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FAIRFAX, Va. – George Mason Athletics will host its annual First Pitch Dinner on Friday, Feb. 10 at Dewberry Hall, featuring George Brett, Kansas City Royals Vice President of Baseball Operations and member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Brett was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999 after receiving 98 percent of the votes, the fifth-highest percentage in history.  He is one of four players in MLB history to record 3,000 hits, 300 home runs and a career .300 batting average.

A three-time batting champion, Brett played his entire career with Kansas City.  In 21 seasons with the Royals, he collected 3,154 career hits, the most by any third baseman in major league history and 16th all-time.  Brett won batting titles in 1976, 1980 and 1990 and is the only player in Major League Baseball history to win a batting title in three different decades.

"We are honored  to have Baseball Hall of Famer George Brett as our special guest and keynote speaker at the 2017 First Pitch Dinner," Mason baseball head coach Bill Brown said.  "George's accomplishments are legendary and it is exciting that he will be spending the evening of February 10^th with us sharing his stories, thoughts and insight about baseball and his storied career."
 
Brett was selected to the MLB All-Star Game 13 straight seasons from 1976 through 1988.  The Royals retired his number and inducted him into the club's Hall of Fame in 1994.

Mason alum and Royals Vice President and Assistant General Manager of Player Personnel J.J. Picollo will also attend.  Picollo ('93-'94) was drafted twice by the Cincinnati Reds and signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees after his senior season at Mason.

"I owe a special thank you to J.J. Picollo for making the possibility of having George be with us this year a reality," said Brown.  "J.J. is a fantastic proponent, supporter and ambassador for Mason Baseball.  It is great to have him back with us again this year."

The Hall of Fame Table for the event can be purchased for $2,000 and includes six tickets, entry to a reception with George Brett, silent auction, dinner, seating with two members of the 2017 Mason baseball team and names listed in the event program.

Table sponsorship is available for $1,500 and includes six tickets, entry to social hour, silent auction, dinner, seating with two members of the 2017 Mason baseball team and names listed in the event program.

General individual tickets can be purchased for $200, Baseball Alumni and Young Alumni (undergraduate degree holders of the last five years) for $150 and the cost for youth 12 and under is $50.  All tickets include entry to the social hour, silent auction and dinner.

"What a fantastic experience for the players, alumni, friends of Mason Baseball and the entire baseball community to have the opportunity to hear from a man who is true baseball royalty," Brown said.  "Our thanks to George Brett for agreeing to be part of what will be an incredibly special evening for the Mason Baseball program, our athletic department and George Mason University."

For more information, contact LeeAnn Busher at lbushar@gmu.edu or 703-993-4147.  Proceeds support the Mason Baseball program.