Bill Buckner, YSU Alumnus Steve Bartolin to Speak at 2018 First Pitch Breakfast

By Marc Weems

Former Boston Red Sox great Bill Buckner will be the featured speaker at the 2018 Youngstown State Baseball First Pitch Breakfast. The breakfast will be held Saturday, Feb. 10, at The Embassy in Boardman. Buckner will be joined by former YSU standout and successful businessman Steve Bartolin.

The event will also provide fans the opportunity to meet the 2018 Penguins baseball squad, enjoy a breakfast buffet and bid in live and silent auctions on an impressive lineup of Major League Baseball memorabilia, unique baseball experiences and YSU baseball gear.

The breakfast ticket will also provide entrance into a pull raffle, which will be for two different grand prizes. The first prize will be an autographed bat, signed by the 2018 YSU baseball team. The second prize will be four 2018 season tickets for Youngstown State baseball home games.

General admission tickets are $25 apiece, and reserved seats are $35 each. Corporate and family tables are also available for $550, and include 10 breakfast/raffle tickets, premium seating at the First Pitch Breakfast, sponsor recognition on ysusports.com and two guests to join the speakers and the YSU baseball staff for dinner on Friday, Feb. 9, at Michael Alberini’s in Boardman.

Premium Reserved tables are also available for $350, which will guarantee priority seating for 10 people to hear both speakers share their experiences.

Doors will open at 8:00 a.m. with the buffet beginning at 8:30 and the program commencing at 9:00 a.m.

Buckner played 22 seasons in the MLB for the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, California Angels, Kansas City Royals and Los Angeles Dodgers. Buckner amassed more than 2,700 hits during his career. He won the National League batting title with the Cubs in 1980 and was selected to the MLB All-Star Game in 1981.

Bartolin played baseball for former head coach Dom Rosselli from 1969-1972, and was inducted into the Youngstown State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1987. He was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 1972, and played professionally until 1975. Bartolin helped lead YSU to a combined 89-48 overall mark during his four seasons.

Bartolin was honored as the 1999 co-Penguin of the Year, sharing the honor with Rosselli.

Tickets will be on sale at the Beeghly Center merchandise booth during YSU men’s and women’s basketball games. Other tickets can be arranged and questions can be answered by Youngstown State assistant coach Josh Merrigan at the YSU baseball office. Coach Merrigan can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at (605) 366-7627.

The Embassy is located at 5030 Youngstown-Poland Road in Boardman.