The O’Fallon Hoots play baseball in the south division of the Prospect league with home games at CarShield Field in O’Fallon.The Hoots announced that former MLB player Pete Kozma and social media phenomenon Eric Sim will take part in the Fourth Annual MLB Alumni Home Run Derby at CarShield Field on July 27 at 7 p.m.
Kozma and Sim join the previously announced Brian Jordan and Rick Ankiel in this year’s derby.
For the fourth year, joining the four participants for the event are members of The Rizzuto Show and 105.7 The Point taking on members of The Fast Lane and 101 ESPN.
“We are excited to welcome both a World Series Champion in Kozma and a baseball social media leader in Sim,” O’Fallon Hoots General Manager David Schmoll said. “I cannot wait to see these two in action, joining Rick and Brian.”
Kozma spent eight total seasons in the MLB, playing for the St. Louis Cardinals (2011-15) and ending his career with the Oakland Athletics (2021). The Tulsa, Oklahoma native was drafted to the Cardinals 18th overall in the 2007 MLB Draft straight out of high school and was a part of the team’s 2011 World Series Championship squad.
His most notable moment in the bigs is likely his Game Five performance of the 2012 National League Divisional Series, when his ninth-inning hit drove in the go-ahead run of the winner-take-all game, helping the Cardinals eliminate the Washington Nationals and advance to the National League Championship Series.
Sim, a native of Busan, South Korea, began his collegiate career at Colby Community College in Colby, Kansas, before transferring to South Florida University to conclude his career. He was then drafted in the 27th round of the 2010 MLB Draft by the San Francisco Giants, whose minor league system he played in for the following five years. After his time in the minors, Sim played one season for the Winnipeg Goldeyes of the American Association before retiring from pro ball.
Since his retirement, Sim has blown up on social media under the “King of Juco” moniker, amassing over 509,000 Instagram followers and 690,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel, where he and his cohorts participate in a variety of outlandish baseball-related challenges.
Fans will have the opportunity to purchase limited specialty autograph passes to go on the field to meet and get autographs from the four participants. The autograph session will run for two hours beginning at 4:30 p.m.
Additional information, including premium seating and all-you-can-eat options, is available at ofallonhoots.com/mlb-alumni-home-run-derby/.
~~~A fun home run display
Hoots playing exciting baseball
The O’Fallon Hoots as of the weekend have won two games in a row and are two games out of first place.
So far this season they have compiled 10 wins in 16 games.
Right-hand pitcher Own Kelly has been ‘lights out’ on the mound this season.
In three games started this young season, he has two victories and zero losses. He is second in the league with 21 strikeouts in 16 innings pitched.
~~~Playing quality ball
