George Mason Athletics is hosting a fundraising dinner, Mason Baseball's First Pitch Dinner, to honor Kansas City Royals baseball brass and Mason alums Dayton Moore, JJ Picollo, Lonnie Goldberg and Ken Munoz on January 23, 2015, on campus at Dewberry Hall.
The four baseball alums are the architects behind the Kansas City Royals team that made a historic run through the playoffs before falling to the San Francisco Giants in the 2014 World Series. The Royals last World Series and playoff appearance was in 1985.
After rising through the ranks in the Atlanta Braves organization, Dayton Moore was named the General Manager of the Royals in 2006. Moore spent his playing career with the Patriots from 1988-89 where he climbed up the record books, setting the single-season program record for assists in one season that still stands today (187). After graduating Moore spend four seasons as an assistant coach under Brown before taking a scouting position with the Atlanta Braves.
Picollo ('93-94) signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees after his senior season at Mason where he was also twice drafted by the Cincinnati Reds. After one year of playing he had stints as an assistant coach with George Washington and George Mason before joining Moore in Atlanta as a Mid-Atlantic scout. Picollo joined Moore in Kansas City, taking the role of Director of Player Development before reaching his current position of Assistant General Manager -Scouting and Player Development.
Goldberg played at Mason from 1990-93 and remains in the top-five in numerous categories of the Patriots record book. He was also drafted by the Texas Rangers following his senior year. Goldberg joined Moore and Picollo during their tenure in Atlanta before making the jump to Kansas City in 2008. He is currently the Director of Scouting.
Munoz played alongside Goldberg from '90-'93, finishing fifth all-time with 49 stolen bases. He played a season with the Thunder Bay Whiskey Jacks of the Northern League and eventually joined the Royals as an area scout.
During their tenure as students at Mason the group helped bring home two regular season CAA Conference championships, two CAA Conference Tournament championships and three NCAA Regional appearances, spanning the years of 1988-1994. The 1993 season was the lone year that all four had the chance to play together, winning 39 games and earning the programs first at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Individual tickets can be purchased for $150 each or sponsor a table (six) for $1,200. Young alumni can purchase a ticket for $100 and youth tickets are $50. If you would like to attend a special MVP reception prior to the cocktail hour and silent auction, each ticket is $200, which also includes dinner. Your checks should be made payable to the GMU Foundation. All proceeds to benefit the Mason baseball program.
In order to assure yourself tickets for the event, please complete and return the form, with payment prior to January 16, 2015. For more information, contact LeeAnn Bushar at lbushar@gmu.edu or 703 993-4147.
