CULLOWHEE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Cal “Big Dumper” Raleigh, baseball catcher for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball and a recent runner-up for the American League Most Valuable Player Award, will visit his hometown, Cullowhee, N.C., this weekend for a Raleigh family milestone and the “Blue Ridge Border Battle” football game against East Tennessee State University.
Cal Raleigh will serve as honorary captain for the Catamounts at the game, flipping the coin just prior to the noon kick-off on Saturday, Nov. 15.
Later today, Friday, Nov. 14, Cal Raleigh’s father, Todd Raleigh, is set to be inducted into the Western Carolina University Hall of Fame. Todd Raleigh was a player for the Catamounts baseball team from 1988-91 and coached the team from 1993-95 and again from 2000-07. Todd Raleigh is the second member of the family to join the WCU Hall of Fame, following the induction of his brother, Matt Raleigh, in 2004.
Hall of family
The Raleighs have a long history in Cullowhee and at WCU.
“I’m not sure that there’s another family in western North Carolina that embodies Western Carolina University than the Raleighs,” wrote Daniel “Hook” Hooker, WCU Associate Athletics Director for Media Relations, in an email.
“As a player, coach, and now Hall of Famer, Todd Raleigh epitomizes the Catamount spirit and joins his brother, Matt Raleigh, in our Hall of Fame. Stephanie is a local western North Carolina product whose family – the Deitz family – is deeply rooted in western North Carolina. Cal grew up in the shadows of Childress Field / Hennon Stadium in a home the family still owns, wearing the same Catamount uniform as the team as a bat boy for his father’s squads. Emma and Carley played volleyball collegiately after outstanding prep careers here in western North Carolina, and the youngest son, T, is cut from the same cloth as his older brother, father, uncle, and entire family. Tood and Stephanie moved back locally and continue to be a huge part of our community.”
According to Hook, although Cal Raleigh did not play collegiate baseball at WCU, he is still a celebrated member of the Catamount community.
“He’s a part of our family, and we’ve all reveled in his success on the diamond and beyond. From his upbringing, he’s unwaveringly humble and truly a gentleman. Everyone here within Catamount Athletics and in our community couldn’t be happier for his current and ongoing success,” Hook wrote. “It’s an honor to enshrine Todd Raleigh into our Athletics Hall of Fame this weekend, and having one of the best players in Major League baseball – who happens to be his son – makes it even better. I’m looking forwad to seeing so many Catamount baseball greats back alongside Cal and the family to celebrate.”
Todd Raleigh will join the 2025 WCU Hall of Fame class alongside women’s track and field star Alisha Bradshaw, women’s golf honoree Ashley Hovda Kress and former athletic trainer L. Ray “Slim” Davis. Read more about the ceremony in the WCU release here.