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Panteliodis Joins Saladino Fraternity

Tribune photo by JULIE BUSCH

Alex Panteliodis (left) accepts his award from Bertha and Tony Saladino Sunday in Brandon.

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By ADAM ADKINS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 23, 2008

BRANDON - Some of the best baseball names to come out of Hillsborough County are on the list of recipients for the Tony Saladino Memorial Award. When Alex Panteliodis found out Sunday evening his name would be joining that list, it was something he couldn't quite believe.

"To get this award, I feel overwhelmed," Panteliodis said moments after Tony and Bertha Saladino, the award sponsors, presented the former Alonso High standout with the 38th annual award at a dinner party at the couples' Brandon home. "All those people that got it before me, now I'm the 38th person to get it; I don't know what to say. I'm just really happy. It's awesome."

Panteliodis called receiving the award the biggest honor in his baseball career, and it's one that followed a long list of accolades he racked up following a senior season in which the hulky left-handed pitcher/first baseman went 9-2 with a 2.37 ERA on the mound and hit .382 with four homers and 16 RBIs.

Panteliodis also was honored as the Florida Athletic Coaches Association's district player of the year, was the recipient of the annual Wade Boggs Athletic Achievement Award and was the Tribune's Baseball Athlete of the Year.

"This one is really amazing," said Panteliodis, who leaves for Gainesville on Tuesday to start the next chapter in his baseball career as a player with the Florida Gators. "I would love to follow those footsteps of those names that have already received this award and gone on to do better things. I would love to do that, too."

One of the traditions of the Saladino award presentation is that it remain a surprise until the Saladinos present the award at their home. That means someone has to devise a scheme to get the award winner to the couples' home the night of the presentation, and everyone - from family, teammates, coaches and friends - has to play along.

Alonso baseball coach Landy Faedo came up with the plan this year. He told Panteliodis a reporter wanted to talk to him and former teammate Sherman Johnson, another recent Alonso graduate, about the two of them going to play baseball at rival college programs. Johnson has accepted a preferred walk-on spot at Florida State.

Never wanting to pass up a chance at trash-talking against his friend and his new school's rival, Panteliodis happily accepted. In fact, Panteliodis was so excited at the chance he completely overlooked something that could very well have spoiled the surprise of the award presentation - noticing his dad's car on the street outside the Saladinos home.

"I said to myself, 'Hey, he told me he was going over to his boss' house tonight to have a party,'" Panteliodis said. "And then I said, 'No way, his boss' house is right next to where I have to go.' I'm like, 'Wow.'

"I was walking up and everything, and I'm reading Tony Saladino Tournament on the door mats, and I'm wondering, what am I doing here. Then I walked in, and I couldn't believe it.

"I just thought I was doing a quick interview."

Reporter Adam Adkins can be reached at (813) 657-4533 or aadkins@tampatrib.com.

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