Boston College Baseball: 24th Annual Baseball Night in Boston Set for January 21st

The Boston College baseball team will host its 24th annual Baseball Night in Boston event on January 21st from 6-9 PM at Fenway Park's State Street Pavilion, per a release from the Boston College athletic department.

The annual event, which features a keynote address from some of baseball's biggest names, is the single largest fundraiser for the Boston College baseball program. Proceeds from the event help with costs for the team's trips in the early season, as well as operating expenses for recruiting, equipment, and scholarships. BC typically begins its season in February and does not play its first home game in Massachusetts until mid-March, weather permitting.

This year will have a special keynote address from former Boston College Red Sox pitcher and current ESPN analyst Curt Schilling. Schilling, one of the most accomplished postseason pitchers in baseball history, is a three-time World Series champion who accumulated 216 career victories across 20 seasons, four of which were spent with the Red Sox.

In five postseason trips, Schilling went to four World Series and amassed an 11-2 record. He was named co-MVP of the 2001 World Series alongside Randy Johnson when the Arizona Diamondbacks upset the New York Yankees in seven games, and he was MVP of the 1993 National League Championship Series when he threw 16 innings in two starts for Philadelphia's win over the Atlanta Braves.

In 12 different series, he threw over 133 innings, including four complete games and two shutouts. In 2004, he threw two games, one against the New York Yankees in a must-win Game 6, with an infamous "bloody sock" after requiring ankle surgery in order to pitch.

In his career, Schilling won over 200 games and was known as an "innings eater," having led the league in innings thrown twice. He is a member of the 3,000 strikeouts club, and he has the highest strikeout-to-walk ratio of any of its members.

Also as part of the night, Boston College annually gives out its fabled #8 in honor of Sonny Nictakis. Peter "Sonny" Nictakis is a former two-time baseball captain who passed away in 2000 after a battle with Hodgkin's Disease. His number was never reissued until Mike Gambino brought it back in 2011 with the annual award. Previous winners include Mike Sudol, Kyle Prohovich, Matt Pare, Tom Bourdon, and Travis Ferrick.

The annual Baseball Night is one of the most important nights for the Boston College baseball team. Space is limited to 250 guests and tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Those who purchase their ticket before December 31st are discounted to $150, while those who purchase from January 1st through 7th are discounted to $175. Cost per ticket is then held at $200 until the night of the event. If the event is not sold out, patrons may purchase at the door.

For more information, contact the Office of Athletic Development.