Jan. 9, 2009
NASHVILLE – Nashville might not be home to a Major League Baseball team, but a diverse collection of big league stars will be in town Jan. 26 for a fundraiser to benefit Nashville RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities).
David Price, the former Vanderbilt star pitcher who burst on the national scene with the Tampa Bay Rays this past season; Cleveland Indians reliever Jensen Lewis (also a former Commodore); ESPN “Baseball Tonight” analyst Buster Olney (a Vanderbilt alumnus); major league umpire and Nashville native Chuck Meriwether; and Vanderbilt baseball coach Tim Corbin will be the guests of honor at the “Hot Stove League” dinner to be held at Nero’s Grill in Green Hills.
Tickets for the 80-seat fundraiser are $200, which includes dinner and cocktails. Local radio personality Willy Daunic will moderate a free-wheeling, off-the-record panel discussion with the big leaguers. Cocktails begin at 6 p.m., with dinner at 7 p.m.
To make reservations for the Hot Stove League dinner, call (615) 259-4000, extension 141, or visit www.nashvillerbi.com. The dinner is sponsored by AOSS Medical Supply and Pinkladders.com. Nero’s Grill is located at 2122 Hillsboro Dr.
“We’re looking forward to a fun, informal night of storytelling from a great group of guys who are succeeding at the highest levels of the game,” said Reggie Whittemore, executive director of Nashville RBI. “We’re fortunate to have so many big leaguers with local connections, and we’re especially grateful that Buster Olney is traveling to Nashville just for this event.”
Price has become one of the local chapter’s biggest supporters, appearing at various events, donating items for fundraisers, and contributing funds from his own Project One Four Foundation to Nashville RBI.
About Nashville RBI
Nashville RBI uses baseball and softball and the power of teams to provide inner-city youth with opportunities to play, to learn and to grow, inspiring them to recognize their potential and realize their dreams. Nashville RBI was started in 1996 with a grant from Major League Baseball. The Nashville chapter now involves more than 1,300 boys and girls ages 6 to 14, and is designed to promote youth interest in baseball and softball, promote greater inclusion of minorities into the mainstream of the games, increase the self-esteem of disadvantaged children, and encourage academic participation and achievement. For more information, visit www.nashvillerbi.com or visit our group page on Facebook.