1/31/2011 - Headlines
Fan Fest to Include Allensworth, Haake & Taylor
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GARY, Ind. — Time
is running out to pick up your discount tickets to Fan Fest 2011 on Saturday,
February 5, but the Gary SouthShore RailCats continue to add to the
star-studded lineup of current and former RailCats coaches and players with Jermaine
Allensworth, Steve Haake and Alex Taylor.
Discount Fan
Fest presale tickets are on sale only through Friday at $15 for adults and $10
for 2011 season ticket holders and kids (age 12 and under). Ticket prices
will go up $5 at the door Saturday morning. A ticket to Fan Fest not only
includes hours of ballpark fun and the chance to meet and mingle with your
favorite stars of past and present, it also comes with a ticket to Opening Day,
Friday, May 20 at U. S. Steel Yard and a free commemorative poster and program
(first 1,000 fans only). The first 500 adults and 300 kids will also pick up a free
t-shirt as well
Allensworth,
Haake and Taylor join a full slate of RailCats players and coaches, including
two-time Northern League Manager of the Year Greg Tagert, hitting
coaches Mick Curran and Kenny Graham, two-time Northern League
Pitcher of the Year Willie Glen, 2008 Northern League Player of the Year
Tanner Townsend and Tenth Anniversary Team finalists Eric Blakeley,
Tony Cogan, Travis Kerber, Mike Rohde and Dan Soria.
In addition, Fan Fest 2011 will be headlined by a pair of former major leaguers
with Gary ties in New York Mets Pitcher and former RailCat Tim Byrdak
and Gary Roosevelt High School graduate Wallace Johnson.
After spending
parts of four seasons in the majors with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City
Royals and New York Mets, Allensworth joined the independent ranks in
2004 before coming to the RailCats two years later. The Anderson, Ind. native
had two great seasons in Gary leading the Northern League in stolen base
percentage in 2006 and posting solid numbers across the board. The Purdue
University graduate is the all-time best playoff hitter (.356) in RailCats
history. A former first round draft choice of the Pirates, Allensworth
collected 1,483 base hits over his 14-year professional career.
A member of
both RailCats Championship teams, Haake spent seven seasons under Tagert
including five with the RailCats (2005-09). Haake was named a Northern League
All-Star twice (2008-09) and led the league in walks (65) in 2008. The RailCats
career leader in doubles, triples, stolen bases and RBI, Haake is second in
club history in games played (451) and was at his best in the playoffs, posting
a .331 career postseason average with the RailCats.
Taylor
joined Tagert
in 2004 in the Frontier League and followed when Tagert took the managerial job
with the RailCats the following season. Playing virtually every position for
the ‘Cats, Taylor put together an impressive 2005 campaign posting a .295
batting average and helping the RailCats bring the Northern League Championship
home to Northwest Indiana. Taylor was a standout at Division III powerhouse
Chapman University where he was a key member of the 2003 national championship
team.
For more
information on Fan Fest 2011 or to buy tickets now, visit www.railcatsbaseball.com or call
219.882.2255 and talk to one of the RailCats ticket specialists. The Radisson
Hotel is located at the intersection of I-65 and US-30 in Merrillville and is
adjacent to the Star Plaza Theater, The Region’s foremost indoor entertainment
venue. For more information on the Radisson Hotel at Star Plaza, visit www.radisson.com/merrillvillein.