CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois athletics will be honoring one of its all-time greats during the 2009 baseball season, as former Panther and Major League Baseball pitcher Marty Pattin will have his EIU No. 19 retired at a ceremony during the Panthers' April 18-19 series against Jacksonville State.

Pattin was a member of the EIU baseball team from 1961-65, earning Second Team Little All-America honors in 1964 while leading the Panthers to the '64 NAIA World Series. He was 10-1 with a 1.99 ERA and led the nation in strikeouts that season. Pattin still maintains the EIU career record for strikeouts with 278, while his 20 career wins are tied for third on the EIU charts.

Pattin went on to pitch for 13 seasons in the Major Leagues, most notably as a member of the Kansas City Royals. He helped KC qualify for four American League Divisional playoff appearances. He was a 1971 American League All-Star, posting 10 or more wins in a season six times. He finished his career with 114 wins, which ranks in the Top 10 percent in the history of Major League Baseball. His 1,179 career strikeouts rank in the Top 5 percent. In his final Major League inning, he pitched in the 1980 World Series and struck out All-Stars Greg Luzinski and Mike Schmidt.

A charter member of the EIU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1982, Pattin was also inducted into the NAIA Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972.

Pattin will have his jersey retired during a ceremony surrounding the April 18 contest against Jacksonville State, scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch at Coaches Stadium. A banquet and reception will also take place that weekend. Tickets are available by contacting Dave Kidwell at (217) 581-2824 or dakidwell@eiu.edu. Eastern Illinois will also honor the 1999 NCAA Regional team that same weekend.

Pattin wore No. 19 as a member of the EIU baseball team. Current senior Ryan Lindquist will be the final Eastern Illinois player to wear No. 19.