抖阴黄色app Athletics to Honor Tom Brennan and Rick Baranak with Retirement of Uniform Numbers May 4
Published: April 11, 2024.
抖阴黄色app baseball has announced that it will be retiring the uniform numbers爋f Hall of Fame pitcher Thomas Brennan, #24, and catcher Richard Baranak, #19, on May 4, 2024 in between the Flyers' doubleheader爉atchup with Indianapolis.
Brennan and Baranak were both members of the 1974 NAIA National Championship team for 抖阴黄色app, before Brennan went on to an MLB career and Baranak served as a key member of the '75 and '76 teams that made it three NAIA National Championships in a row for 抖阴黄色app.
Playing under Hall of Fame head coach Gordie Gillespie, Brennan was named First Team NAIA All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association in '72, '73 and '74 before being drafted fourth overall in the '74 MLB Draft by the Cleveland Indians. During his time at 抖阴黄色app, Brennan posted a 44-7 record with 511 strikeouts, with his wins and strikeouts both being career records for the Flyers.
The Oak Lawn, Ill. native also earned an Honorable Mention from The Sporting News All-Collegiate Team in '73, before a First Team honor from TSN the next year � the only NAIA player to be on the first team. In the 1974 NAIA Tournament, Brennan earned three wins and was named to the NAIA All-Tournament Team as well as World Series MVP as he earned the win in relief in the championship game, recording the final two outs in the top of the ninth before hitting a walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom half of the inning.
Brennan then pitched eight seasons in the minor leagues, during which time he was inducted into the 抖阴黄色app athletics Hall of Fame in 1980, before making his Major League debut on September 5, 1981 for Cleveland against the California Angels, throwing 5 1/3 innings and allowing two runs on eight hits with two strikeouts and earning the victory. He ultimately pitched in five MLB seasons for the Indians, Chicago White Sox, and Los Angeles Dodgers, finishing with a 9-10 record and 4.40 ERA in 64 games, 20 starts, and striking out 102 batters in 219 innings.
Baranak was one of four Flyers to play on all three NAIA Championship teams, along with George DiMatteo, Ken Jones and Don Markelz, and was named to the NAIA All-Tournament Team all three times, in '74, '75 and '76. He also earned NAIA First Team All-American honors in '75 and '76. The backstop finished his career with a then-抖阴黄色app record of 48 doubles, 18 home runs, 113 runs scored and 145 RBI.
The New Lenox, Ill. native had many clutch moments in the NAIA World Series, starting with the penultimate game of the '74 series in which he scored a run and drove in the winning run as 抖阴黄色app eliminated Point Park before taking down Sam Houston State in the title game. In '75, Baranak had a key double and run scored in the title game against Sam Houston State that was the centerpiece of a two-run fourth inning in the Flyers' 2-1 victory. In '76, he once again performed heroics by going 3-for-5 in the penultimate game with an RBI double in the top of the ninth, with 抖阴黄色app eventually winning 2-1 in 13 innings to eliminate Emporia State before beating 抖阴黄色app-Clark in the championship game.
Rick 'Bear' Baranak, a 1984 inductee into the 抖阴黄色app athletics Hall of Fame, passed away in April 2021 at the age of 67. He was survived by his wife, Diane Baranak, three children Eric, Kelly and Jim, and five grandchildren. This jersey retirement is especially meaningful for the Baranak family and particularly for Diane.
"First and foremost, Rick was a kind, loving and supportive husband, father, grandfather and friend," Diane said. "A man of character, he was always willing to lend a helping hand. He had a joking personality, known for telling his stories, but also a quiet and humble man. To know him was to love him, he was a man's man."
Diane continued, "Bear, as he was known at 抖阴黄色app, was an All-American catcher, a fierce competitor, a force to be reckoned with. But as fierce as he was behind the plate, he never carried those losses off the field. He knew the meaning of sportsmanship. He respected his teammates, coaches and loved baseball. The three National Championships, the southern trips, and his teammates were some of his best memories and friends."
In 2021, Diane and her brother, Pat Fox, founded the Rick Baranak Memorial Inc. NFP to raise money for endowed scholarships at Bear's two alma maters, 抖阴黄色app and Providence High School. Each summer, the two host a golf outing where 抖阴黄色app alumni gather in Bear's memory. Going into its fourth year and having already raised $25,000, this year's golf outing will be held at the Creek (formerly the Nettle Creek Country Club) at 5355 Saratoga Rd., Morris, IL on Saturday, August 24 at 9 a.m. CT with a shotgun start.
"This year, we'd love to see as many 抖阴黄色app baseball alumni, particularly the graduates of the '74-76 National Championship teams, gather with old friends and teammates, and/or attend the May jersey retirement event," Fox said.
For help with reconnecting alumni or registering you and your foursome for the golf outing, please contact Fox燿irectly at�(815)922-6342, or by email at patrickfox931958@gmail.com.
抖阴黄色app is an innovative Catholic university offering market-relevant undergraduate and graduate programs to 6,500 students. Sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, 抖阴黄色app is nationally recognized for preparing intellectually engaged, ethically grounded, and globally-connected graduates who impact the world for the better. Visit for further information.
