The Antioch Sports Legends announced former Major League Baseball Players Gene “Butch” Rounsaville, Aaron Miles and Alex Sanchez will serve as docents on Saturday, April 20 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
Rounsaville is Antioch’s first Major League Baseball player. According to his bio, He signed with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1965. In 1968 he led the Eastern league with most wins (14), most shutouts (6), most completed games (14) and an ERA of 1.76. Butch was the first Antioch player to break into major league baseball when he made his White Sox pitching debut against Minnesota on April 7, 1970. He won 62 minor league games in his professional career. In 2006, “Big Righty” was named to Reading, Pennsylvania’s “AA” Hall of Fame as one of the best all-time pitchers.
Meanwhile, Miles is Antioch’s only World Series Champion (2006 St. Louis Cardinals). His bio shares that he was the smallest 12-year-old on the Northern California Championship Little League Team in 1989, but grew up to be the most successful baseball player in Antioch history as second baseman for the World Champion St. Louis Cardinals in 2006, one of the five teams he played for in more than eight major league seasons. The City of Antioch proclaimed “Aaron Miles Day” on November 20, 2004 and awarded a ceremonial key to the city now on display in the Sports Legends Hall. His career stats were 932 games, 2,827 at bats, 793 career hits, 229 RBIs with a career .281 average. On defense, he carried a fielding average of .978.
Sanchez was named by USA Today as one of the top 25 pro prospects and drafted by the Chicago Cubs straight out of high school in the 20th round in 1984, but chose to attend college first on a scholarship according to his bio. The 6’2”, 185-pound, hard-throwing right-hander was drafted again in 1987, the #17 overall pick in the first round by the Toronto Blue Jays. In 1989, his best minor league year, he was 13-7 for Syracuse and was named the International League’s Pitcher of the Year. Alex made his major league debut as a starting pitcher against the Minnesota Twins on May 23, 1989. His nine-year pro career included stints with Kansas City, Seattle, San Diego and Oakland’s franchises, accumulating 59 career wins in the minors.
The Antioch Sports Legends Hall Of Fame is located within the Antioch Historical Society Museum located at 1500 W. 4th Street, Antioch, CA 94509
More on the Antioch Sports Legends:
More than 232 individuals inductees and 16 Teams (including players and coaches) make up the Antioch Sports Legends Hall of Fame Alumni Association.
Alumni assist with events, including our Annual Golf Tournament held in October, the Friday before our Inductee Gala Dinner. Eligible Alumni also participate in the VOTING for our next Inductee Class. We encourage our Alumni to stay involved with the Sports Legends Program to ensure our Sports History continues to be honored and documented for years to come.
The Antioch Historical Society Museum Sports Legends Program and Display is dedicated to preserving the historical achievements of both genders and all sports in our community for present and future generations.
For more upcoming events around Contra Costa County, visit our events page.
1 comment
Somehow LaThorpe James Gomez will take credit for these three people being from Antioch. National presser coming soon.