For more information, contact:
The St. Louis Sports Commission
314-992-0687
dbray@stlouissports.org

SPORTS COMMISSION HOSTS 11^TH ANNUALBANK OF AMERICA BASEBALL FORECAST LUNCHEON JAN. 18

ESPN ANALYST HAROLD REYNOLDS AND CARDS CATCHER MIKE MATHENY PART OF PANEL LINEUP

ST. LOUIS — Jan. 10, 2002 — Ladies and gentlemen, get your pencils and scorecards ready… here’s your starting lineup for the St. Louis Sports Commission’s 2002 Bank of America Baseball Forecast Luncheon. Leading off and playing analyst for ESPN’s popular Baseball Tonight studio show, Harold Reynolds. The former Seattle Mariner and current baseball commentator is among the featured panelists for the 11^th annual luncheon. The event gets under way at noon Friday, Jan. 18, at the Millennium Hotel in downtown St. Louis.

Reynolds, who spent 12 seasons in the majors as a switch-hitting second baseman, is a two-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove Award winner. Today, he’s best known for his role on ESPN’s nightly baseball highlight wrap-up show and his portrayal of James Earl Jones in a Baseball Tonight spoof of "Field of Dreams."

Hitting behind Reynolds is another newcomer to the Baseball Forecast Luncheon, Cardinals catcher Mike Matheny. Previously, no active player has occupied a seat on the panel, so Matheny’s appearance and perspective will be a special treat for fans at the luncheon. Joining Reynolds and Matheny on the panel will be four Baseball Forecast Luncheon veterans: broadcaster Joe Buck, The Sporting News Editor John Rawlings, Cardinals Manager Tony LaRussa and General Manager Walt Jocketty. KPLR-TV WB-11 anchor Rich Gould and KMOX Sports Open Line host Mike Grimm serve as luncheon emcees.

Individual tickets to the Baseball Forecast Luncheon cost $50; tables of 10 are $500. Reservations can be made by calling the Sports Commission at 314-992-0686. In addition to lunch and an afternoon of baseball banter, all guests at this year’s luncheon will receive a special video from ESPN profiling the careers of Stan Musial and Bob Gibson. The segments on the two Cardinal Hall of Famers aired as part of ESPN Classic’s SportsCentury series.