Today is opening day for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cleveland Guardians.
It’s also the day that Alex Rodriguez, a 14-time Major League Baseball All-Star, will visit Youngstown.
Rodriguez’s appearance at 7 p.m. at Stambaugh Auditorium is part of Youngstown State University’s Thomas Colloquium lecture series.
I’m not sure if A-Rod’s appearance was intentionally booked to be on opening day. The announcement was made months ago, and I didn’t hear anybody at that time say, “Hey, that’s also opening day!”
Regardless, it fits perfectly.
Rodriguez was a superstar who finished his long career with a .295 batting average, 696 home runs, 2,000 runs batted in and over 300 stolen bases. He played for the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers and New York Yankees.
These days, he is the chairman and CEO of A-Rod Corp. and co-chairman of the Minnesota Timberwolves of the NBA. A-Rod Corp. is an investment firm that backs startups and partners with global companies in real estate, sports and entertainment.
Rodriguez also puts in time as an analyst for Fox Sports.
His address at Stambaugh will be on “Building a Legacy of Leadership: Discipline, Reinvention and the Power of Enterprise.”
Tickets for his 7 p.m. address are free but must be obtained in advance at ExperienceYourArts.org or through the DeYor Performing Arts Center box office.
The lecture will fit between the Pirates’ opener at the New York Mets at 1:15 p.m. (NBC) and the Guardians’ opener at the Seattle Mariners at 10:10 p.m.
Also this weekend:
Project Mayhem, the annual rock-meets-classical concert presented by students at Boardman High School, will take place at 7 p.m. Friday at the school’s performing arts center, 7777 Glenwood Ave. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased in advance at Door 1 of Boardman High School between 7 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on weekdays. Learn more HERE.
Engelbert Humperdinck will return to the Mahoning Valley on Saturday for an 8 p.m. concert at Packard Music Hall in Warren.
The 89-year-old crooner said his voice is still as smooth and strong as ever.
“My voice hasn’t deteriorated at all,” he told Australian media outlet Starts at 60. “It’s the same as it was. Well, maybe it has come down a little bit in volume, but only a tiny bit. It’s still as strong as ever, and I’m still recording.”
For tickets, click HERE.
The annual 330 Day concert, presented by The Summit Radio, will start at 7 p.m. Monday at the Robins Theatre in Warren. The lineup will feature the Labra Brothers, Demos Papadimas, Black Wolf & The Thief and a few more bands. Learn more HERE.
The Trumbull County Home and Garden Show will take place all weekend at the Metroplex Expo Center, off Belmont Avenue in Liberty. Hours are noon to 6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission and parking are free. Learn more HERE.
For a complete look at everything going on in the Mahoning Valley, check out The List.
Pictured at top: Alex Rodriguez.