Photo Gallery
NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State baseball team hosted an RB4L event at the team's game against Wichita State Saturday, as 37 former players returned to Duffy Bass Field for the reunion.
Illinois State recognized all former players in a pregame, on-field ceremony. Those in attendance included:
1966 team (50th reunion) – Lee Boyko, Jim Campbell, Phil Dinelli, Ken Franzen, Les Coats, Dick Conrad, Ed Corbin, Keith King, John Lawson, Al Beckman and Al Gurski.
1976 team (40th reunion) – Jeff Gilbert, Jeff Gowan, Greg Linhart, Cliff Augustine, Gary Krieger, Gary Neubauer, Tom Wieghaus, Brian James, Jim Olivieri, Barry Molencupp and Jeff Zitek.
2006 team (10th reunion) – Brad Sashko, David Basan (assistant coach), Blake Schoonover, Mike Stalowy, Kevin Dubler, Matt Bolt and Kevin Konsler.
Others – Bob Grisolano, Jeremy Accardo, Matt Fowles, Chris Razo, Clint Stroud, Mike Hollenbeck, Kenny Long and Rich Richardson.
Richardson, a member of the 1941 baseball team, was the oldest former player in attendance, as he returned to Illinois State 75 years after playing for the team.
The 1966 baseball team won Illinois State's first game in the College Division National Tournament. The 1976 team won 41 games – the most in school history – and won Illinois State's first game in the NCAA Division I Tournament. The team finished the season ranked No. 11 by Collegiate Baseball, the highest ranking ever achieved by the baseball program.Â
The Redbird 4 Life (RB4L) Club is an organization made up of former student-athletes, coaches, administrators and associates of Redbird Athletics. For more information on RB4L, visit http://weisbeckerfund.com.
GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.Â
