(CLEARWATER, Fla. – Oct. 5, 2023) PBX Pickleball, the organization that enables fans to play pickleball with retired professional athletes, has signed two more MLB stars to their roster with the addition of Andruw Jones and Chris Carpenter. Jones, who had his number retired by the Atlanta Braves this year, and Carpenter, who won the Cy Young Award in 2005, add their names to a list of well-known athletes from the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL who will compete on the pickleball court as “PBX Pros.”
Jones and Carpenter join other top-tier athletes, including Hall of Famer John Smoltz, 7x All-Star and World Series Champion Matt Holliday, NFL Pro Bowler and Super Bowl Champ Golden Tate, 4x World Series Champ Tino Martinez, 4x Stanley Cup Champ Kris Draper, and Basketball Hall of Famer Rick Barry. Other MLB stars turned PBX Pros include, 2x MLB All-Star Brad Penny, 18-year MLB veteran Kent Mercker, 3x MLB All-Star Kevin Youkilis, 4x All-Star and 2x World Series Champion Mike Lowell, 3x All-Star and 2x World Series Champion Josh Beckett, and 2x All-Star and 2x World Series Champion Jeff Conine.
PBX Pros have a range of pickleball experience from beginner to expert. Jones and Carpenter will participate in PBX experiences, including the PBX Tour, PBX Pro-Ams, PBX Dream Weekends, and PBX Corporate Events. Fans will have the opportunity to play pickleball with and against Jones and Carpenter at select events.
In the PBX Tour, the PBX Pros will represent their respective sports in tournaments for live audiences nationwide. In the PBX Pro-Ams, Dream Weekends, and Corporate Experiences, amateur pickleball players can take the pickleball courts with PBX Pros, who excelled in baseball, hockey, football, basketball, and other sports.
Jones was a 10-time NL Gold Glove Award Winner (1998–2007), 5-time All-Star (2000, 2002–03, 2005–06), and led the majors with 51 home runs in 2005. His number was retired by the Braves on September 9, 2023.
Carpenter was a 3-time All-Star (2005, 2006, 2010), 2-time World Series champion (2006, 2011), NL Cy Young Award (2005), NL Comeback Player of the Year (2009), and NL ERA leader (2009). He is also a member of the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame.
As part of its outreach to athletes across major American sports, PBX Pickleball partnered with the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association (MLBPAA) and the NHL Alumni Association. PBX also partnered with Parity to reach women athletes across 70+ sports.
About PBX Pickleball
PBX Pickleball creates memorable experiences by uniting well-known retired professional athletes with amateur pickleball players and fans. Established in 2023, PBX Pickleball consists of four experiences: the PBX Tour, PBX Pro-Ams, PBX Dream Weekends, and PBX Corporate Experiences. The company is part of The Sports Facilities Companies (SFC), the nation’s leading resource for the management and development of sports, recreation, wellness, and events facilities. To learn more about PBX Pickleball, go to https://pbxpickleball.com or follow @pbxpickleball on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
About The Sports Facilities Companies
The Sports Facilities Companies (SFC) are the nation’s leading resources for the management and development of sports, recreation, wellness, and events facilities. As a turn-key solution for community leaders and developers alike, SFC services span the gamut of sports and recreation needs from sports tourism & recreation master planning, program planning, and feasibility through professional facility management services. Our 45+ managed venues and 2000+ team members, represented by the SF Network, welcome more than 25 million guest visits and produce over $300 million in economic impact each year. To learn more, please visit SportsFacilities.com and theSFnetwork.com.
PBX Pickleball Media Contact:
Eric Nemeth
602-502-2793