Former baseball player Bannister enters Hall of Fame

Alan Bannister has been named to the 2010 induction class for the College Baseball Hall of Fame, the College Baseball Foundation announced today. Bannister brings the total number of Sun Devils in the Hall of Fame to six, joining coaching legends Bobby Winkles and Dr. Jim Brock as well as former Golden Spikes Award winner Bob Horner and pitchers Eddie Bane and Floyd Bannister.

Bannister will enter the Hall of Fame with fellow 2010 inductees Dave Magadan (Alabama), Wally Kincaid (Head Coach at Cerritos College), Bob Bennett (Head Coach at Fresno State), Eddy Furniss (LSU), Don Heinkel (Wichita State), George Sisler (Michigan), B.J. Surhoff (North Carolina), Charles Teague (Wake Forest) and Richard Wortham (Texas).

The 2010 inductees will be honored on July 1 as part of the College Baseball Foundation's annual celebra¬tion of both the past and present of college baseball from July 1 through July 3 in Lubbock.

Bannister played three seasons of shortstop for the Sun Devils from 1970 to 1972. He hit .355 over his career at ASU, collecting 225 hits, 41 doubles, 26 triples, 23 homers and 177 RBI. He also stole 54 bases in his career. His 101 hits during the 1972 season are a school record for most single season hits during the wood bat era, as are his 90 RBI that season. His 13 homers that year are second highest in a single season during the wood bat era, and Bannister is tied with Ed Irvine for most career triples in ASU history. Bannister was named a First Team All-American in both 1971 and 1972, helping lead the Sun Devils to Omaha during the 1972 season. He hit .381 that year, stealing 28 bases and amassing 17 doubles, 10 triples and 13 homers. He was named All-Western Athletic Conference in 1971 and 1972 as well, and was the #1 overall pick in the 1973 draft (January), taken by the Philadelphia Phillies. Bannister played 12 seasons in the Major Leagues, and his #7 was honored by ASU Baseball in 1999.

Over 300 candidates were originally submitted for consideration by universities and CBF members. Players are eligible for the College Baseball Hall of Fame ballot five years after the student-athlete's final collegiate season, not to include any active player or coach on a professional baseball team roster. Former players must have made an All American team or an All League team during at least one year at a four-year institution. Coaches are eligible after ending their collegiate career, not to include an active coach on a professional baseball team. They must have achieved 300 career wins, or have won at least 65% of their games.