MERCER, Pa. -- Former Slippery Rock University baseball standout George Spetar will be one of 11 former athletic greats inducted Saturday into the Mercer County Hall of Fame.

After earning three varsity letters in baseball at Hickory High School, Spetar was a four-year member of The Rock hardball team from 1972-75.

He earned first-team All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, NAIA All-District 18 and Tri-State Baseball Coaches Association Select Team honors as a member of Wally Rose's Rock program..

Spetar capped off his collegiate career by earning first-team CoSIDA Academic All-America status as a mathematics and computer science major. On the field, he set six school offensive single-season records, including home runs, stolen bases and RBIs, and eight offensive career records, including batting average, home runs, stolen bases and RBIs. He also served as team captain in his senior season.

In recognition of his achievements, Spetar was inducted into the SRU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001.

Following the completion of his collegiate career, Spetar was invited to several pro baseball tryouts, including the Kansas City Royals, Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets and Pittsburgh Pirates.

Spetar later excelled in slowpitch softball leagues and served as a coach and umpire for girls softball. In 1995, he founded the Farragut (Tenn.) Pro Baseball League for boys ages 15-18.

Spetar's involvement in community projects resulted in the Major of Farragut (located near Knoxville) declaring June 28, 1996, as  “George Spetar Day.”

Spetar also served as a member of the Farragut Recreation Committee and organized 13 “goodwill” baseball games between Knoxville area players and players from Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, New Castle, Slippery Rock and the Shenango Valley.