2008 PawSox Hot Stove League Party Saturday, January 19th
On Saturday, January 19th you are invited to the 31st Annual Pawtucket Red Sox Hot Stove League Party.
This exclusive social gathering - for you, our valued fan - begins our countdown to spring training and Opening Night at McCoy (April 3rd vs. Indianapolis by the way). The festivities will be held from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm.
Please enter the ballpark through the entry tower in left field.
The 2008 Hot Stove Party will once again be held inside the hallowed confines of the McCoy Clubhouse and batting tunnels. No RSVP is necessary and please feel free to bring family and friends.
PawSox manager Ron Johnson will give fans a preview of what the 2008 club will look like. Several PawSox players and top Red Sox prospects like INF Jed Lowrie, RHP Justin Masterson, RHP Michael Bowden, OF Jonathan Van Every, catcher Dusty Brown and others are expected to attend the party and will be available for photos and autographs.
Fans in attendance will have the chance to purchase tickets as the Box Office at McCoy will be open for walk-up business. Food and drink will be served, baseball talk will fill the air, and the latest in PawSox merchandise will be available inside the Team Store. We hope you will be able to join us for the opening of the baseball season - PawSox style - with this unique and traditional celebration on Saturday, January 19th from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm at McCoy.
FORT MILL, S.C. - January 11, 2008 - The holiday season has ended, which means the baseball season is fast approaching. The Charlotte Knights home opener is just 90 days away. The Knights will open the home schedule on Friday, April 11 at 7:15 p.m. against the Columbus Clippers. The Knights opening homestand will include four games against Columbus and four games with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. The Knights begin the 2008 season with an 8-game road-trip on April 3 in Columbus.
Season tickets and group packages are available for the 2008 season. Call (704) 36-HOMER, or log on to charlotteknights.com to order Knights tickets.
The Charlotte Knights are the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. For ticket or event information, please contact the Knights front office at (704) 357-8071 or (803) 548-8050 or visit our website at Welcome to charlotteknights.com for more information.
Bisons to Host Eric Wedge Coaches Seminar, February 1st
The Buffalo Bisons today announced that they will be offering a Coaches Seminar with Cleveland Indians manager and 2007 American League Manager of the Year Eric Wedge on Friday, February 1 from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Downtown Buffalo.
Designed for teams from little league through high school, the Eric Wedge Coaches Seminar will provide coaches with both the fundamentals and enhanced lessons that can use during the summer or in the off season to get the most of players, regardless of skill level. From dealing with players on the field and off to identifying what scouts look for in young players, Wedge will help local area coaches get their teams ready for a 2008 season that is rapidly approaching.
Wedge has a wealth of knowledge from 10 years as a professional manager, including two years with the Bisons (2001-2002) and five years at the Major League Level with the Cleveland Indians. He led Herd to the playoffs in each of his two seasons in Buffalo and his .622 winning percentage is the third highest in the 122-year history of the team. Last season, he led the Cleveland Indians to an A.L. Central Division title and to within one game of the World Series. For that, Wedge was named the 2007 American League Manager of the Year.
The cost of the seminar is $25. To reserve your spot or for more information, please call the Bisons Youth Baseball Department at (716) 846-2251.
Chiefs And Red Wings To Play At Cooperstown's Doubleday Field
SYRACUSE, New York -- The International League today announced plans to play a regular season game between the Syracuse Chiefs and Rochester Red Wings at historic Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, New York on Sunday, May 18 at 2:00 p.m. The relocation of an International League game to Cooperstown in 2008 honors the circuit's 125th anniversary.
"The 2008 season is going to be a very special one in the International League and May 18 is going to be a very special day", IL President Randy Mobley said today. "As the second oldest league in all of professional sports (behind only the National League), the International League is expectedly proud of its history. The opportunity for two of the League's most tenured clubs, Rochester with 121 years and Syracuse with 94 years (Buffalo also has 94 years), to face-off in a regular season game at such a sacred location as Doubleday Field is the ultimate way to honor the history of the League and the great game we all love. This will be an historic afternoon for professional baseball and one that will be talked about for years to come. Fans will not want to miss this special event as baseball will be doing what it does best...creating memories."
The Cooperstown game will be a highlight of the International League's 125th campaign. In addition to this historic event, IL fans will have opportunities all season long to participate in the anniversary celebration. Special activities and events are planned throughout the League, including induction of the largest class in the history of the International League Hall of Fame.
In the coming days an announcement will be made with further information on purchasing tickets to the Cooperstown game, as well as combination packages that will include a pass to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. "Day trip" opportunities with transportation to Cooperstown from Syracuse and Rochester will also be available. Tickets will be sold through the Syracuse Chiefs and Rochester Red Wings, as well as other outlets in central and northwestern New York.
Excitement is sure to spread quickly among the fans of the participating clubs in Syracuse and Rochester. "The Syracuse Chiefs are very honored to be included in this historic game", said Chiefs General Manager John Simone. "We look forward to the great baseball fans of central New York supporting this endeavor."
Red Wings General Manager Dan Mason agreed. "Our organization is very excited about participating in this fitting celebration of the International League's 125th anniversary, pitting two of the League's most storied franchises at the birthplace of baseball. I know our players, coaching staff, and fans are looking forward to making the trip to Cooperstown for this historic game. I can't thank the Syracuse Chiefs and the International League enough for the opportunity for our team to participate in this game."
Doubleday Field, located just two blocks from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, has been home to the game of baseball for more than 85 years. Since 1940 the now 9,800-seat facility has been the site of the annual "Hall of Fame Game", an exhibition between two Major League clubs. Doubleday Field has hosted a number of New York-Penn League games over the years, and is also a home for amateur and American Legion baseball.
Durham, NC - The Durham Bulls and Bovis Lend-Lease have broken ground on Wool E.'s World, a new 1,300 square foot playground area adjacent to the right field concourse next to the original Diamond View Building. Wool E.'s World will hold all of the traditional inflatable games along with a selection of new attractions. It will also feature new restrooms and a new concession stand for fans in the Diamond View seating to enjoy.
"We've been working on this project for several years now and it's finally coming to fruition," Durham Bulls General Manager Mike Birling said, "Wool E.'s World will centralize our playground area making it easier on parents and great fun for the kids."
Wool E.'s World is scheduled to open at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park on Friday, April 11th as the Bulls begin the 2008 season against the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Yankees at 7:05 PM. Ticket packages are now available at the Durham Bulls Box Office at (919) 956-BULL or online at 2008 Durham Bulls Baseball Club.
Crutcher, Jermain Join Expanding Royals Front Office
OMAHA, NE - The Omaha Royals today announced the hiring of two new employees and the promotion of two others in the professional baseball club's front office.
Lesley Crutcher joins the Triple-A team as its Director of Community Relations. The Royals added Michael Jermain as a Corporate Sales Executive. Jason Kinney has been promoted to the club's full-time Merchandising Manager, after serving an internship in that position in 2007. Andrea Stava will begin her third season with the Royals as a Group Sales Executive, after spending last season as an intern in the group sales department and the 2006 campaign with the team's apprentice program.
Crutcher begins her third season in Minor League Baseball. She spent the 2007 season as Community Relations Coordinator for the Charlotte Knights (Chicago White Sox' Triple-A affiliate), after beginning her baseball career in 2006 as an intern with the Winston-Salem Warthogs (White Sox' Advanced-A club).
Crutcher is a 2006 graduate of the University of Nebraska-Kearney where she earned a degree in Journalism-Public Relations with a minor in Sports Administration. While at UNK, she participated in track and field, earning four All-American titles and an individual National Championship as a high jumper. She also served as the sports editor for the UNK student newspaper. A Chicago native, Crutcher was a 2001 graduate of Elkhorn High School.
Jermain joins the Royals after spending the past three seasons with another Pacific Coast League team, the Tacoma Rainiers, as Corporate Sales Manager. He previously served as General Manager for several independent league baseball clubs, including the Allentown (PA) Ambassadors, the Petersburg (VA) Generals, the Peninsula (VA) Pilots, the Thomasville (NC) Hi-Toms and the Welland AquaDucks in Ontario, Canada. Jermain has also served as Director of Ticket Operations for the Salem-Keizer (OR) Volcanoes and the San Bernardino (CA) Stampede.
Kinney returned to the Royals last season after serving in the team's apprentice program, assisting in on-field promotions during the 2005 season. He graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2006, earning a degree in Public Relations and Advertising. Originally from Frankfort, New York, Kinney attended Herkimer County Community College for two years before transferring to UNO. He has lived in Nebraska since 2003.
Stava graduated from Wayne State College in 2006 with a degree in Sports Management. While attending Wayne State, she was the President of Intramurals and a member of the Sports Club. In 2005, she was an assistant girls basketball coach for the West Point High School Cadets. A native of Rising City, Nebraska, Stava graduated from Rising City High School in 2002.
Cricket Wireless Named Title Sponsor Of 2009 Triple-A All-Star Game
PORTLAND, Ore. - The Portland Beavers today announced that the team has entered into a title-sponsorship agreement with Cricket Wireless for the 2009 Triple-A All-Star Game, which will be held at PGE Park in downtown Portland.
It was also announced today that the Cricket Wireless Triple-A All-Star Game will take place July 15, 2009; a start time has yet to be determined.
As the title sponsor of the Cricket Wireless 2009 Triple-A All-Star Game, Cricket Wireless will join the Beavers in proudly showcasing the city of Portland, the state of Oregon and historic PGE Park during the 22nd-annual contest that will feature the top players from Minor League Baseball's top two leagues - the Pacific Coast League and International League - in a head-to-head contest that is annually broadcast to a national television audience.
"This promises to be a great event for Portland and for every baseball fan who lives here in the Rose City," said Neil Grubb, president and CEO of Cricket LCW, the joint venture that operates Cricket in Oregon and Southwest Washington. "We're honored to be involved with such a fantastic family event, and we're pleased to help bring the Triple-A All-Star Game to Portland as its title sponsor."
Already a valued corporate partner of the Beavers during the 2007 season, Cricket Wireless is the pioneer of unlimited-everything wireless services (anytime minutes, U.S. long-distance and text/picture/instant messaging) and never asks customers to sign a contract for its flat-rate monthly plans.
"Cricket Wireless has shown its commitment to the community of Portland and to the state of Oregon through its involvement and support of this landmark event," said Ryan Brach, vice president of business development and broadcasting for the Beavers. "We couldn't be more pleased to partner with Cricket Wireless and to deepen our already strong relationship."
In recent years, the Triple-A All-Star Game has evolved from a one-day competition into a week-long, city-wide celebration. Additional events planned around the Cricket Wireless 2009 Triple-A All-Star Game in Portland include a home run derby and skills competition, All-Star Fan Fest and autograph sessions, All-Star Gala, All-Star Luncheon and several other activities to mark the historic event.
Since its introduction in 1988, the Triple-A All-Star Game has attracted more than 250,000 fans to a host of premier cities and ballparks. The 2007 game was played in Albuquerque, N.M., as the International League defeated the Pacific Coast League in a spirited contest that drew 12,367 fans to Isotopes Park and thousands more to an impressive variety of city-inspired events. The annual game, which rotates PCL and IL host cities each year, will be played in Louisville, Ky., in 2008. Recent games have been held in Toledo (2006), Sacramento (2005), Pawtucket (2004), Memphis (2003), Oklahoma City (2002) and Indianapolis (2001).
Major league stars who have played in past Triple-A All-Star Games include Derek Jeter, Pedro Martinez, Chipper Jones, Jim Thome, Todd Helton, Kenny Lofton, Alfonso Soriano, Mike Piazza, Garret Anderson, Bernie Williams and Brian Giles.
Tickets for the Cricket Wireless 2009 Triple-A All-Star Game and its surrounding events will be made available initially to Portland Beavers ticket-package holders, while tickets for the general public will go on sale on a to-be-determined date. Additional details about the Cricket Wireless 2009 Triple-A All-Star Game, including an exact time for the game and its corresponding events, will be made available in the months to come.
OMAHA, NE - The Omaha Royals today announced the signing of Ty Cobb to a minor league contract. Before you jump to the conclusion that the Royals management is having a "Field of Dreams" experience, it should be explained that Cobb (yes, Ty is his real first name) has been hired as the team's Marketing and Community Relations Intern. Beginning today, Cobb will have his own blog on the front page of Omaha Royals: Home.
This is Cobb's first job in professional baseball. A native of Humboldt, Illinois, he graduated from Central College in Pella, Iowa in 2007 with a degree in Arts. Cobb says he's had a love for baseball, especially the St. Louis Cardinals, since he was an infant.
Since it's not every day you meet somebody with such a famous moniker, we thought it would be interesting to see how much young Ty knew about his namesake, the Hall of Fame outfielder who compiled a .366 career batting average over his 24-year Major League career. As you'll read, Ty shares something more than a name with Cobb.
Q: "What do you know about Ty Cobb, the Hall of Famer?"
A: "Currently, I'm reading his autobiography by Al Stump. He loved his parents very much. His dad was his idol. His dad was shot by his mother right before Ty went up to the big leagues. We think we have his autograph at home. My great grandfather lived in Detroit. He wasn't a big baseball fan, but while he was at a Tigers game he was reading a book and the family story is that Ty Cobb actually autographed it. I've seen a Ty Cobb autographed ball at the Negro Baseball Leagues Museum in Kansas City."
Q: "Why did your parents name you Ty?"
A: "My parents were leaning towards naming me Ty anyway. But, when my mom went into labor on December 18, 1984 my aunt called my parents and pointed out that was the same day of the year that Ty Cobb was born (in 1886)."
While the Hall of Famer Ty Cobb was known as "The Georgia Peach", the Royals' Ty Cobb says he currently has no nickname. Is "The Nebraska Corn" too obvious? Feel free to add your own suggestions to his blog.
The Royals today also announce the hiring of Nick Bates as Group Sales Intern and James Jensen as Ticket Operations Intern. Bates is a 2007 graduate of Missouri Western State University and served as an intern in 2007 for the St. Joe Blacksnakes in Saint Joseph, Missouri. Jensen has completed his classes at the University of Nebraska-Kearney and will graduate once he finishes his internship with the Royals.
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