Major League All-Star, SMC Alum Reggie Sanders To Speak at College's 2010 Commencement Services

10/27/09

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

SPARTANBURG, SC - 2001 World Series champion and 1995 baseball All-Star Reggie Sanders will be the keynote speaker at Spartanburg Methodist College 2010 commencement services to be held on May 8.

Sanders, a 1988 alumnus of SMC from Florence, SC, agreed late last week to serve as keynote speaker for the event.

"I am excited that Mr. Sanders has accepted our invitation to address the 2010 graduating class at SMC. Since his time at SMC, he has gone on to earn his place as one of the greatest home run hitters and base stealers in major league baseball, but he is about so much more than baseball. He came to SMC as a student and as an athlete and excelled in both roles. I suspect his experience here, while a short interlude in his overall career, served to help form him into the athlete and person he became as an adult. We are proud of our role in his success, and especially proud to have him come back and share his story with our students. His understanding of what it takes to achieve greatness is something every college student should hear," says SMC president Dr. Colleen Keith.

While at SMC, Sanders was named an All-Region and All-District player. During his sophomore year, he nailed 10 homeruns, had 50+ RBIs and 28 stolen bases, and batted in excess of .390.

"SMC baseball is proud of Reggie Sanders as a Pioneer alum because of what he has done on the field, but more importantly, for the class and character that he has exhibited off of the diamond. Over the years he has been a model citizen and tremendous role model for student athletes. We are thrilled that he will return to campus in May and look forward to having him address our community. Though it has been awhile since he played here, his name comes up regularly in conversations regarding SMC baseball. We appreciate the manner that he has represented us," says SMC head baseball coach Tim Wallace.

Sanders was picked up in the 7th round of the 1987 amateur draft. He has been a free agent since 2007, following a injury and after having played for two seasons with Kansas City. He began his professional career at the Rookie level with the Billings Mustangs before making his major league debut with the Cincinnati Reds in August 1991.

He has played professionally with the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres, Kansas City Royals, and the Arizona Diamondbacks' 2001 World Series championship team.

He was the fifth of the six members of major league baseball's 300-300 club (300 home runs, 300 stolen bases and is the only player in league history to hit 20 or more home runs in one season for six different teams.

Sanders also holds the distinction of being one of only 301 (No. 276) major league players in history to score more than 1,000 runs. He has scored 1,037 during his time in the majors.

* View Reggie Sanders' professional career stats on MLB.com

He and his wife Wyndee have four children - Cody, 16; Carrigon, 12; Carson, 8; and Cooper, 4.

Spartanburg Methodist College is in its 99th academic year of providing quality education to students in a Christian environment. More than 90 percent of SMC graduates continue their education at other institutions of higher learning.

For more information, please contact Brian Fulkerson, director of public information, at (864) 587-4254.

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