CARLTON AND TIANT TO SPEAK AT BASEBALL CLINIC JAN. 24, 25

Hall of Fame pitcher Steve Carlton and three-time all star righthander Luis Tiant will be the keynote speakers and clinicians for the 26th annual Greenwich Kitchens Old Dominion University Baseball Scholarship Clinic and ACS Systems Banquet, Jan. 24 and 25.

Tickets for the clinic, which begins at 9 a.m. in the Old Dominion University fieldhouse, are $5 for one session.

The weekend begins on Friday, Jan. 24, with the ACS Systems "Meet the Stars" Banquet at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott, beginning with a social at 6:30 p.m. and dinner at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 per person, and will go on sale at the Old Dominion Athletic Ticket Office on Dec. 2. Proceeds from the dinner and clinic support baseball scholarships at Old Dominion.

Carlton won 329 games, second only to Warren Spahn among lefthanders, and his 4,136 strikeouts are exceeded only by Nolan Ryan. "Lefty" once notched 19 strikeouts in a game, compiled six 20-win seasons, and was the first pitcher to win four Cy Young Awards.

In 1972, Carlton became the fifth pitcher ever to win 20 games for a last-place team, collecting 27 of the Philadelphia Phillies 59 victories, a record 45.8 percent. Carlton was 27-10 that year, including a 15-game winning streak, eight shutouts and 30 complete games, which was among the highest completion totals since the 1940's. He won pitchings Triple Crown, leading the National League in wins, ERA (1.97), and strikeouts (310). Carlton won 23 games in 1977, and 1982, and 24 in 1980. He won the Cy Young award in 1972, 1977, 1980,and 1982.

Carlton retired in 1988. In 1989 the Phillies retired his No. 32, and in 1994 he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1994, his first year of eligibility.

Luis Tiant, born in Marianao, Cuba is one of only four pitchers in the 40-year expansion era to have pitched four straight shutouts. He accomplished this in 1972 and is joined by Orel Hershiser (1988), Gaylord Perry (1970) and Cory Lidle(2002). That year, Tiant was 15-6 with a 1.91 earned run average. He also compiled a 1.60 ERA in 1968.

The three-time all star, Tiant helped the Boston Red Sox reach the 1975 World Series. Tiant led the American League in shutouts three times, 1966, 1968 and 1972. He posted nine shutouts in 1968. That same year he pitched 40 consecutive shutout innings. In 1966 Tiant had pitched 41 straight shutout innings, giving him two streaks over the 40-mark, a feat shared only with the great Walter Johnson.

Tiant went 22-13 in 1974, but lost the Cy Young award to Jim Palmer. The next season he let Boston into the post-season, winning 18 games. After beating Oakland, Tiant opened the World Series with a win over the Cincinati Reds with his father, having been allowed to leave Cuba in attendance. He also won game four and had a no decision in game six in which Carlton Fisk hit his dramatic game winning homer.

Tiant won 229 career games and fanned 2,416 career batters. His career earned run average was 3.93. Tiant retired after the 1982 season.

In the 25 previous years of the clinic, 105 major leaguers, managers, coaches and administrators have participated in the clinic weekend. Past Hall of Famers include Hank Aaron, Brooks Robinson, Lou Brock, Jim 'Catfish' Hunter, Tommy Lasorda, Harmon Killebrew, and Dave Winfield.

For more information othe clinic and banquet, please contact the Athletic Ticket Office at 683-5484.