EIU's Seitzer's Jersey To Be Retired

CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois athletics will retire its seventh jersey in the Panthers long athletic history as former baseball standout Kevin Seitzer will have his No. 2 jersey retired during the EIU homecoming football game on Oct. 13 against Jacksonville State.

Seitzer is currently the hitting coach for the Kansas City Royals and is considered an up and coming candidate for a major league baseball head coaching job.    He played in the Major Leagues from 1986-97 with four different teams making All-Star appearances in 1987 with the Royals and 1995 with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Seitzer was the runner-up for the 1987 American League Rookie of the Year finishing behind Mark McGwire of the Oakland A’s.  He hit over .300 in seven seasons with a career batting average of .295.  His best season was 1996 when he hit .326 for Milwaukee and Cleveland.  Seitzer served as the hitting coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2006-07 and has been with the Royals in that same capacity since 2008.

At Eastern Illinois, Seitzer is still the Panthers career leader with a .418 batting average.  He hit over .400 in each of his three seasons at EIU playing one season at NCAA Division II and two seasons at NCAA Division I.  As a freshman he helped the Panthers finish as the NCAA Division II National Runner-Up being named to the All-Tournament team.  He ended his EIU playing days as the career leader in hits, doubles and batting average.  Seitzer was selected in the 11th round of the 1983 MBL Draft by the Cleveland Indians.

In addition to having his No. 2 jersey retired at the homecoming football game, Seitzer will also be honored as a Distinguished Alumnus by the EIU Alumni Association.  Seitzer earned his degree from EIU in 1985.

Seitzer becomes the seventh former EIU athlete to have his jersey retired and second former Kansas City Royals baseball player.  EIU has previously retired the jerseys of Marty Pattin (baseball), Tony Romo (football), Sean Payton (football), Kevin Duckworth (basketball), John Craft (track) and Nancy Kassebaum (basketball).

Tickets for the game against Jacksonville State can be purchased by calling 217-581-2106 or online at www.eiupanthertickets.com