Join us as well celebrate the two newest members of the Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame as formally induct a pair of Bisons greats on Sunday, August 9 before the Bisons game against the Norfolk Tides, The Bisons top hitter during their New York Mets affiliation, outfielder Jesus Feliciano, and the the Bisons representative most responsible for getting you to the ballpark, longtime Bisons Ticket Office Director Mike Poreda, will be at Pub at the Park restaurant for the team's annual Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Brunch (11:00 a.m.)
Space is limited so make your reservations now at PubatthePark.com or by calling (716) 846-2100 (make your reservations for 11 a.m.). At the Induction Brunch, you'll enjoy an All-You-Can-Eat buffet starting at 11:00 a.m., with the formal induction ceremony to begin around 11:45 a.m. There are sure to be some great Bisons stories as we get the chance to reunite with Jesus and Po and congratulate them together on their well-deserved honors!
HOW TO ATTEND: If you have an August 9 game ticket already, just make your reservation for 11:00 a.m. and purchase the buffet. For those without game tickets, check out the Bisons popular Buffet+Ticket Package that includes your game ticket and meal for only $33.95!
The Bisons game against the Tides that day also includes a Sliding Mitt Giveaway, presented by SUNY Erie in partnership with All Within My Hands and is a BrightPath Kids Funday with postgame Kids Run the Bases, presented by Platter's Chocolates.
Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame – Jesus Feliciano
Jesus Feliciano played 340 games with the Bisons over three seasons, 2009-2011, and was one of the club’s most consistent hitters in the team’s modern era. The outfielder is the only player in the team’s modern era to collect three consecutive 100-hit seasons, and his 371 total hits in a Bisons uniform trails only fellow Buffalo Baseball Hall of Famer, Bill Selby (378). Feliciano was the Herd’s 2009 Stan Barron Most Valuable Player after leading the International League with 154 hits to go along with 30 doubles, 42 RBI, 13 stolen bases and a .311 batting average that ranked 5th-best in the league. He played for Team Puerto Rico in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.
Then in 2010, Feliciano averaged .339 over 89 games, falling just 20 at-bats shy of qualifying as the Bisons’ second-best single-season batting average in the modern era. That same year, he also finished second in the International League in outfield assists (11), a category he led the Herd in for two straight seasons.
In his third and final season with the Bisons in 2011, Feliciano hit .263 with 103 more hits in 121 games, ranking as the hardest batter in the International League to strike out with just one strikeout per 13.66 plate appearances. For his career, Feliciano struck out just 111 times in 1,339 plate appearances. His .304 average is the 9th highest in the Bisons modern era.
Feliciano played 54 games with the New York Mets during the 2010 season and hit .231 with three RBI. Following his 18-year professional playing career, Feliciano joined the coaching ranks and served for two years as manager of the Eugene Emeralds in the Chicago Cubs system, 2016-2017. In 2016, he guided the Emeralds to a 54-22 record and a Northwest League Championship, for which he was named Northwest League Manager of the Year. Feliciano was then hired by the Los Angeles Angels to serve as their first base and outfield coach in 2019 and 2020. He currently serves as the Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy and High School.
Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame – Mike Poreda
Mike Poreda has been a member of the Bisons organization for over four decades and it’s safe to say no member of the team has connected with more of the baseball fans of Western New York and Southern Ontario over his tenure than he has. Affectionally known throughout the ballpark as ‘Po,’ Poreda has managed all ticket office operations for the club since 1986 and also oversees the team’s Guest Relations center, ticket takers and ushers. No one is more responsible for getting fans to the ballpark and ensuring their enjoyment of Bisons Baseball more than Poreda.
“I couldn’t think of a member of the Bisons front office family that is more deserving of this honor, and at the same time, a team member who more embodies the spirit of the Bisons baseball experience than Mike. For more than 40 years, Po has brought his fun-loving, caring and ‘do the right thing’ approach to the connections he has made with so many Bisons fans, ensuring that professional baseball in Buffalo continues to be a family-friendly and unforgettable experience for all.” said Mike Buczkowski, President, Rich Baseball Operations.
Poreda first joined the Bisons as a sales intern in 1985 and was quickly promoted to ticket coordinator in the fall of 1986. After working for three seasons at War Memorial Stadium, Poreda oversaw the transition of season ticket holders from The Rockpile to the new Pilot Field before the 1988 season. Then from 1988-1993, the Bisons had an unprecedented six consecutive seasons of over a million tickets sold, including the Minor League Baseball record of 1,240,951 fans during the 1991 season. Over the last 40+ years, Poreda has also handled the ticketing for many unforgettable non-game day events at the ballpark, including All-Star Games, the Old Timer’s Game, and several concerts such as the Beach Boys and the WYRK Towne Auto Taste of Country.
Born and raised in the Black Rock section of North Buffalo, Poreda attended Canisius High School and was a graduate of Medaille College in 1985. He currently lives in Tonawanda with his wife, Janet, and is the proud father of two sons, Jimmy and Chris. Poreda has also been a longtime supporter of the Down Syndrome Parents Group of WNY, assisting in the group’s fundraising efforts at the ballpark and beyond.