Eric Baldwin was honored at UW-Whitewater's game Wednesday, April 28.  Baldwin, a key member of UW-Whitewater's 2005 NCAA III championship team, donated $200,000 to UW-Whitewater to install lights at Prucha Field at Jim Miller Stadium.  The building at the baseball facility was formally named the Eric Baldwin Clubhouse.

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Baldwin, a psychology graduate, is a professional poker player.  He was named 2009 Player of the Year by CardPlayer magazine, and recently won over $1,000,000 in a tournament in Las Vegas.  Baldwin, a Henderson, Nevada resident, has earned $4,000,000 in his career.  (A web search for Eric Baldwin yields numerous entries about his card playing success.)

Baldwin was on the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Scholastic Honor Roll all three years that he played for UW-W, also earned the league's Max Sparger Award as the Scholar Athlete for Baseball in 2005.  He graduated Summa Cum Laude.

Baldwin batted .356, scored 60 runs, drove in 70 and hit 17 home runs in the team's championship season.  He helped the Warhawks win WIAC titles all three years, entering his name in seven categories in the school record book.  As part of the 2005 team he also contributed to thirteen team records.

Baldwin threw out the ceremonial first pitch.  He also signed autographs, gave interviews and talked to fans during the game.

For additional information:  John Vodenlich, UW-W coach or Jim Miller, former coach