‘Murals’ to honor Bennett

Published 3:28 am Thursday, January 7, 2010

PORTSMOUTH — This baseball banquet is picture perfect.

The sixth annual Portsmouth Murals Baseball Banquet will honor seven major league baseball players and dignitaries that will feature 18-year MLB umpire Charlie Reliford as the keynote speaker.

Headlining the honorees is Gene Bennett, senior special assistant to the Cincinnati Reds’ general manager. Bennett has been with the Reds organization as a player, scout and front office official for six decades.

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Also being honored are former Pittsburgh Pirates’ outfielder Al Oliver who has 3,000 career hits, former Reds’ pitcher and pitching coach and New York Yankees’ pitcher Don Gullett, retired MLB umpire Terry Craft, former Oakland A’s catcher Gene Tenace, former Milwaukee Brewers’ outfielder Larry Hisle, and former New York Mets’ infielder John Stephenson.

The banquet will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 13, at the Southern Ohio Medical Center Frieds Community Center,1202 18th Street in Portsmouth. Social hour begins at 6 p.m. and the dinner and program at 7 p.m.

For tickets, call (740) 353-7647.