antonio
SAN ANTONIO, TX - The third annual "Kings of the Diamond" dinner is bringing together two of baseball's royalty for a couple great causes, including the Miracle League of San Antonio.
The "Kings of the Diamond" dinner, featuring Nolan Ryan and George Brett, takes place Thursday, March 17 (6 PM), at the Hyatt Regency San Antonio Riverwalk. The dinner will benefit both the Miracle League of San Antonio and the Nolan Ryan Foundation. Individual tickets are now on sale for the event, along with a few remaining premium tables.
"On behalf of the Miracle League of San Antonio, we are incredibly excited to team up with Ryan Sanders Baseball for such an exciting event," said Michael Miller, Miracle League of San Antonio founder. "As an organization that provides children with mental and/or physical challenges the opportunity to play baseball, we are honored to be one of the two beneficiaries of the proceeds from the Kings of the Diamond Dinner."
The dinner follows last year's highly regarded "Kings of the Diamond" dinner that featured the all-time strikeout leader Ryan and the all-time hits leader Pete Rose. Former San Antonio Express-News columnist and senior writer Richard Oliver will once again serve as moderator.
"The San Antonio Missions are thrilled, not only to partner with Ryan Sanders Baseball in the Big League Weekend Baseball Event, but to be able to help benefit such a worthy organization as the Miracle League of San Antonio," said San Antonio Missions General Manager David Gasaway. "We are honored to help promote professional baseball to all residents of the great community of San Antonio."
The event kicks off the H-E-B Big League Weekend 2016, a two-game Major League Baseball exhibition hosted at the iconic Alamodome in downtown San Antonio. This year features the American League West champion Texas Rangers and the World Series champion Kansas City Royals. The games will be played on Friday, March 18 (7PM) and Saturday, March 19 (1PM).
Elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, Nolan Ryan was inducted on July 25, 1999, on 98.79% of the eligible ballots, a figure which remains the second highest in history. He is the only player to ever have his uniform number retired by three different teams with the Angels (#30), Astros (#34) and Rangers (#34).
The all-time leader in strikeouts (5,714) and no-hitters (7), Nolan has owned or shared 53 Major League records. He is fifth in lifetime innings (5,387), tied for seventh in shutouts (61), and tied for 13th in victories (324) while his 773 starts are second only to Cy Young (815). An eight-time All-Star, Ryan also threw 12 one-hitters, tying Bob Feller for the most ever, and owns two of the top four single-season strikeout totals in Major League history, including an all-time best 383 K's with the Angels in 1973. He fanned 10 or more batters a major-league record 215 times.
Brett was a first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee in 1999 along with Ryan. The 13-time All-Star played his entire professional career with the Royals, spanning 21 seasons. He won the 1976, 1980 and 1990 American League batting titles, making him the only player in MLB history with a batting title in three different decades. Brett was crowned the AL MVP in 1980, batting .390, a record for a third baseman. Brett's 3,154 hits are the most by a third baseman and 16th all-time. He is just one of four players to accumulate 3,000 hits, 300 home runs, and a career .300 batting average.
Pre-dinner activities on March 17 include media opportunities as well as a VIP reception.
To purchase a ticket or a premium table for the Kings of the Diamond dinner or for more information on H-E-B Big League Weekend, go to www.bigleagueweekend.com.
#30#
ABOUT RYAN SANDERS BASEBALL
Combine a 27-year, Hall of Fame baseball career with more than 50 years of savvy business approaches and the roots of Ryan Sanders Baseball begin to take hold. Today, the group is comprised of more than 60 minority shareholders, many of them former professional baseball players. Established by Nolan Ryan, Major League Baseball's all-time strikeout king, his son, Reid, and Houston businessman Don Sanders, Ryan Sanders Baseball laid down its foundation in Round Rock when it purchased the Jackson Generals and moved the team to Texas for the 2000 season. Over the past 18 years, Ryan Sanders has owned and operated two of the most successful franchises in minor league baseball. The group, led by CEO Reese Ryan, currently owns and operates the Round Rock Express (Texas Rangers AAA) as well as Ryan Sanders Sports Services (RS3).
About Miracle League of San Antonio
Founded by Michael Miller in 2003, Miracle League of San Antonio is a 501(c)3 charitable organization that provides children with mental and/or physical challenges an opportunity to play baseball in an organized league. Miracle League of San Antonio operates a fully-lit, four-acre complex that includes the Mays Family Field of Dreams, a custom-designed venue that incorporates cushioned synthetic turf that can accommodate wheelchairs and other walking assistance devices. During each Miracle League game, every child is given an opportunity to hit the ball and score a run. Miracle League team members are assigned "buddies" who assist them in hitting the ball and "running" the bases. Buddies can be fellow schoolmates, parents, college students, business leaders or anyone who wishes to volunteer his time to give a child the gift of baseball.
ABOUT THE NOLAN RYAN FOUNDATION
The Nolan Ryan Foundation is a nonprofit organization formed in Alvin, TX in 1990. Nolan and Ruth Ryan generously give their time for a wide variety of fundraising efforts that enable the foundation to provide resources for youth, education and community development.
Pitching in for a better future, the Nolan Ryan Foundation has disbursed funds for projects such as fulfilling a pledge to the Greater Houston YMCA, contributing to Girl Scouts of America, Alvin Community College sports program, The Miracle League of Austin, as well as providing scholarships to high school seniors who are entering college and other local community projects.
ABOUT RICHARD OLIVER
Richard Oliver was sports editor of the Express-News from 2001-03 before moving into the role of columnist and senior writer. Prior to joining the newspaper in 2000 as deputy sports editor, Oliver covered pro football for almost five years as a senior staff writer for Newsday in New York. He was a sports writer, columnist and sports editor for the Corpus Christi Caller-Times from 1983-1996. Prior to that, he worked for a year at the Bryan-College Station Eagle. Oliver, a 1981 graduate of Texas A&M University, is now Director of Communications for the San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau. He and his wife, Laura, have three adult children.