Erik B. Hanson, Class of 1983

Erik B. Hanson (Left)

Peddie named Erik B. Hanson Athlete of the Year for 1983, but Erik may be one of the best athletes ever to attend the school.

For all four of his years at Peddie, he played soccer, basketball and baseball, and still found time to dabble in golf. In his senior year he captained both the basketball and baseball teams.

As Peddie’s premier baseball player, Erik led a team his senior year that only had three returnees to a 12-2-1 record and the state prep championship. In only his second year of pitching, the right-hander’s contribution to the team record was eight wins and no losses. He had 95 strikeouts in 56 innings and an amazing .38 earned run average. Erik helped boost attendance at Peddie baseball games because he never pitched before less than 20 major league scouts.

During the winter, the 6’5″ senior captain led Peddie in scoring and was selected unanimously to the All-State basketball team.

Although Montreal selected him in 1983 in the professional baseball draft, Erik chose to play three seasons at Wake Forest University where he was an All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection and All-American award winner in 1985. After college, he began his professional baseball career with the Seattle Mariners. He is known for his big breaking curveball with a huge downward bend. He also throws a sharp slider and an 89-MPH fastball.

As an athlete and leader, Erik represented the best of Peddie sports and as an alumnus, Erik continues to support Peddie athletics.