Trojans kick off season with Diamond Dinner
 Fans line up for autographs from professional baseball players and former Trojans Eric Gagne, Shane Halter and Ryan Franklin. |
Seminole State College baseball alumni, current players and supporters of the program, gathered recently in Foundation Hall of the Enoch Kelly Haney Center on the Seminole State College campus for the Trojan Diamond Dinner.
Nearly 300 people were in attendance – including guests from throughout the state, as well as from Colorado, California, New York, Kansas, Texas, Arkansas, Arizona and Florida.
The guest speaker for the event was Eric Gagne, a 1995 Trojan who now pitches for the Los Angeles Dodgers and was the recipient of the 2003 Cy Young Award. Gagne, a native of Canada, was recruited to Seminole by former Trojan Coach Lloyd Simmons.
Gagne told the crowd about the import role his decision to come to SSC played in his life. He praised his former coach for teaching him how to be a better man and how to work hard to reach his goals. He also said that Seminole was where he learned to speak English.
Following the banquet, Gagne was joined by Trojan alumni Ryan Franklin, who pitches for the Philadelphia Phillies, and Shane Halter, who has been with the Chicago Cubs organization, in signing autographs for fans.
The Trojan Diamond Dinner was the official kick-off for the 2006 baseball season.
Contact: Shannon Webb, coordinator of media relations, 1.405.382.9525