Phil Regan, Moses Fleetwood Walker, Mark Lukasiewicz, and Dom Cambareri
to be inducted on August 13, 2022
SYRACUSE, NY – The Syracuse Mets are pleased to announce the Syracuse Baseball Wall of Fame Class of 2022: Phil Regan, Moses Fleetwood Walker, Mark Lukasiewicz, and Dom Cambareri. The Class of 2022 will be inducted in a ceremony during the day on Saturday, August 13th and then celebrated pre-game before Syracuse takes on Buffalo at 6:35 p.m. at NBT Bank Stadium.
Phil Regan is a right-handed pitcher who played for the Syracuse Chiefs in 1965 where he resurrected his career. Regan started the 1965 season with the Detroit Tigers in his sixth season with the team, but after he started the season with an 0-4 record and a 4.99 ERA, the Tigers sent Regan down to Triple-A Syracuse. Regan thought about retiring, but he was 14 days of MLB service time away from getting the necessary five years of service time to receive a pension, so Regan reported to Syracuse. Regan's time with the Syracuse Chiefs was vital to his return to the Majors. With Syracuse in 1965, Regan had a 9-5 record with a minor league career-best 2.47 ERA. Regan set the franchise record with a 0.87 WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched), a record he still holds today. While with Syracuse, Regan heard the Los Angeles Dodgers were interested in him. He called Detroit's general manager and asked to be traded to the Dodgers, which happened at the end of the season. Regan proceeded to have the best season of his Major League career in 1966 with the L.A. Dodgers where he had a 14-1 record with a 1.62 ERA and 21 saves in 65 appearances, and Regan was a 1966 National League All-Star. It was with the Dodgers in 1966 that teammate Sandy Koufax nicknamed Regan "The Vulture" because of Regan's knack for earning wins in late-inning relief appearances. Regan's playing career finished in 1972, totaling 15 MLB seasons combined between the Tigers, Dodgers, Cubs, and White Sox. Regan has coached across various levels since 1973, joined the New York Mets organization in 2009, and was an interim pitching coach for both Syracuse and New York at separate times during the 2019 season.
Moses Fleetwood Walker played for the Syracuse Stars in 1888 and 1889 and is known as the first Black man to play in the major leagues. Although research shows that William Edward White was the first Black man to play in the majors (playing as a substitute in one game), White passed as a white man, whereas Moses Fleetwood Walker was the first to be open about his heritage. Walker played one season in the majors with the Toledo Blue Stockings in 1884, playing in 42 games, primarily as a catcher. After stops with other minor league teams, Walker finished his professional baseball career with Syracuse. He helped the Starts win the International Association pennant in 1888. The Stars were in the International League in 1889, and Walker played in 50 games before he was released from the team near the end of the season. Walker was the last Black player to play in the International League before Jackie Robinson did so in 1946 with Montreal.
Mark Lukasiewicz is a pitcher who played for Syracuse from 1997 to 2000 and in 2004, all as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays organization after he was selected by Toronto in the first round (40th overall) of the 1993 MLB draft. Lukasiewicz ranks eighth all-time in Syracuse baseball history with 163 appearances in his five seasons. Lukasiewicz now lives in Syracuse and was part of the Syracuse radio broadcast team from 2005 to 2008.
Dom Cambareri is the Executive Director of the Syracuse Challenger Baseball program, which is the largest single district Little League International Challenger baseball program for children and adults with special needs in the country. The Syracuse Challenger Baseball program is now in its 40th year and has grown immensely under Dom's leadership.
Tickets for Wall of Fame Night and all home games for the 2022 season are available now at the Syracuse Mets Ticket Office or over the phone, 315-474-7833, during regular business hours (Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.), or online anytime at syracusemets.com.
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