One of the most prestigious events at the ABCA Convention is the ABCA Hall of Fame Banquet presented by C&H Baseball, which is held on the Friday evening of the Convention and features the induction ceremony for the ABCA Hall of Fame as well as the presentation of the ABCA/Wilson Lefty Gomez Award.
Induction to the ABCA Hall of Fame is the highest honor bestowed by the organization. The ABCA was founded in 1945 and the Hall of Fame began in 1966, with more than 300 inductees so far. The ABCA/Wilson Lefty Gomez Award is named after the great Lefty Gomez and is presented annually to an individual who has contributed significantly to the game of baseball locally, national and internationally.
The ABCA Hall of Fame Class of 2024 features 10 coaches – Cal Bailey, West Virginia State University; Danny Hall, Georgia Tech; Pat McQuaid, Nova High School (FL); Jim Morris, University of Miami (FL); Brian O'Connor, University of Virginia; Tim Pettorini, The College of Wooster (OH); John Vodenlich, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater; Jim Wells, University of Alabama; Wayne Welton, Chelsea High School (MI); and Jeff Willis, LSU Eunice. ABCA Lifetime Member and the NCAA's all-time winningest baseball coach Mike Martin is the 2024 ABCA/Wilson Lefty Gomez Award recipient.
The 2024 ABCA Hall of Fame Banquet will be held on Friday, January 5, 2024 at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center as part of the 2024 ABCA Convention. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and the program will begin at 6:30 p.m. Dinner will be served and cash bars will be open from 6 p.m. until dinner concludes and the program begins. Tickets are required to attend the ABCA Hall of Fame Banquet and will be available for purchase as part of Convention registration. Tickets cost $40 and all tickets must be purchased in advanced -- no tickets will be sold on-site. All banquet attendees are requested to wear semi-formal attire for the event.
ABCA Hall of Fame Banquet tickets are available when registering for the 2024 ABCA Convention. The 2023 ABCA Convention and Hall of Fame Banquet had record attendance and in order to ensure the best experience for all attendees, the 2024 ABCA Convention and Hall of Fame Banquet in Dallas will once again have a registration limit. We once again expect the event to sell out in 2024! Registrations are accepted first come, first served so you are encouraged to register and purchase tickets as soon as possible!
