NEWPORT NEWS - Leading up to the Hall of Fame Weekend and Induction Ceremony in September, The Apprentice School Department of Athletics will highlight each of this year's inductees of the upcoming class. Today, we put the spotlight on former baseball player Wayne Kirby.

Born in Williamsburg, Kirby enrolled in The Apprentice School in 1982 and played basketball and baseball. After just one year of collegiate baseball, he was drafted in the 13th round of the 1983 amateur draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Kirby stayed connected to The Apprentice School during the offseasons, but worked his way up through the minor league ladder until becoming the first Apprentice School baseball player to debut in the major leagues, playing for Cleveland in September 1991. He would go on to play in the bigs until 1998 and then coached for four teams as a base running, outfield and base coach, including the Baltimore Orioles, until 2022.

Tickets for the 2026 Hall of Fame Weekend festivities, including the golf tournament and induction ceremony, are on sale now at the link above. Stay tuned throughout the rest of the summer as we continue to highlight the legacies that this year's inductees left at Apprentice.