College Career
He first played shortstop for the then Division III SUNY Stony Brook Patriots(now Division I), becoming a two-time Academic All-American and graduating as a member of the Golden Key International Honor Society. During his tenure there, professional baseball scouts began to notice his good arm and pitcher's body, and on the day of a rainout, unfortunately, "literally someone from every organization" came to watch him pitch. He was drafted in the sixth round (159th overall) of the amateur draft by the San Francisco Giants in 1995, and signed the next day, June 2. His college jersey number has since been retired, and he was awarded the University Medal, the highest recognition given by SUNY / Stony Brook. He also played for the Fairfield Stallions in the New England Collegiate Baseball League in 1994.
In August 2008, he gave the SUNY / Stony Brook athletics department $500,000 for a new baseball facility. In recognition of this "lead gift" from the Joe Nathan Charitable Foundation (www.joenathan.com), the college named it "Joe Nathan Field."
Read more about this topic: Joe Nathan
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