Many believe it was a night filled with festivity, food and fundraising at the ninth annual First Pitch Banquet on April 5 at 7 p.m. at the Jerry M. Hughes Athletic Center. This year’s First Pitch Banquet hosted 500 people, which is the largest attendance to date. This year’s goal was to raise money for a new indoor pitching and batting facility.

  “We’ve been able to grow the First Pitch Banquet into an event that is able to fundraise. We’ve raised over $470,000 for the baseball program over the course of the eight years that we’ve had,” Ryan Snyder, Assistant Athletic Director for Development, said. “So that we’re able to give our student athletes the premier experience in Division II and that’s one of our vision, mission and values.”

  Patrons this year were treated to games of skill with the best earning an autographed baseball signed by George Brett, Major League Hall of Famer and keynote speaker. In addition, there was a silent auction filled with items such as signed baseballs and jerseys from the likes of Brett and Jim Crane, the owner of the Houston Astros.

  The keynote speech by Brett covered his career in baseball and drove the importance of academic success home for Mules Baseball players.

  “I am no different than all these players that play for Central Missouri…The difference is I never got a scholarship to go to college,” Brett said. “You guys got scholarships. You’re better than I was. You really are.”

  Later, Brett admitted to wanting to change just one thing if he was able to go back to the beginning of his career. 

  “If I had to do it over again, I would have paid attention in school,” Brett said. “I would have been a good student, because I think I’m somewhat intelligent but I just didn’t put forth the effort.”

  In addition to raising money for the baseball team, four new members were inducted into the Diamond Club, a prestigious Hall of Fame for the University of Central Missouri. Inductees were former players Ben Schwartz, Mason Janvrin, Brad Wilson and former play-by-play announcer Bob Jackson. All four men were honored for their years of service in the baseball program with the University of Central Missouri Athletics Department. 

  The event also served as a reunion for members of the 1975, 2000, 2015 and 2020 baseball teams. The 1975 Mules won 18 games and competed in the first World Series in program history. The 2000 Mules won both the MIAA and Regional Title. The 2015 Mules were the first team to play under Coach Kyle Crookes, the all-time winningest coach in UCM history with 419 wins as of March 28, 2025. The 2020 Mules received a shortened season due to COVID and were honored for their 20-3 record and 8-0 in MIAA.

  In his closing remarks, Brett spoke to Crane, saying, “Jim, let me know the date next year. I won’t speak, but I’ll come here and support the program.”