University of North Carolina Athletics
Daniel Bard To Be Keynote Speaker At First Pitch Banquet
December 15, 2021 | Baseball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Diamond Heels' letterman and 2020 National League Comeback Player-of-the-Year Daniel Bard will be the keynote speaker at Carolina baseball's 13th Annual First Pitch Banquet, set for Jan. 29, 2022, inside the Blue Zone at Kenan Stadium.
The event will include the opportunity to meet the 2022 team, a look at the approaching season with second year head coach Scott Forbes, recognition of the 2011 College World Series team as well as former players that made their Major League debut in 2021 (J.B. Bukauskas, Kent Emanuel, Brian Miller, Cooper Criswell), a silent auction and more.
The MVP reception begins at 5:30 p.m. followed by the Meet & Greet at 6 p.m., with dinner being served at approximately 6:15 p.m. Individual tickets for the event range from $50 - $150. Table sponsorships which include eight guests seated with two members of the 2022 team and eight MVP reception tickets are available for $1,000.
To register to attend the First Pitch Banquet, please click here.
"Daniel has an amazing story to tell, and I'm thrilled that he's agreed to share it at our First Pitch Banquet," Forbes said. "His journey includes a wealth of baseball and life experiences with a great story about perseverance and determination. I know it's one all Tar Heels will want to hear."
Bard has spent the past two seasons with the Colorado Rockies after being out of baseball for more than seven years. He recently signed a one-year deal with the organization for the upcoming 2022 season.
Bard signed on with the Rockies following a January 2020 tryout after he retired from the game in 2017 to become a player mentor. He finished the season as the team's closer with a 4-2 record, a 3.65 ERA and six saves in six opportunities.
After a long journey back, Bard made his Rockies debut July 25, 2020, at Texas, his first appearance since April 27, 2013, with Boston. He tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings to earn his first win in more than eight years. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Bard's seven years and 89 days gap between major league appearances was the sixth-longest for a pitcher in the divisional era (since 1969), and the third-longest over the last 30 years.
Selected by Boston in the first round of the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft, Bard spent seven seasons with the organization. He was named the Red Sox Minor League Pitcher-of-the-Year in 2008 and Rookie-of-the-Year in 2009 after leading all Major League rookie relievers with 11.49 strikeouts per 9.0 innings pitched, third best among all American League rookie relievers since 1954.
The following season Bard was named the Red Sox Fireman-of-the-Year after leading the American League with 32 holds, third-most in the Major Leagues. He became the fifth Boston pitcher to toss at least 70.0 innings (74.2) and record an ERA of under 2.00 (1.93), joining Cy Young Award winners Roger Clemens and Pedro Martinez in the exclusive group.
Bard tied for the AL lead in holds in 2011 with 34, breaking his club record of 32 from the previous season.
The majority of the next six seasons he spent dealing with injuries and rehabbing in the minor leagues before announcing his retirement on Oct. 3, 2017.
During his rookie season of 2004 at UNC, Bard was named ACC Freshman-of-the-Year, tabbed first team all-conference and earned Freshman All-America honors from Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball. He helped the Tar Heels to a runner-up finish at the 2006 College World Series.
The First Pitch Banquet has annually featured some of the top names in the history of the program including Scott Bankhead, B.J. Surhoff, and Walt Weiss. UNC alum and Baseball Hall of Fame writer Peter Gammons, two-time World Series champion and AL Manager-of-the-Year Terry Francona, and former San Francisco Giants general manager and Carolina graduate Bobby Evans have also previously served as the keynote speakers.
The First Pitch Banquet has served as the unofficial kickoff event for the upcoming UNC baseball season and its proceeds help support the Tar Heels' baseball program.
The event will include the opportunity to meet the 2022 team, a look at the approaching season with second year head coach Scott Forbes, recognition of the 2011 College World Series team as well as former players that made their Major League debut in 2021 (J.B. Bukauskas, Kent Emanuel, Brian Miller, Cooper Criswell), a silent auction and more.
The MVP reception begins at 5:30 p.m. followed by the Meet & Greet at 6 p.m., with dinner being served at approximately 6:15 p.m. Individual tickets for the event range from $50 - $150. Table sponsorships which include eight guests seated with two members of the 2022 team and eight MVP reception tickets are available for $1,000.
To register to attend the First Pitch Banquet, please click here.
"Daniel has an amazing story to tell, and I'm thrilled that he's agreed to share it at our First Pitch Banquet," Forbes said. "His journey includes a wealth of baseball and life experiences with a great story about perseverance and determination. I know it's one all Tar Heels will want to hear."
Bard has spent the past two seasons with the Colorado Rockies after being out of baseball for more than seven years. He recently signed a one-year deal with the organization for the upcoming 2022 season.
Bard signed on with the Rockies following a January 2020 tryout after he retired from the game in 2017 to become a player mentor. He finished the season as the team's closer with a 4-2 record, a 3.65 ERA and six saves in six opportunities.
After a long journey back, Bard made his Rockies debut July 25, 2020, at Texas, his first appearance since April 27, 2013, with Boston. He tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings to earn his first win in more than eight years. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Bard's seven years and 89 days gap between major league appearances was the sixth-longest for a pitcher in the divisional era (since 1969), and the third-longest over the last 30 years.
Selected by Boston in the first round of the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft, Bard spent seven seasons with the organization. He was named the Red Sox Minor League Pitcher-of-the-Year in 2008 and Rookie-of-the-Year in 2009 after leading all Major League rookie relievers with 11.49 strikeouts per 9.0 innings pitched, third best among all American League rookie relievers since 1954.
The following season Bard was named the Red Sox Fireman-of-the-Year after leading the American League with 32 holds, third-most in the Major Leagues. He became the fifth Boston pitcher to toss at least 70.0 innings (74.2) and record an ERA of under 2.00 (1.93), joining Cy Young Award winners Roger Clemens and Pedro Martinez in the exclusive group.
Bard tied for the AL lead in holds in 2011 with 34, breaking his club record of 32 from the previous season.
The majority of the next six seasons he spent dealing with injuries and rehabbing in the minor leagues before announcing his retirement on Oct. 3, 2017.
During his rookie season of 2004 at UNC, Bard was named ACC Freshman-of-the-Year, tabbed first team all-conference and earned Freshman All-America honors from Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball. He helped the Tar Heels to a runner-up finish at the 2006 College World Series.
The First Pitch Banquet has annually featured some of the top names in the history of the program including Scott Bankhead, B.J. Surhoff, and Walt Weiss. UNC alum and Baseball Hall of Fame writer Peter Gammons, two-time World Series champion and AL Manager-of-the-Year Terry Francona, and former San Francisco Giants general manager and Carolina graduate Bobby Evans have also previously served as the keynote speakers.
The First Pitch Banquet has served as the unofficial kickoff event for the upcoming UNC baseball season and its proceeds help support the Tar Heels' baseball program.
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