Lineup announced for World Series Series Trophy Tour stop

Reading, PA – The lineup for the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies sold out World Series Trophy Tour stop in Reading has been announced. The event takes place on January 22 at the Reading Crowne Hotel, formerly the Sheraton Reading Hotel.

Scheduled to attend are: relief pitchers Ryan Madson (2002 R-Phil) and Scott Eyre, manager Charlie Manuel, assistant general manager/player development and scouting Chuck Lamar, assistant general manager Scott Proefrock and director of Minor League operations Steve Noworyta. The evening’s emcee will be Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Kalas. General Manager Ruben Amaro, Jr. was originally announced as an attendee but will not be present. 

Late addition: New Phillies bullpen catcher Tim Gradoville has been added to the lineup.  Gradoville spent parts of the 2005-2008 seasons with the R-Phils, earning a September call-up to Philadelphia in 2006.  

The most anticipated aspect of this year’s event is the presence of the World Series trophy. Doors open at 4:00 PM for free professionally taken fan photos with the trophy (one per person with event ticket). Cocktail hour begins at 5:30 PM and dinner will be served at 6:30 PM. Fans will hear from the Phillies traveling party in addition to prizes, highlight videos and more. 

Tickets for the banquet were $65 each and $600 for a 10-person table. Proceeds benefit the Reading Phillies Baseballtown Charities, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to helping more children, who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity, play baseball. Complete registration and financial information of Baseballtown Charities can be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State at 1-800-732-0999.

The Reading Phillies trademarked the name Baseballtown in 2002 and began programs in its name with goals to honor Reading’s rich baseball history and secure its baseball future by giving more kids the opportunity to play and learn from the game’s life lessons. For more please visit Baseballtown.org.

Reading native Dr. David Q. Voigt, Ph.D., Albright College professor emeritus, will be crowned King of Baseballtown for 2009. Dr. Voigt has been called one of the game’s leading historians by Baseball America, Journal of Sport History and The Sporting News. He has had over a half-dozen books and around 100 articles published about the national pastime. He’s also done reviews on dozens of baseball books. Dr. Voigt was appointed to the Commissioner’s Committee on Statistical Accuracy by the late A. Bartlett Giamatti shortly before his passing in 1988. In 1994 he served as a consultant to Ken Burns on his nine-part PBS documentary “Baseball”. He is an active member in the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) and the organization’s former president. A World War II veteran, Voigt earned his bachelor’s degree from Albright College, his masters from Columbia University and his doctorate from Syracuse University. 

He follows Reading native and Boston Red Sox icon, the late “Broadway” Charlie Wagner (2003); former Reading Indian and long-time Reading High coach Paul “Cooter” Jones (2004); former Major Leaguer, front office executive and scout Dick Gernert (2005); fast-pitch softball manager Rocky Santilli, who owns 2,000+ wins in local, national and international competition (2006); Francis “Ducky” Turner, longtime stadium improvement activist (2007); and former All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player Ruth Hartman (crowned “Queen” in 2008).

This story was posted on January 7 and updated on January 9, 2009