April 30, 2012
NORMAL, Ill. -
The Illinois State baseball team will honor former Redbird baseball letterwinner Stephen Heaton with "Stephen Heaton Day," Saturday, May 5 in conjunction with ISU's game against Southern Illinois. A plaque made in Heaton's honor by his former teammates will be dedicated at Duffy Bass Field during the day.
Heaton is also the namesake for The Stephen Heaton Endowed Scholarship, which is given to a male student-athlete in the college of business, with a preference for baseball and a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. The scholarship was established by the Heaton Family, and Stephen's wife, Nancy.
"Steve loved the game of baseball all his life, but probably his best and most memorable years of play were those he spent at ISU," Nancy Heaton said. "He truly enjoyed the four years he spent on those great winning Redbird teams, but even more importantly, he developed lifelong friendships with his teammates. That is one of the reasons our family is so pleased to have this special day to honor Steve's memory, his friends and teammates, and ISU Baseball with this scholarship in his name."
Stephen Heaton lettered in baseball beginning in 1965 until he graduated in 1968. He majored in business education, earning dean's list distinction six of his eight semesters. Heaton dedicated his life to teaching business and coaching baseball. His commitment and leadership inspired many students and players to pursue careers in education and coaching. Nancy Heaton is also a proud ISU graduate, earning both her bachelor's and master's degrees from Illinois State.
Established in 2010, The Stephen Heaton Endowed Scholarship has been presented to Redbird center fielder Chad Hinshaw in its first two years. The plaque made in Heaton's honor will be permanently displayed at Duffy Bass Field following the May 5 dedication.
GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics, tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
