On Saturday night, the Chancellor Ballroom at the iHotel was filled to capacity with loyal Illinois Baseball fans for the 2020 First Federal Hot Stove Banquet. Three-time Manager of the Year Buck Showalter was the keynote speaker and Mike Namoff facilitated a successful live and silent auction for Illinois Baseball.
The Hot Stove Banquet is the kickoff event for the Illinois Baseball season. It gives fans a chance to meet the players. After emcee Jennifer Roscoe brought the house to order, that was what happened. Each Illinois player introduced themselves to the crowd.
That’s junior transfer Taylor Jackson doing his thing above.
Saturday night was really about Coach Dan Hartleb though he would be the last person to admit that. He received the Big Ten Coach of the Decade honor just recently. Dan was all smiles on Saturday night which is pretty amazing. If I had planned an event like the banquet, I might be a little nervous but I think Coach Hartleb saves the nerves during the season when he’s up 3-2 in the ninth.
When Coach Hartleb spoke to the crowd, he thanked everyone who contributed to the program. It’s a long list but he made it engaging, fun and heartfelt.
I have to say that I honestly learned a lot about baseball during keynote speaker Buck Showalter’s talk. He is definitely someone who knows the game well. I felt I was in a locker room getting ready for the big game. Buck queued up video footage of the inning that Delmon Young won Game Two of the playoffs in 2014 and broke down the key elements that led to the ultimate success of the Orioles in that game. Buck would play a few seconds of the footage then pause and tell us what the backstory behind the play was.
By the way, Showalter actually managed the Orioles when former Illini Kyle Hudson (who was in attendance last night) was up for a cup of coffee. Showalter turned that into a teaching moment as well showing this video of Kyle scoring a winning run on a squeeze play.
Buck did touch on the current sign stealing scandal that is plaguing Major League Baseball right now. In short, he feels technology has gotten ahead of the game. Specifically, live video of the game being played is too available to those involved in the game.
As for his potential employment status?? “Next question”.
All in all a very interesting and informative talk. Buck is old-school baseball at its best.
The banquet finished with the live auction conducted by Mike Namoff and his very coordinated team from Mega Events. If any of you have seen Mike in action, you know he is entertaining. I bet he gets results too. He puts himself out there and finds innovative ways to raise money.
There was even a bidding battle between a boy and a girl. Hopefully, they had their parents’ permission. I confess Namoff’s auction is one of the most exciting parts of the Hot Stove Banquet for me.
Overall, I love seeing old friends and meeting new ones at the Hot Stove Banquet. Former players, players’ parents and just baseball fans general… they are all there. I’ve been going to the Banquet since 2014 and I don’t think I will miss another one.
I want to take this opportunity to thank David Parkhill and Sullivan-Parkhill Automotive who sponsored our table. Those of us at table #22 all really appreciate it!!
Stop by the Illinois Baseball Report photo gallery for more photos of last night’s Hot Stove Banquet.
Illinois Baseball begins their season on February 14th!