Roy Halladay, Joe Mauer, and several other big names have been added to the Florida State League Hall of Fame, which has announced its class of 2016. The eighth annual induction ceremony will take place on November 15 at Sheraton Sand Key Resort in Clearwater Beach, Florida.
The 2016 class is listed below with a short biography.
Pitcher
Roy Halladay — Harry Leroy “Roy” Halladay was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays with the 11th overall pick in the 1995 draft. “Doc” played for the Jays from 1998-2009, after which he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies and played there from 2010-2013. He pitched 67 complete games including 20 shutouts. On May 29, 2010 Halladay pitched the 20E’l perfect game in MLB history beating the Florida Marlins 1-0. On October 6, 2010, he threw the second no hitter in MLB postseason history against the Cincinnati Reds in game 1 of the 2010 NLDS making him the fifth pitcher to throw multiple no-hitters in the same season. During the 2012 season he became the 67″ pitcher to record 2,000 strikeouts. Halladay is one of only five pitchers to win the Cy Young Award in both the American and National Leagues. He was an 8 time All Star during his career. He played in the Florida State League for the Dunedin Blue Jays in 1996 and 2001.
Position Players
Travis Hafner – Travis Lee “Pronk” Hafner was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 31′ round of the Major League 1996 draft. He played in the Florida State League for the Charlotte Rangers in 2000. During his big league career Travis played for the Texas Rangers in 2002, the Cleveland Indians 2003-2012 and the New York Yankees in 2013. He had a lifetime batting average .273 with 213 home runs and 731 RBIs. In 2006, “Pronk” hit a record six grand slam home runs with five of them before the All Star Break.
Ryan Howard — Ryan was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 5th round of the 2001 Major League Draft. He played for the Clearwater Phillies in the Florida State League in 2003. He was NL Rookie of the in 2005. He hit 22 home runs and posted a .288 batting average and had 63 RBI’s in just 88 games. Howard finished his rookie season with 17 doubles, 2 triples, 52 runs scored. In 2006 Ryan became the regular Philly first baseman, won the Silver Slugger Award, became the NL MVP and also was the Home Run Derby Champion. He was a 3 time All Star, 2 time home run leader and 3 time MLB RBI leader.
Joe Mauer — Joseph Patrick Mauer was drafted 1st overall in the 2001 Major League Draft by the Minnesota Twins. Joe joined the Major League team in 2004. Since then, Joe won the AL MVP in 2009. He was a 6 time All Star, 3 time American League batting champion, 3 time gold glove award winner and 5 time silver slugger award winner. Joe also has the highest career average as a catcher (.328), highest season average as a catcher (.365), highest on base percentage among catchers (.444) and most batting titles won by a catcher (3).
Managers
Marc Bombard – was Philadelphia Phillies first base coach 2005-2006. He pitched in the Cincinnati Reds organization from 1971-1977. In 1978 Marc became a minor League Manager for the Reds and then after short careers with the Milwaukee Brewers and Pittsburgh Pirates returned to the Reds again from 1993-1995. Bombard was elected to the International League Hall of Fame in 2015, after Managing in that League from 1997-2008. He managed in the Florida State League from 1984-1987 for the Tampa Yankees.
Gene Lamont — played for the Detroit Tigers from 1970–1975. As a coach in the Major League, he was with the Pittsburg Pirates from 1986-1991, 1996, Boston Red Sox in 2001, Houston Astros 2002-2004 and Detroit Tigers 2006-present. Gene managed the Chicago White Sox from 1992-1995 and the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1997-2000. Lamont was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the first round, as the 13th pick, of the 1965 amateur draft, the first player ever selected by the Tigers. He played for the Daytona Beach Club in the Florida State League in 1966. He managed the Fort Myers team in the Florida State League in 1977-1978. He was the AA Southern League Manager of the year in 1983.
Executives
Don Miers — In 1978, Don was hired by the Tidewater Tides, an affiliate of the New York Mets, as Sales and Concession Manager. In 1980 Miers was hired to be General Manager of the Daytona Beach Astros in the Florida State League, and spent 4 years there. In 1984 Don, as the first employee of Astros in Kissimmee Florida, was hired to be their spring training coordinator and General Manager of the Osceola Astros in the Florida State League. After two years with the Astros, Don went from “tenant to landlord” as he joined the Osceola County Stadium as the Stadium Director. In 2000 Don successfully negotiated a lease to keep the Astros in Osceola County for another 16 years. Don spent two years in Lakeland to help the Detroit Tigers renovate their Spring Training facilities before returning to Osceola County to oversee the opening of Heritage Park in 2003. In 2006 Don became the Director of the newly created Osceola County Event Facility Department. Don was involved in bringing 3 professional sports to Osceola County, Houston Astros (1985-2016), Florida Seals Minor Hockey (2004-2006) and Kissimmee Kreatures Arena Football (2004-2006).
Dick Radatz Jr. – Dick serves as President of the Northwoods Baseball League and was also co-founder. He served as Administrative Assistant for the Los Angeles Dodgers at their Spring Training sight in Vero Beach, Florida. He spent a year as General Manager of the Boston Red Sox entry in the New York Penn League, before serving six years managing the business operation of the Boston Red Sox Spring Training site in Winter Haven, Florida, and as General Manager of the Red Sox team in the Florida State League. He was named the Florida State League Executive of the Year in 1986. Following his baseball tenure with the Red Sox, Dick served as Assistant Director of Operations for the Michigan Special Olympics.
Umpire
John Hirschbeck started his Major League career in the American League in 1984. In 2000, John was elected the first President of the newly certified World Umpires Association. He has worked All Star Games in 1989, 2004 and 2013, wild card games in 2015, Division Series in 1995, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2010 and 2013, League Championship Series in 1990, 1997, 2000, 2004 and 2015, World Series in 1995, 2006, 2010 and 2013. He was the plate umpire when Bobby Bonds hit his record breaking 756 home run. John was the home plate umpire for Roy Halladay’s no hitter in 2010 at Citizens Bank Park and was the first base umpire for David Wells’ perfect game at Yankee Stadium in 1998.
The ceremony will be open to the public and tickets are $75.00 per person. Dress is cocktail attire. More information will be available closer to the event. Please call 727-724-6146, or email office@floridastateleague.com with any questions.