The Seattle University athletic department will be honoring two legends Sunday night, May 2, at the Johnny and Eddie O'Brien Tribute Dinner Celebrating the 100th Year of Seattle University Baseball, to take place at the Space Needle.
The event, taking place in the lower level banquet room at the Space Needle, will begin with a reception and silent auction at 4:30 p.m., with proceeds from the silent auction benefiting the various teams within the Seattle U athletic department. Dinner and the formal program will start at 6 p.m. and will include remarks from Seattle University President Fr. Steve Sundborg, Athletic Director Bill Hogan, and Ed and John O'Brien.
In the 1950s, two all-around athletes from New Jersey, brought to the Pacific Northwest by Al Brightman, propelled the men's basketball and baseball programs into the national spotlight. Ed and John O'Brien have continued to make an impact on the Seattle U athletic program ever since, whether it is sitting courtside at KeyArena cheering on the men's basketball team or helping to bring fellow alumni back into the fold as the university returns to Division I competition.
In his senior year on the basketball team, Ed O'Brien set personal records during the 1952-53 season, scoring 530 points, pulling down 140 rebounds, and shooting 54 percent from the floor. In 95 career games, Eddie scored 1,237 points, averaging 13 points per game. After finishing his collegiate career at SeattleU, Eddie played baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He returned to Seattle University as athletic director from 1958-1980.
Johnny O'Brien is still the all-time leading scorer in Seattle University men's basketball history. As the first collegiate player to ever score 1,000 points in a single season, Johnny ranks as Seattle U's all-time leading scorer with 2,733 career points. He began his professional baseball career alongside his brother with the Pittsburgh Pirates before playing for both the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Braves. In the 1960s and 70s, Johnny served as King County Commissioner, then finally as manager of the Kingdome.
Already two of five Seattle University men's basketball players to have their numbers retired, the O'Briens will become the first two players to have their numbers retired by the baseball program as part of Sunday's tribute. The baseball team, playing its first season of intercollegiate competition in 24 years, will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of its initial establishment, as baseball was the first sport offered by Seattle College in the early 20th century.
There are a limited amount of seats still available for the tribute dinner at $100 apiece. Seats must be reserved by Friday, April 30, and can be purchased by contacting Greg Sempadian at (206) 398-4420 or sempadig@seattleu.edu.