PISCATAWAY (Aug. 28, 2015) — Ronald W. Bainton (RC '62) and Patricia A. Bainton, whose loyalty and support to Rutgers Athletics spans several decades, were honored with the prestigious 1869 Legacy Award during the second annual 50-Yard Line Dinner on Aug. 20 at High Point Solutions Stadium.
The 1869 Legacy Award recognizes supporters who have made a lifetime impact on Rutgers Athletics.
Dr. William Bauer (ENG '42, GSNB '47, '50) and Barbara M. Bauer (NJC '46) were the recipients of the 1869 Legacy Award last year.
Athletic director Julie Hermann and head football coach Kyle Flood were among the guest speakers at the invitation-only event for this year's 50-Yard Line dinner, which featured Rutgers' top supporters and included most of the Scarlet Knights head coaches, athletics senior staff and a wide array of student-athletes.
Shawn Tucker, Associate Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Development, served as the host. Kyle Holder of men's track and field and Gabrielle Farquharson of women's track and field spoke at length to those in attendance about their Rutgers experience, both academically and athletically.
Starting with next year's event, donors will receive an invitation to 50-Yard Line Dinners if they qualify at the All American level or higher (which requires annual athletic gifts of $10,000-plus).
The dinner also served as official unveiling of the Rutgers Athletics Impact Report, a full-color booklet that serves as a review of key celebrated moments, facts and figures for Rutgers Athletics over the past year. Supporters present at the 50-Yard Line Dinner were the first to receive a copy of the report.
Sarah Baumgartner, Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development, introduced the first members to the newly-established Rutgers Athletics Scarlet Society, giving special recognition to those members on hand.
The Scarlet Society is comprised of individuals who support Rutgers Athletics at a level of either $50,000 per year or $1 million in lifetime giving.
The Baintons, Scarlet Society members, were honored for their lifetime impact on Rutgers athletics and were welcomed with a rousing standing ovation when they were introduced. A tribute video featuring Rutgers head coaches and Todd Frazier of the Cincinnati Reds, a former Rutgers baseball star, was played for the couple. Mr. Bainton then spoke about the importance of supporting Rutgers Athletics and what it means to him and his wife, encouraging others to step up their involvement.
The Baintons were instrumental in the creation of Bainton Field, the home of the Rutgers baseball program, and have also privately supported scholarships for baseball student-athletes. Their contributions were an integral part of the fundraising efforts for the new Fred Hill Training Complex for baseball and softball, a construction project that will hold its official groundbreaking the morning of the Ohio State football game on Oct. 24.
