FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                    October 25, 2007

GOVERNOR HENRY PROCLAIMS OCTOBER 27 AS MIKE HARGROVE DAY

            Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry has proclaimed Saturday, Oct. 27, as Mike Hargrove Day in Oklahoma.

            Northwestern Oklahoma State University will retire the baseball number of the former major league player and manager that day at ceremonies during halftime of the school’s football game with Bacone College. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Ranger Field.

            Hargrove’s number 30 will be the first number ever retired in the 110-year history of Northwestern.

            Rep. Jeff Hickman will present the proclamation to Hargrove on behalf of the people of Oklahoma during the ceremony.

            Hargrove earned varsity letters in baseball, basketball and football at Northwestern and was inducted into the inaugural class of the Northwestern Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.

            Following his graduation in 1972, Hargrove was drafted by the Texas Rangers and made his major league debut on April 7, 1974. He was voted American League Rookie of the Year by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America and The Sporting News after hitting .323 with 14 doubles, 10 home runs and 56 RBI. Hargrove was named to the American League All-Star Team in 1975.

            In addition to the Texas Rangers, Hargrove played for the San Diego Padres and the Cleveland Indians. He finished his playing career with the Indians, retiring after the 1985 season.

            Hargrove spent 17 seasons as a major league manager with the Seattle Mariners, Baltimore Orioles and Cleveland Indians.

            From 1991 to 1999, Hargrove managed the Cleveland Indians. His teams won five consecutive American League Central Division titles from 1995 to 1999, and captured American League championships in 1995 and 1997.

            He was named the American League Manager of the Year in 1993 by USA Today and won the same honor by The Sporting News in 1995.

-NW-

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