MVSU Baseball Coach Tosses First Pitch At Braves Game
Mississippi Valley State University baseball coach Doug Shanks will toss the first pitch when the Media Giants take on Barbour’s Bombers at Trustmark Park in an August 26
charity softball game dubbed Batter Up 4 Stewpot!
A former baseball coach at University Christian School in Rankin County and one of the school’s founders, Shanks is well-known in baseball circles in Mississippi and around the South. After doing the honors at the 5 p.m. contest to raise funds for Stewpot, Shanks will toss the first pitch in the evening’s nightcap at 7:05 p.m. when the Mississippi Braves face the Mobile Bay Bears.
In addition, Shanks, a former Jackson City Council member, will work the dugout as coach of the Media Giants, a team of about 30 players from The Clarion-Ledger, Fox 40,
WAPT-16, Clear Channel Radio, and other media outlets plus a few ringers. The Barbour Bombers bring a powerful roster of gubernatorial aides, some of Gov. Haley Barbour’s family members, state employees and other heavy hitters.
The Aug 7 Batter Up for Stewpot was washed out Aug 7 after the Bombers led the Giants 3-1 after one inning.
So far, the softball raised $23,000 for Stewpot largely due to contributions from key corporate sponsors such as Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi, Cellular South,
AT&T, the Lifeshare Foundation, Bankplus and Bass Pro Shops. Donations, such as college baseball jerseys and a Bass Pro boat, to a raffle at the Aug. 7 game generated about $1,000.Another raffle is set for Aug 26.
The Barbour Bombers lead the series 2-1.
"With a legendary coach like Doug Shanks and his Mississippi Valley State coaching staff helping our aging media stars, we anticipate a competitive game with the mighty Bombers,” said Andy Kanengiser, Mississippi College’s university news coordinator
and a Media Giants player. "Either way it goes Tuesday night, Stewpot
emerges as the big winner.”
Stewpot operates 18 different ministries to provide food and clothing and serve educational and spiritual needs of thousands of needy families in Mississippi’s capital city and surrounding communities.
Fans bringing two cans of food to the Aug. 26 doubleheader at Trustmark Park will get admitted for half-price.
The Media-Giants-Barbour’s Bombers series was previously known as Homerun for Habitat and raised $75,000 during the first three years to build homes for families in low-income Jackson neighborhoods.
Sen. Terry Burton of Newton, a longtime radio man with a passion for baseball and Mississippi politics, will return for the fourth time as the announcers for the 90-minute Stewpot game.
Stewpot is also gearing up for its annual Red Beans & Rice Festival at Trustmark Park in October.
For more information about Batter Up for Stewpot! or serving as a Stewpot volunteer, contact Andy Kanengiser at kanengis@mc.edu or 601-925-7760 or call Stewpot Executive Director Frank Spencer at 601-353-2759.
The original story was published here: http://www.mvsu.edu/view.php?catid=99&entryid=1686
Leave a Reply