David Wright of the New York Mets. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)
NORFOLK, Va. (Tides Communications) – The Norfolk Tides announced Sam Allen, Wayne Gomes, Tony Guzzo and David Wright will be inducted into the Tidewater Baseball Shrine at Harbor Park prior to Norfolk’s game against the Syracuse Mets on Friday, August 9th. The Tidewater Baseball Shrine recognizes players and executives who have significantly contributed to the game of baseball in the Tidewater area.
“We’re thrilled to have the honor of inducting these four phenomenal candidates into the Tidewater Baseball Shrine” said Tides General Manager Joe Gregory. “We look forward to celebrating their career accomplishments as they take their rightful place among other baseball legends in Hampton Roads.”
SAM ALLEN was born in Norfolk, starring in baseball and football at Booker T. Washington High School. Allen played in the Negro Leagues for the Kansas City Monarchs, Raleigh Tigers and Memphis Red Sox during the 1950’s before being drafted into the U.S. Army in 1960. He’s been instrumental in commemorating and remembering the achievements of Negro League players, and he is a member of the Hampton Roads African-American Sports Hall of Fame.
WAYNE GOMES was a baseball star at Phoebus High School and an All-American at Old Dominion University. The Philadelphia Phillies picked him in the first round of the 1993 draft, and he registered 30 wins and 29 saves over 321 Major League appearances. A member of the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame, Gomes currently lives in Hampton, where he runs a baseball academy and is heavily involved in developing and promoting youth baseball programs.
Former Old Dominion head baseball coach Tony Guzzo
TONY GUZZO was the head coach of the Old Dominion Monarchs from 1995 to 2004, leading the team to two regular season CAA titles and three NCAA Regional appearances. A graduate of Norfolk Catholic High School, Guzzo played collegiately at East Carolina University before coaching stops at North Carolina Wesleyan and Virginia Commonwealth University. He’s currently a Special Assistant to the Head Coach at Old Dominion.
DAVID WRIGHT enjoyed a 14-year career with the New York Mets after being drafted by the Mets in 2001 out of Hickory High School in Chesapeake. A seven-time National League All-Star, Wright also captured two Gold Glove Awards and two Silver Slugger Awards. He holds the Mets franchise record in a number of categories, including most career hits, total bases and runs batted in. Wright played in 31 games for the Tides in 2004, and he currently serves as a special advisor in the Mets front office.
Norfolk opens the 2019 regular season on Thursday, April 4th with a 7:05 game at Gwinnett before opening the home portion of its schedule on Thursday, April 11th with a 6:35 contest vs. the Toledo Mud Hens. Individual tickets will go on sale on Monday, March 4th, while season tickets and group tickets are currently available for the 2019 season. For pricing and additional information, visit the Harbor Park offices, call (757) 622-2222 or visit NorfolkTides.com.
