Mohawk Valley Baseball HOF to induct Joe Milazzo

ANNOUNCING THE FIRST INDUCTEE IN THE MOHAWK VALLEY BASEBALL HOF FOR 2019

The Mohawk Valley Baseball Hall of Fame is proud to announce that its first inductee to the Class of 2019 is Joe Milazzo, head coach of the Utica College Baseball team and Vice President of the Perfect game Collegiate Baseball League.  The ceremony will take place at the Travelodge in Little Fall, NY on April 12, 2019.  Former National League Most Valuable Player George Foster will be the keynote speaker.

Milazzo began his coaching career in 1981 at Notre Dame High School in Utica, NY.  During his nine year career, Milazzo amassed a 146-54 record with four Section III Championships, three Central Oneida League Championships, and two Tri-Valley League Championships along with three NYS Final Four Appearances.

After Notre Dame, Milazzo spent the 1990 season as the head coach of the Herkimer County Community College Baseball team.  He led that team to its first-ever National Junior College Athletic Association Tournament Appearance in school history along with a Region III Final Four appearance.

The following year, Milazzo began a twelve-year stint as the head coach of the Mohawk Valley Community College Baseball team.  At MVCC, Milazzo had nine NJCAA Tournament Appearances, four Mountain Valley Conference Championships, six Region III Final Four Appearances, two Region III Championships, two Division III World Series Appearances, and amassed an overall record of 174-122.

After MVCC, Milazzo returned as an assistant coach at Notre Dame, and over the next eight seasons he helped the school reach the 2005 NYS Class C Championship and the 2006 Section III Class B Championship.  Additionally, he coached the 2003 Mohawk Valley Cobras baseball team in the NYS Collegiate Baseball League.

In 2014, Milazzo was named the head coach at Utica College, and his 2015 squad won 20 games for the first time in 23 years.

From 1994-2003, Milazzo was the League Administrator for the NY-PENN League, and since 2018 he has been the Vice President of the PGCBL.  Additionally, Milazzo was a Director/Instructor of the Grand Slam Baseball Academy in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from 1992-1998, and since 1990 has owned, operated, and instructed the Mohawk Valley Baseball Academy.

“We are very honored to announce Joe as a 2019 Inductee into the Mohawk Valley Baseball Hall of Fame,” said Travis Heiser, owner and general manager of the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs baseball team who oversees the Hall of Fame.  “He brings a nearly forty-year font of experience to the game, and his inclusion in the Hall of Fame is a given.  We congratulate Joe on all the accomplishments he has already, and those he has yet to achieve in the game.”

The event’s doors will open on April 12, at 5:30 P.M. for cocktails, autographs and silent auction with dinner and program following. Tickets cost $40 per person and a table of 8 can be purchased for $275.

To purchase a seat or table, please email Travis@mydiamonddawgs.com or contact team owner Travis Heiser at (315) 985-0692.

Stay tuned as we announce this year’s inductees to the Mohawk Valley Baseball Hall of Fame next week by visiting our website www.mydiamonddawgs.com or by social media on Facebook and Twitter