MSU Pitching Great Bobby Thigpen Returns To Help Usher In 2005 Season
May 25, 2016 | Baseball
A capacity crowd is anticipated tonight at the Colvard Union Ballroom for the sold out 6:30 p.m. event. Former Mississippi State and Major League pitching great Bobby Thigpen will help MSU usher in the new season as the featured speaker for this year's banquet.
Thigpen, who now makes his home in St. Petersburg, Fla., starred in right field and on the mound for the Bulldogs in 1984 and 1985. "Thiggy" helped guide Ron Polk's OE85 Diamond Dog edition to a 50-win season and the school's highest NCAA Tournament finish, third place in the OE85 NCAA College World Series. That season Thigpen tied the school single-season record with seven saves while hitting .306 with nine home runs and 56 RBI during that remarkable 1985 season.
Thigpen became the third of seven Mississippi State players selected in the 1985 professional baseball draft, tabbed in the fourth round by the Chicago White Sox. He played eight of his nine seasons in the majors with the American League club, setting the Major League single-season saves record in 1990 with 57, a mark that has yet to be equaled. Thigpen concluded his stellar career in Major League baseball with 31 wins, 201 saves and a 3.43 earned run average in 448 career appearances, all in relief.
Thigpen joins an impressive array of guest speakers for MSU's preseason banquet. Over the past seven years former Bulldogs Jeff Brantley, Will Clark, Boo Ferriss, Alex Grammas, Burke Masters and Dan Van Cleve, best-selling author and MSU alumnus John Grisham and former Los Angeles Dodgers skipper Tommy Lasorda have shared their perspective on baseball at the preseason banquet.
Steve Ellis will emcee this year's event, while Diamond Dog skipper Ron Polk, entering his 26th season as head baseball coach at Mississippi State, will introduce the 2005 Baseball Bulldog players, coaches and staff. Yet another coaching milestone awaits Polk in 2005. His first win this season will be his 1,000th in 25--plus season at the MSU helm.
Mississippi State entertains first-time opponent Eastern Illinois (0-3) on opening weekend, beginning with Friday's 4 p.m. series opener. Thigpen is scheduled to return to the mound at Dudy Noble Field Friday, throwing out the ceremonial first pitch to usher in State's 115th season of baseball. Mostly sunny weather and warming temperatures are anticipated throughout the three-game weekend.
