One of the first moves the new Champion City Kings made when setting up shop was to name Springfield native Rick White the club's first General Manager.

 

After being drafted by Pittsburgh in 1990, White made his Major League debut April 6, 1994 with the Pirates. Over the course of his 12 season MLB career, he pitched for 12 teams (Pirates, Devil Rays, Mets, Rockies, Cardinals, White Sox, Astros, Indians, Reds, Philles, Astros and Mariners).

 

During the 2000 season, White was acquired by the New York Mets in a trade with Tampa Bay. That season, White and the Mets made it to the World Series but lost to the Yankees in five games.

 

White made his only other postseason appearance in 2002 with the Cardinals, who made it to the National League Championship Series.

 

During the school year, White is an assistant coach for the Wittenberg Tigers baseball team.

In the summer of 2010, along with Wittenberg head Coach Jay Lewis, White hosted Rick White's Rising Stars Springfield Tiger Classic, a collaborative youth baseball and softball tournament for regional teams. The tournament annually raises money to help improve baseball facilities in Springfield.

White currently resides with his family in his hometown of Springfield.