The men of Dillon Hall said they are prepared to put Major League Baseball player Bryce Harper to shame Friday at the annual Opening Day celebration. The nine sections of Dillon will compete in a wiffle ball tournament and home run derby from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the grass between Dillon and South Dining Hall.
Sophomore and incoming hall president Curt Gouldin said he expects a large turnout for this year’s event.
“Last year, close to 200 people came out,” Gouldin said. “There’s always a great turnout from within Dillon, but last year we had a bunch of people from all over campus come. We’re always trying to get more people to join in and have fun.”
Gouldin also said food and activities will be available for students who are not competing in the tournament but still want to come celebrate the day’s festivities.
“We have a band, a mechanical bull, a ton of food, high strikers, pop shot, Jenga, corn hole, Spikeball and can jam,” Gouldin said. “We’ll have burgers, hotdogs and chips, too. All of this stuff is for all of campus to enjoy.”
Opening Day commissioners and sophomores Mark Adamo and Ryan Vazza organized the various activities and worked to promote awareness for the event across campus.
“We made a public Facebook invitation this year to try to be more inclusive,” Adamo said. “We’ve had around 200 respond that they’re coming, and 200 more put down that they’re interested in coming, so we expect a good turnout.”
Vazza said they have also included an exciting new addition to this year’s event: live music.
“We got the chance to add a great band this year, the Basement Boxers,” Vazza said. “Our goal is to make this event bigger and bigger each year and eventually use it to raise money for a charity we support. But, as of right now, we’re just giving out free food with music and activities hoping everybody will come.”
The residents of Dillon Hall encourage everyone on campus to join the Opening Day celebration, freshman and incoming hall vice president Shane O’Brien said.
“It’s a great time with great people enjoying America’s favorite past-time,” O’Brien said. “Good weather, good food, good-looking guys — there’s really no reason not to come.”
