Trio Of Local Celebrities Highlight Weekend Baseball Games
Feb. 8, 2001
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) — – Three local celebrities will highlight this weekend’s baseball games against the Florida Gators and Oklahoma State Cowboys. On Friday night, in the first of two games against #13 Florida, Florida Marlins pitcher and former Hurricane Alex Fernandez will throw out the first pitch. Saturday night’s game against the Gators will feature newly named Head Football Coach Larry Coker tossing the first pitch. On Sunday afternoon against Oklahoma State, former Hurricane and current Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder F.P. Santangelo will throw the first pitch. Friday and Saturday’s game are scheduled to start at 7 p.m., while Sunday has a 1 p.m. first pitch.
Fernandez played one season at Miami in 1989 before making his move towards the Major League. After transferring to Miami-Dade South, Fernandez was drafted in the first round by Chicago White Sox. In that one season in 1989, Fernandez compiled a team-best 15-2 record with a 2.01 ERA. With 177 strikeouts, he was named an All-American and College Baseball’s Rookie of the Year. He later won the 1997 World Series with the Marlins.
Prior to his announcement as Head Coach on February 3, Head Coach Larry Coker served six seasons as Offensive Coordinator for the Hurricanes. In his 31-year coaching career, Coker has spent 22 at the collegiate level. Since his arrival in Miami, his offense has produced three of the school’s four 1,000-yard rushers, six first-team All-Americans, one BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year and 19 first-team All-BIG EAST selections.
Santangelo, a teammate of Fernandez in 1989, went on to be drafted by the Montreal Expos following his stint in Coral Gables. Following the Expos, Santangelo has played with the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers. He is currently listed in the UM record books in season columns for total sacrifices (#4, 20) and hit-by-pitch (#4, 12). His .341 batting average and 32 stolen bases also led the team in 1989. He came to UM in 1989 from Sacramento City JC.
New York Yankees pitcher Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez and Florida Marlins catcher Charles Johnson, who starred at Miami from 1990-92, have also been part of the celebrity first pitch program.
Call 1-800-GO-CANES for season and individual game ticket information or check out UM’s official athletic website, www.hurricanesports.com, for updated information regarding the baseball team.
