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Samone Peters added to list of 20 Greatest Dragons

February 15, 2019

Dayton, Ohio-The Dayton Dragons today announced the next name on their list of "20 Greatest Dragons." The player recognition is part of the organization's 20th Season Celebration. Players selected on the list of 20 are being announced in random order leading up to the Dragons 20th Opening Night game on

Dayton, Ohio-The Dayton Dragons today announced the next name on their list of "20 Greatest Dragons." The player recognition is part of the organization's 20th Season Celebration. Players selected on the list of 20 are being announced in random order leading up to the Dragons 20th Opening Night game on Thursday, April 4 against the Bowling Green Hot Rods. 
Next on the list of the 20 Greatest Dragons is:

In 2001, Peters was the top home run hitter on a team of power threats. In the Dragons second season of operation, they blasted 144 home runs as a team, a total that has never been approached in the years to follow. Four members of that 2001 Dragons hit at least 20 home runs and another connected on 16. Peters led the way with 28 as he surpassed Austin Kearns' 27 from the previous year to set a club record. While Wily Mo Pena hit 26 as Peters' teammate in 2001, no player since has hit more than 25. Peters still holds the Dragons club record for most home runs in a season.
Peters, at 6'7", 235 lbs., got off to a quick start in 2001 when he belted home runs in his second and third games of the season. Amazingly, Peters hit home runs in 14 of the first 32 games he started and had 22 by the end of the first half. Many of his home runs were monstrous blasts that fans talked about for days. His biggest home run came on June 10, when he came to bat with the bases loaded and the score tied in the bottom of the ninth inning against Beloit. Peters quickly ended the game with a grand slam, one of only two bases-loaded walk-off home runs in Dragons history.
"Samone Peters probably hit the ball farther than any player ever to play for the Dragons," says Marc Katz, who covered the team for the Dayton Daily News from 2000-'09. "Donnie Scott (Dragons manager at the time) told Jim Bowden (Cincinnati Reds general manager at the time) that this guy was like Mark McGwire."
Peters continued playing professional baseball through the 2006 season but never reached the Major Leagues. His home run blasts are still remembered by the Fifth Third Field faithful.
Peters is the fifth former Dragons announced among the 20 Greatest Dragons. Austin Kearns, Zack Cozart, Justin Turner, and Homer Bailey were previously announced.
The 20 Greatest Dragons were selected based on a media vote of Dragons television, newspaper, radio, and internet reporters. Additionally, during the 2019 season, the Dragons will be conducting a fan vote featuring one player per position to announce their all-time greatest lineup.
The Dragons will host their "20th Season Celebration Game" on Saturday, March 30 at 2:00 p.m. at Fifth Third Field. The game will match the 2019 Dragons ("Team 20") against a team of Dragons alumni who are still playing in the Cincinnati Reds minor league system. 
Individual game tickets for the Dragons 20th Season Celebration Game are available now. Go to daytondragons.com/celebrationgame or Ticketmaster.com.
Additional information on the Dragons 20th Season celebration including videos on the 20 Greatest Dragons, special 20th Season merchandise, and Dragons alumni listings is available here: https://www.milb.com/dayton/team/20.
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