Published: November 10, 2009 09:56 pm      

Wagner to be guest at Tierney Scholarship Dinner

BLUEFIELD, Va. — Bluefield College will host its Second Annual Tierney Scholarship Awareness Dinner, featuring hometown hero and Major League Baseball great Billy Wagner, Thursday, Dec. 3, at 7 p.m. at David’s at the Elks Club in Bluefield.

Designed to increase community responsiveness to the need for a strong scholarship program at Bluefield College, the Tierney Scholarship Awareness Dinner brings prominent speakers to the community each year with the hope that local residents will pay premium prices to hear the notable speakers and ultimately support the BC Fund for Scholarships.

That distinguished speaker this year: Billy Wagner, an All-Star Major League Baseball pitcher, who began his journey to greatness in Tannersville in Tazewell County.

Wagner, a dominating high school pitcher for the Tazewell Bulldogs, earned a scholarship to play baseball at Ferrum College, where he set an NCAA record with 19.1 strikeouts per nine innings pitched and finished college with more than 300 strikeouts in less than 200 innings. Those numbers landed the local hero a first-round selection by the Houston Astros in the Major League Baseball Draft.

During his eight years with Houston, Wagner became one of baseball’s elite closers, setting a Major League record for batter strikeouts per nine innings (14.9) and earning a spot on the MLB All-Star team in 1999, 2001 and 2003.

After his career with Houston, Wagner moved to the Philadelphia Phillies, the New York Mets, and now the Boston Red Sox, where he still owns one of the best strikeouts per innings pitched ratio in baseball.

“God has blessed me tenfold,” Wagner said. “I can’t explain it any other way. It’s just a blessing.”

In an effort to return some of the blessings he has received, Wagner and longtime friend Erik Robinson established the Second Chance Learning Center to decrease the high school dropout rate in southwest Virginia through free counseling, mentoring and tutoring services for at-risk public school students.

Second Chance also provides scholarships to students who wish to continue their education in college and, like Wagner, ultimately realize their dreams.

As keynote speaker for Bluefield College’s Tierney Scholarship Awareness Dinner, Wagner, who overcame a troubled childhood, himself, will speak about the adversity he faced as a kid, compared to the challenges he now faces as an All-Star Major League Baseball pitcher.

“It’s a wonderful way to inspire and support young people, but more importantly to inspire a community to support the Bluefield College Scholarship Fund,” said BC’s Ruth Blankenship, vice president for advancement. “Our students will be the recipients of generous gifts from community friends ¸— gifts that will ensure their college education can and will remain affordable and accessible.”

The annual Scholarship Awareness Dinner is funded by the Katharine B. Tierney Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization in Bluefield, with a long history of supporting the community.

In the spring of 2006, the Foundation offered a sizable gift to Bluefield College to support the BC Fund for Scholarships through the creation of an Annual Tierney Scholarship Awareness Dinner. Proceeds from the event go directly to the BC Fund for Scholarships, and thanks to Wagner’s connection, this year the Second Chance Learning Center will also benefit.

The program will begin with a meet-and-greet at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. and a sports auction during dinner to support the cause.

Individual tickets for dinner and to hear Wagner speak are $100. Individuals who pay $125 may also participate in the meet-and-greet session with Wagner prior to dinner. A table of eight is $1,200 and includes dinner, the program, the meet-and-greet, and a baseball autographed by Wagner for all eight guests. For reservations, call (276) 326-4458.