The Danbury Westerners, the longest tenured team in the New England Collegiate Baseball League, are excited to announce that they will be having their 24th Annual Celebrity Breakfast on June 8th at 7:30AM at the Amber Room Colonnade in Danbury, CT. The Annual Celebrity Breakfast welcomes the 2018 Danbury Westerners to the greater Western Connecticut community. Furthermore, the Westerners are honored to announce that former New York Yankee great Chris Chambliss will be the speaker at this year’s annual Celebrity Breakfast.
At the Breakfast, the Westerners will be presenting the annual Michael Seri Award in honor of the late Michael Seri, for preserving community partnerships, dedication and sportsmanship on behalf of the Danbury Westerners to Andrea Gartner. The first recipient in 2009 was Mr. Seri. Other past honorees include Bart Busterna, Mary Ann Frede, Richard Reimold, Gene Eriquez, Charlie Coakley, Chris Arconti, Bill Pullan, Chris Miller, Terry Whalen, Joseph Consentino and Mike Malone.
Seating is limited so reservations are required. Tables of 10 for this event are $350, and can be secured online at www.danburywesterners.com or by mail to PO Box 3828, Danbury, CT 06813. Sponsorship opportunities are available; for additional information please contact Paul Schaffer at 203-241-4655.
Chris Chambliss is a former first baseman who enjoyed a 17-year career, playing for the Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves. Chambliss was named the 1971 American League Rookie of the Year. In 1974 Chambliss was traded to the New York Yankees, and in 1976 in the decisive fifth game of the American League Championship Series against Kansas City, he hit the game winning walk-off home run to propel the Yankees to the World Series. Chambliss finished his career as a two-time World Series Champion, and accumulated 2,109 hits, 185 home runs and a .279 batting average. He was an Al-Star in 1976, and a Gold Glove winner (1978).
After his playing days ended Chambliss remained active as a coach and a manager. In 1990 he led the Double A London Tigers of the Eastern League to the Eastern League championship, and was named Minor League Manager of the Year by The Sporting News. Chambliss was the New York Yankees hitting coach in 1988, and again from 1996-2000, when the franchise won four World Series titles. Chambliss also was the hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds and Seattle Mariners.