LIVINGSTON, Ala. – The University of West Alabama baseball team will host the Eighth Annual Grand Slam Dinner on Thursday, January 31^st in the Bell Conference Center on the UWA campus. The guest speaker this year will be former major league baseball player Cecil Fielder. The dinner begins at 6:00 p.m.

Fielder, a 14-year major league veteran, began his career with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1985. The Los Angeles native became a Detroit Tiger in 1990, where he spent seven seasons playing first base in the Motor City. The right-handed slugger concluded his career in 1998 with the Cleveland Indians after stints with the New York Yankees, where he won a World Championship in 1996, and the Anaheim Angels.

The longtime Tiger posted a career batting average of .255 with 319 homeruns and 1, 008 RBI. Fielder was a three-time MLB All-Star and two-time recipient of the Silver Slugger Award while with Detroit.

In June 2007, Fielder became the manager for the South Coast League’s Charlotte County Redfish.

The Grand Slam dinner will also provide those in attendance with a chance to meet the 2008 Tigers and coaching staff. UWA merchandise will also be available for purchase so Tiger fans can show their support for the 2008 squad by purchasing T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats and many other UWA items.

Ticket prices are $20 for adults and $12 for students. Anyone interested in attending should contact Gary Rundles at (205) 652-3870 or (205) 609-7388 or David Steed at (205) 652-3802 or (205) 609-7389 for ticket information.

UWA opens the 2008 season Friday, February 1^st, as the Tigers host nationally ranked Columbus State in a three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. Games two and three are penciled in for 12 p.m. starts on Saturday, February 2^nd and Sunday February 3^rd.