Waterloo, IA – The Waterloo Bucks, members of the Northwoods League, have announced the inductees for the Eighth Annual Bucks Baseball Hall of Fame Banquet. The former Bucks that will be enshrined are Tim Gradoville, Chad Mulholland, and Seth Von Behren.
A native of Aurora, Colorado, Tim Gradoville (pronounced GRAD-o-vil) was a member of the Bucks’ 2001 squad. The Creighton University standout was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 37th round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft. In 2006, the catcher was called up to the majors by Philadelphia, making him one of nine former Bucks to make it to the big leagues. Gradoville had a seven-year career in professional baseball, playing in 396 games. In 2001, Gradoville saw action in 38 games for Waterloo, hitting .244 with 10 stolen bases and a .319 slugging percentage.
Chad Mulholland was a pitcher for Waterloo in 2001. Appearing in 10 games for the Bucks, the John A. Logan College and Southwest Missouri State University (now Missouri State University) product finished with a 4-1 record, a 1.16 ERA, and 39 strikeouts. His ERA stands as both the best single-season and career mark by a Bucks pitcher. In addition, Mulholland’s 80% winning percentage stands as the fourth-best in a career and is tied for the 10th-best in a single season in team history. The Herrin, Illinois native was named to both the NWL’s mid-season and post-season All-Star teams, and competed as a member of the NWL All-Star team that shout out Team USA, 1-0, in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Mulholland was drafted in the eighth round of the 2003 MLB Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays.
Seth Von Behren (pronounced von BEAR-in) was a member of the Bucks in 1998 and 1999, playing a total of 110 games and hitting .299. The Illinois State University product hit eight home runs with 88 RBI and 25 stolen bases during his two years with Waterloo. An infielder, Von Behren hit .303 with 49 RBI for the Bucks in ’98 and followed that up with a .294 average and 39 RBI in ’99. A native of Vandalia, Illinois, Von Behren’s RBI mark in ’98 ranks ninth for a single-season in the Bucks’ record books, while his 41 walks in ’99 is tied for sixth. Von Behren ranks in the top 10 in the Bucks’ career record books in the following categories: runs (81), hits (116), triples (four), walks (78), and RBI (88).
All three inductees are scheduled to appear at the induction ceremonies.
The Eighth Annual Bucks Baseball Hall of Fame Banquet will be held on Saturday, January 26 at 7:00 pm. Beck’s Sports Brewery, located at 3295 University Avenue in Waterloo, will be the locale of the banquet that will honor these Buck greats.
All proceeds for the event will go to the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The public is invited to attend with tickets available for $10.
Doors will open at 7:00 pm and complimentary hors d’oeuvres will be served along with a silent auction that will consist of sports memorabilia, including an autographed photograph of Minnesota Twins legend Tony Oliva, and items from various Cedar Valley businesses. The Hall of Fame inductions will be will begin at 7:30 pm.
Interested parties may call (319) 232-5633 for ticket information, or mail their checks payable to MDA to: Bucks Baseball Hall of Fame Banquet, PO Box 4124, Waterloo, IA 50704.
MDA is the nonprofit health agency dedicated to curing muscular dystrophy, ALS, and related diseases by funding worldwide research. The Association also provides comprehensive health care and support services, advocacy, and education.
The Bucks will open the 2013 season at home versus the St. Cloud Rox on May 29. S eason tickets, group outings, and single-game tickets are currently on sale. For more information, call the Bucks’ Ticket Line at (319) 232-5633. Fans are encouraged to stay in touch with the Bucks in the off-season by utilizing their website at www.waterloobucks.com.