PHILADELPHIA – The Saint Joseph's baseball program will resume an annual tradition this month as the Hawks' 2022 Lead-Off Dinner and Hall of Fame Induction is set for Saturday, January 29 at The Westin Philadelphia.
 
This year's Hall of Fame inductees include Marty Carey '93 and the 1974 MAC Championship Team.  The late Chris Hueth, Sr., will be honored with the Harry Booth Award, while the team's award winners from both 2020 and 2021 will be recognized and the 2022 team will be introduced as well.
 
Carey was a four-year starter for the Hawks and served as the team's everyday shortstop during his time in the Crimson and Gray.  A graduate of nearby Cardinal O'Hara High School, he served as a team captain as a senior and posted career highs in batting average, hits, and runs batted in as he helped lead the Hawks to their first winning season in 10 years and the program's first-ever double-digit conference win total.
 
The 1974 squad won 17 games, then the second-most in program history, and matched a program record with nine conference wins.  Those nine MAC victories were good for a first-place finish, the Hawks' second in four seasons, and SJU would go on to make its second-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Hawks were led by head coach Harry Booth and assistant coaches Marty "Peanuts" Pollock and Gerry Hunsicker; Booth was a member of the inaugural SJU Baseball Hall of Fame class in 1997, while Hunsicker was inducted a year later.  Team members Steve Alemi '77, Craig Eddinger '75, Rick Stauffer '74, Steve Yentsch '77, and team captain Joe Spiecker '74 are previous inductees as well.
 
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.SJUHawks.com/LeadOffDinner.  The cost is $125 ($100 for Young Alumni) and includes a cocktail reception at 6:00 p.m. followed by dinner at 7:00 p.m.  Sponsorship opportunities are available and are critical to the success of the event; please visit SJUHawks.com/LeadOffDinner or contact Adia Wilson at awilson@sju.edu.  Net proceeds from the Lead-Off Dinner directly support the baseball program.
 
In accordance with guidelines set forth by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, guests will be required to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or a medical exemption to gain entry to the event.  Guests will be required to wear masks while indoors when not actively eating or drinking.