Staff Report

TAMPA – The Tampa Bay Baseball Museum at Al Lopez House is hosting a free event at Centennial Park in Ybor City on Saturday, February 15 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. The “Homeruns & History 2020” event will be led by honorary host, World Series champion player and coach Lou Piniella and will also feature a group from the Tampa Bay Rays in a family-friendly meet-and-greet.

The event is described on Facebook as featuring, “MLB and MiLB alumni, games, a coaches’ panel, exhibits, music, baseball-inspired food, and more.”

The Coaches Panel discussion, moderated by baseball historian, author and Tallahassee youth baseball coach Wes Singletary (who led Tallahassee Post 13 to a second-straight American Legion Florida state title this summer), will feature Steinbrenner baseball and FHSAA Hall of Fame coach John Crumbley, former NCAA D-II National Championship and four-time Tampa Catholic state champion coach Pete Mulry, two-time National HS Athletic Coaches Assoc. softball coach of the year Jerry English (who won 16 district titles between Land O’Lakes and Academy at the Lakes), and longtime area coach and administrator K.R. Lombardia (former athletic director at Hillsborough, Sickles and Alonso).

There is also a VIP event featuring Piniella, who is a Jesuit alum and was an All-American player at the University of Tampa, as well as former Major Leaguers Orestes Destrada and Jason Michaels (also a Jesuit grad) in a photo opportunity, autograph session during the event. The cost for the VIP portion is $50. The event is a fundraiser for the museum which is housed in the childhood home of MLB Hall of Fame coach Al Lopez. More information can be found at the Tampa Baseball Museum’s Facebook page by clicking here.