Douglas Honored With Top Double-A Turf Award

(Reading, PA) – The R-Phils are pleased to announce that Head Groundskeeper Dan “Dirt” Douglas has been selected as the Minor League Sports Turf Manager of the Year in the Double-A Classification for 2009. 

The award, which is sponsored by the Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA), is given each year to the top sports turf managers in each minor league classification. All four classification winners, as selected by STMA, were chosen from among 17 league winners. The annual award will be presented at the Baseball Winter Meetings Awards Luncheon in Indianapolis Indiana on December 7.

Douglas, who will begin his twentieth season with the R-Phils in 2010, is no stranger to awards during his tenure in Reading. The York, PA. native was named Eastern League Groundskeeper of the Year in 1993, 1997, 2000, and 2009. In 2001, Douglas was presented with the STMA’s Harry C. Gill Founders Award – the Association’s top honor. 

“This award would not have been possible without the support of the Reading Phillies front office and the dedication and hard work of the grounds crew,” said Douglas, who is also the President of the Keystone Athletics Manager’s Organization since its inception in 1993. “I consider this an organizational award, not a personal honor.”

Other classification winners include Tom Nielsen of the Louisville Bats (Triple-A), Opie Cheek of the Clearwater Threshers (Single-A), and Israel Hinjosa III of the Greeneville Astros (Short-Season/Rookie). 

Full season and partial season ticket packages for the 2010 season are on sale now and can be purchased in person at FirstEnergy Stadium, by calling (610) 375-8469 or by visiting www.R-Phils.com. "Bring the Fam to America's Classic 

This story was posted on November 25, 2009