Baseball Hall of Famer John Smoltz Leads Latest List of Retired MLB Stars to Sign with PBX

Smoltz joins Eric Gagné, J.D. Drew, Russell Martin, Jason Kendall, Brian Roberts, Derrek Lee, Jeff Cirillo, Mike Matheny, Russ Ortiz, and Clint Hurdle to represent baseball on the pickleball courts

(CLEARWATER, Fla. – Sept. 6, 2023) PBX Pickleball, the organization that unites retired professional athletes with the pickleball community, has signed Baseball Hall of Famer John Smoltz, fellow Cy Young Award Winner and 3x All-Star Eric Gangé, World Series Champ and All-Star Game MVP J.D. Drew, 4x All-Star Russell Martin, 3x All-Star Jason Kendall, 2x All-Star Brian Roberts, 2x All-Star and World Series Champ Derrek Lee, 2x All-Star Jeff Cirillo, 4x Gold Glover and veteran MLB manager Mike Matheny, All-Star Russ Ortiz, and former MLB Manager of the Year Clint Hurdle as the latest PBX Pros.

Smoltz, Gagné, Drew, Martin, Kendall, Roberts, Lee, Cirillo, Matheny, Ortiz, and Hurdle join a list of accomplished retired professional athletes who will participate in the PBX Tour, PBX Pro-Ams, PBX Dream Weekends, and PBX Corporate Experiences starting later this year.

In the PBX Tour, the PBX Pros will represent their respective sports in tournaments for live audiences across the country. In the PBX Pro-Ams, Deam Weekends, and Corporate Experiences, amateur pickleball players will have the opportunity to take the pickleball court with the retired stars from baseball, hockey, football, basketball, and other sports.

Advisors for PBX Pickleball include 3x MLB All-Star Kevin Youkilis, 4x World Series Champ Tino Martinez, 2x MLB All-Star Brad Penny, 18-year MLB veteran Kent Mercker, NHL Player, Coach, GM and Team President Paul Holmgren, 4x Stanley Cup Champ Kris Draper, and NFL Pro Bowler and Super Bowl Champ Golden Tate. The PBX advisors will also take to the pickleball courts as PBX Pros.

PBX Pickleball also signed 7x All-Star and World Series Champion Matt Holliday, 4x All-Star and 2x World Series Champion Mike Lowell, 3x All-Star, 2x World Series Champion, and World Series MVP Josh Beckett, 2x All-Star and 2x World Series Champion Jeff Conine, pitcher Josh Roenicke, and catcher Toby Hall.

Martinez, Drew, Roberts, Conine, Penny, Mercker, Roenicke, and Hall were all part of the PBX Training Camp that took place at The Pickleball Club in Sarasota, FL, in August. It also included retired players from the NFL, NHL, and Olympians.

As part of its outreach to athletes across major American sports, PBX Pickleball partnered with the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association (MLBPAA) and the NHL Alumni Association. Additional partnerships and the PBX Pickleball event schedule will be announced soon.

About PBX Pickleball

PBX Pickleball creates memorable experiences by uniting well-known retired professional athletes with amateur pickleball players and fans. Established in 2023, PBX Pickleball consists of four experiences: the PBX Tour, PBX Pro-Ams, PBX Dream Weekends, and PBX Corporate Experiences. The company is part of The Sports Facilities Companies (SFC), the nation’s leading resource for the management and development of sports, recreation, wellness, and events facilities. To learn more about PBX Pickleball, go to https://pbxpickleball.com or follow @pbxpickleball on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

About The Sports Facilities Companies

The Sports Facilities Companies (SFC) are the nation’s leading resources for the management and development of sports, recreation, wellness, and events facilities. As a turn-key solution for community leaders and developers alike, SFC services span the gamut of sports and recreation needs from sports tourism & recreation master planning, program planning, and feasibility through professional facility management services. Our 45+ managed venues and 2000+ team members, represented by the SF Network, welcome more than 25 million guest visits and produce over $300 million in economic impact each year. To learn more, please visit SportsFacilities.com and theSFnetwork.com.

PBX Pickleball Media Contact:

Eric Nemeth

602-502-2793