2004 International League All-Star and long-time beat-writer become 101st and 102nd members.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Former first baseman Justin Morneau and long-time beat writer, Jim Mandelaro to become the 101st and 102nd members of the Rochester Red Wings Hall of Fame when they are inducted on July 26 before the Red Wings host Scranton-W/B at 7:05.
JUSTIN MORNEAU
One of the first marquee players in the Twins Era of Red Wings Baseball, the Canadian-born first baseman hit 38 home runs in his two seasons in Rochester as one of the most feared sluggers of his time in the International League. In 2003 and 2004, he played 143 games for the Red Wings and hit .288 with 34 doubles and 105 RBI, and was named to the Triple-A All Star team in 2004. Morneau played 14 seasons in the Major leagues for the Twins, Pirates, Rockies and White Sox. A four-time All Star, he won the American League Most Valuable Player Award in 2006 with the Twins and led the National League in batting average with the Rockies in 2014. Morneau also won the 2008 All-Star Game Home Run Derby and was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022.
JIM MANDELARO
The Webster Schroeder and St. John Fisher graduate spent 24 years as the beat writer ( 1991-2014) covering the Red Wings for the Democrat and Chronicle. Mandelaro is a three-time winner of the New York State Associated Press award for outstanding sports feature writing, a two-time winner of the Rochester Press-Radio Club Sportswriter of the Year Award and a 2007 Inductee into the Frontier Field Walk of Fame. He and fellow Red Wings Hall of Famer Scott Pitoniak wrote the book Silver Seasons, the definitive historical record of the Red Wings.
Following the ceremony, the pair will be available for media at a location to be determined (within ballpark).