NEWS RELEASE October 20, 2004 City declares October 20th “Robin Ventura Day” Future ballpark to be named after baseball star Newly retired professional baseball star Robin Ventura is being honored by the City of Santa Maria, where he and his brothers grew up with their father proudly coaching them how to play the game. Mayor Larry Lavagnino proclaimed October 20th as “Robin Ventura Day in the City of Santa Maria” and at a City Council meeting presented Ventura with a Key to the City. The mayor surprised Ventura and his wife, and the audience, by unveiling a conceptual drawing of the Robin Ventura Youth Baseball Training Park, to be located at the future Rotary Centennial Park. “Robin’s impressive professional accomplishments on the field are surpassed only by his personal accomplishments and kind generosity off the field,” the Mayor said, reading the City proclamation. “…He has been an inspiration to many of us here in Santa Maria as well as a role model for our local youth – and we can only hope for more Robin Ventura type roles for our younger generations to emulate.” Rotary Centennial Park is an 11-acre park now under construction at the corner of Sunrise Drive and South College Drive. The Robin Ventura Youth Baseball Training Park will be focused on pre-Little League players. The Rotary Clubs of Santa Maria Valley are partnering with the City to raise funds for the park and are seeking community support. Ventura was recognized for his charitable contributions to local youth sports programs, local schools, churches and other local non-profit organizations, his support of the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Maria, the DREAM Foundation (a foundation that helps and supports foster children), his personal support of the victims of the 9/11 World Trade Center attack, as well as the countless hours he has spent in donating his time to worthy causes both locally and across the nation. The two-time Major League Baseball All-Star thanked the City Council and the community for supporting him during his youth in the Santa Maria Valley and throughout his career. Ventura was a three-time All-American at Oklahoma State, setting a national record with a 58-game hitting streak, and was named College Baseball Player of the Year in 1987. He was the recipient of the Golden Spikes Award in 1988 (the Nation’s Best Amateur Player Award), and in 1988 brought home an Olympic gold medal as a member of the 1988 United States Olympic Baseball Team. He announced his retirement from baseball on Oct. 12 after playing in major league ball for 16 years. He won six Golden Glove awards, hit 294 home runs, 1,182 RBIs and had a .267 batting average. He played with the Chicago White Sox, the New York Mets and the New York Yankees, and finished his career by playing for his childhood heroes - the Los Angeles Dodgers. Department: City Manager’s Office Contact Person: Mark van de Kamp, Management Analyst Telephone Number: 925-0951 ext. 372 E-mail Address: [email protected].