FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 20, 2001
Contact: Bryan Dolgin, Director of Media & Public Relations
843-918-6016
Furcal Back To Beach
Pelicans #2 To Be Retired
MYRTLE BEACH, SC — The Myrtle Beach Pelicans will welcome back the 2000 National League Rookie of the Year, Atlanta Braves shortstop and former Pelican Rafael Furcal as part of The Sprint PCS Legends of Baseball festivities at Coastal Federal Field on Thursday, September 20 at 7:05 PM. The Pelicans will retire Furcal’s uniform (#2) in a ceremony that will take place during the Legends Game. After the ceremony, Furcal will be available for an autograph signing session.
Furcal played for the Pelicans during the 1999 championship season, the Inaugural Season of Pelicans baseball. He joined the Pelicans on July 23, 1999 from the Single-A Macon Braves. The Pelicans record was 49-and-47 when Furcal joined the team, and the Pelicans recorded a 34-and-16 record in the remaining games of the regular and post season en route to the Carolina League’s Mills Cup Championship.
In 43 regular season games as the Pelicans shortstop, Furcal batted .293 (54-for-184) with no home runs, 3 triples, 9 doubles, 12 RBI and 32 runs scored. He stole 23 bases (caught 8 times). In seven post-season, Furcal batted .357 (10-for-28) leading the team in average and total hits. Furcal brought 73 stolen bases with him from Macon. He stole 23 in the Pelicans regular season and another six during the playoffs for a total of 102 that season.
The jersey retirement ceremony will occur at the end of the fifth inning of the Sprint PCS Legends of Baseball Game. Furcal will not be playing in the game. After the ceremony, Furcal will be available for an hour-long autograph session in the main concourse of Coastal Federal Field. There is a limit of one autograph per person. The cost will be $10 for all flat items (baseball cards and photos) and $20 for non-flat items (balls, bats, jerseys, hats, etc.). Furcal will not profit from the collected money. Proceeds will go towards the Make-A-Wish Foundation of South Carolina.
Furcal is able to make this trip during the Major League Baseball season because he is out for the remainder of the season with a dislocated right shoulder.
For tickets to the Sprint PCS Legends of Baseball Game, please call 843-918-6000, order on-line at www.myrtlebeachpelicans.com or stop at the Coastal Federal Field ticket office. The ticket prices are $9 (Box Seats), $8 (Terrace Box), $7 (Reserved Seats) and $4 (General Admission). Group rates (20 or more) are available on Terrace and Reserved seating. The Legends include Vida Blue, Dave Parker, George Foster, Tug McGraw, Andy Van Slyke, Len Barker, Roger McDowell, Kelly Gruber, Jay Johnstone, Kent Tekulve, Keith Moreland, Rafael Belliard, Tommy Gregg, Franklin Stubbs, Sixto Lezcano, and Brian Snitker.
Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc. is a diversified communications company which owns and/or operates WRAL-TV, WRAL-Digital, WRAL-FM, Microspace, the North Carolina News Network, DTV Plus, Wolfpack Sports Marketing, and Capitol Sports Management in Raleigh, NC; WJZY-TV and WWWB-TV in Charlotte, NC; WILM-TV in Wilmington, NC; WRAZ-TV and the Durham Bulls Baseball Club in Durham, NC; and the Myrtle Beach Pelicans Baseball Club in Myrtle Beach, SC; Capitol Broadcasting Company also founded Local TV on Satellite in Raleigh, NC.
