Romeoville, Ill. – After getting named to the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2021, Lewis Athletics Hall of Fame baseball pitcher Tom Brennan will be honored at the College Baseball Hall of Fame Night of Champions Dinner and formally inducted in person into the College Baseball Hall of Fame from Feb. 11-12, 2026, in Overland Park, Kansas. While he was named to the CBHOF in 2021, the ceremony was virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Tom was selected 4th overall in the 1974 MLB draft and is one of the best pitcher's in the history of college baseball" said Lewis baseball head coach
Mike Vucsko. "All of us at Lewis University are happy and proud of his accomplishments. This is a well deserved honor for Tom and his family."
Brennan is the winningest pitcher in Lewis history, compiling a 44-7 record during four seasons with the Flyers. He struck out 511 batters through 394 innings and had a career earned run average of just 1.60. Playing under Hall of Fame head coach Gordie Gillespie, Brennan was named First Team NAIA All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association in '72, '73 and '74 before being drafted fourth overall in the '74 MLB Draft by the Cleveland Indians. To this day, he is still the highest ever draft selection in Flyer baseball history.
The Oak Lawn, Ill. native also earned an Honorable Mention from The Sporting News All-Collegiate Team in '73, before a First Team honor from TSN the next year – the only NAIA player to be on the first team. In the 1974 NAIA Tournament, Brennan earned three wins and was named to the NAIA All-Tournament Team as well as World Series MVP as he earned the win in relief in the championship game, recording the final two outs in the top of the ninth before hitting a walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom half of the inning.
After eight years in the minor leagues, Brennan made his MLB debut on September 5, 1981 for the Cleveland Indians against the California Angels, throwing 5 1/3 innings and allowing two runs on eight hits with two strikeouts and earning the victory. The Lewis Athletics Hall of Fame inductee went on to pitch for five years in the MLB with the Indians, Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Brennan's number 24 was officially retired by the Lewis baseball program on May 4, 2024 in between the Flyers' doubleheader matchup with Indianapolis. He is one of six former Flyers to have their number retired as well.
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