Alumni to be Featured in Cubs Pregame Festivities

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Two Illinois Wesleyan University alumni will participate in Chicago Cubs pregame festivities on Saturday, June 22, with Jack Sikma '77 throwing out the ceremonial first pitch and Wayne Messmer '72 singing The Star-Spangled Banner.

Sikma, who graduated from Illinois Wesleyan in 1977 and went on to be a seven-time NBA all-star, was selected for induction into the 2019 class of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in April. Sikma is the school's all-time leading scorer (2,272 points) and rebounder (1,405) and, in each of his last three seasons, the Titans won College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin championships and advanced to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics tournament in Kansas City.

Messmer, recipient of the 2017 Distinguished Alumnus Award, is known as the popular “Voice of Wrigley Field” for singing The Star-Spangled Banner before many Cubs games, as well as prior to all Chicago Wolves American Hockey League games. Messmer is a professional speaker, singer, broadcaster, author and actor. At Illinois Wesleyan, Messmer earned a bachelor’s degree in music education in 1972 and was a Drum Major of the Marching Titans and a member of the Collegiate Choir.

Sikma and Messmer will appear before the Chicago Cubs host the New York Mets on Saturday, June 22 at 1:20 p.m. at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

Katie Fata ’22