Covering The Bases From Florida Southern College To The Major Leagues

Florida Southern College alumnus Greg Pryor ’72 will return to campus on Thursday, March 24, as part of the Lawton M. Chiles Center for Florida History Florida Lecture Series. The seventh lecture in the 2021-22 academic season brings the former Major League Baseball infielder to Annie Pfeiffer Chapel for a 6:00 p.m. presentation.

Pryor will share many of his experiences, including some from his years at Florida Southern. After leading the Mocs to the first NCAA Division II national title in school history in 1971, Pryor enjoyed 16 years as a professional, including 10 years as an infielder in Major League Baseball for the Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, and Kansas City Royals. As a member of the 1985 World Champion Kansas City Royals, he played with all-time greats such as George Brett, Bo Jackson, Gaylord Perry, Reggie Jackson, and Carlton Fisk.

“Greg Pryor has had a front row seat to some amazing experiences in his life,” said Mike Denham, professor of history and director of the Lawton M. Chiles Jr. Center for Florida History at Florida Southern College. “His ability to spin a story with such fondness and humor is incredibly amazing.”

Greg Pryor is the author of The Day the Yankees Made Me Shave (2020), which includes personal recollections of wearing No. 42 for the New York Yankees, playing in the famous Pine Tar Incident Game in Yankee Stadium in New York, playing shortstop in the Disco Demolition Game at Comiskey Park in Chicago, playing in the 1985 World Series, loaning George Brett his bat when Brett stroked his 2,000th hit, hitting three walk-off home runs, playing with Bo Jackson, and many other notable events.

As with all events in the Lawton M. Chiles Center for Florida History Florida Lecture Series, admission is free.