"Celebration of Life" Ceremony Today at 4 PM
CORALGABLES, Fla. – Special video messages from Jimmy Johnson, Skip Bertman andJim Abbott recognizing former head baseball coach Ron Fraser have been added tothe Celebration of Life ceremony program, the University announced Wednesday.
Johnson washead coach of the University of Miami from 1984-88. At UM, Johnson compiled a52-9 record, including a National Championship season in 1987. He was inductedinto the College Football Hall of Fame in 2012.
Bertman is aSouth Florida baseball legend, having excelled at Miami Beach High and theUniversity of Miami before embarking on one of the storied coaching careers incollege baseball history. As assistant to Ron Fraser, he helped the Hurricanesbecome a perennial national power, winning the 1982 National Championshipbefore departing to become head coach at Louisiana State, where he capturedfive National Championships with the Tigers.
Abbott isregarded as an American inspiration, overcoming a missing right hand to playprofessional baseball. Abbott captured the 1987 Sullivan Award as America’s topamateur athlete, starred for Coach Fraser on the 1987 Pan American Games teamand won gold at the 1988 Olympics. He went on to pitch 11 seasons in MajorLeague Baseball, winning 87 games and throwing a no-hitter in 1993 with the NewYork Yankees.
TheCelebration of Life ceremony for Ron Fraser will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Sat.,Feb. 23, in the Knight Sports Complex on the University of Miami campus. Theevent is free and open to the public, but seating is limited and guests areencouraged to arrive early. The doors will open at 3 p.m. Casual attire issuggested for the event, which will be followed by the Hurricanes’ baseballgame at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field.
Johnson,Bertman and Abbott will join featured guest speaker and Baseball Hall of FamerTommy Lasorda, former football coach Howard Schnellenberger and long-time ESPNbroadcaster Hank Goldberg on an all-star program that will talk about theimpact Ron Fraser had on the University of Miami, on South Florida, on collegebaseball and on the players he coached and fans he made.
Followingthe Celebration of Life, the University of Miami will take on University ofWisconsin-Milwaukee in a 7 p.m. game. The game has been designated as the”Remembering Ron Fraser” game, with special activities planned andall ticket proceeds being donated to the Ron Fraser Wizard Fund, established byUM to raise the funding for a bronze statue of Coach Ron Fraser, to be locatedat the ballpark.
Tickets tothe game are available for as low as $8, with chairback sections available for$14. Specially-priced $6 tickets are available for groups of 15 or more. Topurchase tickets to the “Remembering Ron Fraser” game, visitCanesTix.com or call (305) 284-2263.
