USA – The 13th Annual Cedar Rapids Kernels Hot Stove Banquet, featuring guest speaker Jim Abbott, will be held on Thursday, January 29, 2009 at the Cedar Rapids Crowne Plaza Five Season Hotel.

The annual Hot Stove tradition, which dates back to 1997, is an opportunity for fans of the game to get together and talk baseball. It also provides a great opportunity to raise money to support the Kernels Foundation.

The Kernels are pleased to welcome Jim Abbot, former Major League pitcher for 10 seasons, who will be the guest speaker at the banquet.

Jim Abbott has battled the odds his entire life. Despite being born with only one hand, he was the Angels first round (eighth overall) selection in the 1988 amateur draft, and the 15th player to ever make a professional debut in the Major Leagues. A native of Flint, Michigan, Abbott played 10 seasons in the majors for the Angels, Yankees, White Sox and Brewers, compiling an 87-108 record with a 4.25 ERA in 263 games with 31 complete games and six shutouts. As a member of the Yankees, he threw a no-hitter vs. Cleveland on September 4, 1993, the first Yankee pitcher to throw a no-hitter in a decade. He retired from baseball in 1999.

Abbott played college baseball for the University of Michigan, posting a 26-8 record and 3.08 ERA in three seasons. He was named the Big Ten Baseball Player of the Year and Jesse Owens Award winner (Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year) in 1988. He was a member of the 1987 U.S. Pan American Games team that defeated Cuba and the 1988 U.S. Olympic baseball team that won the gold medal in Seoul, Korea.

As a motivational speaker, he uses sports stories and anecdotes from his career as a pitcher to deliver a message that appeals to many types of audiences. Jim resides in California with his wife and two children.

The 13th Annual Hot Stove Banquet will include silent and live auctions featuring sports memorabilia and local items as well as the induction of the Class of 2009 into the Cedar Rapids Baseball Hall of Fame.

Proceeds from the event will help The Kernels Foundation accomplish its vision of ensuring that all youth in Eastern Iowa have the opportunity to experience athletic and recreational activities. For the last three summers The Kernels Foundation has been the sponsor of the baseball program at Jane Boyd Community House, a non-profit agency serving children and families. In addition to continuing its support of Jane Boyd, the foundation has shifted its focus since the June 2008 Flood to support organizations with youth programs get back on their feet. These include the Boys and Girls Club of Cedar Rapids, the YMCA of the Greater Cedar Rapids Area and Taylor School, which is closed this year due to the floods.

Tickets for the banquet go on sale Monday, December 8th and are $37.50 in advance and $45 at the door with corporate tables seating 10 people available for $350. Tickets can be purchased at Veterans Memorial Stadium during regular business hours 9 AM -5 PM, by phone at 363-3887, or online at www.kernels.com.

KCRG TV-9 and Cumulus Media stations KRNA, KHAK, KDAT and KRQN are proud media sponsors of the 13th Annual Hot Stove Banquet.

Media Release: Cedar Rapids Kernels

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