Ball Named Class A Sports Turf Manager of the Year

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - Myrtle Beach Pelicans Senior Director of Sports Turf Management and Ballpark Operations Chris "Butter" Ball has been named the Class A Sports Turf Manager of the Year, sponsored by the Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA). This accolade follows Ball's title as 2010 Carolina League's Sports Turf Manager of the Year. Ball is joined by Scott Strickland (Triple-A), Shaun Meredity (Double-A), and Tommy Tamaska (Short Season/Rookie) as this year's classification winners. These classification winners were selected from among 16 league winners.

Ball is no stranger to this type of recognition. Chris was also named the Class A winner in 2007 and has won or shared the title of Carolina League Sports Turf Manager of the Year for the past 5 seasons. "I am very excited to be chosen as the 2010 Class A Sports Turf Manager of the Year for Minor League Baseball," Ball said. Ball gives many thanks to his staff, Corey Russell, JL Dunlow, Bryan Slattery, Lynn Thompson, Ryan Corley and the entire front office of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. Ball states "without their help day in and day out we would be in trouble". Chris thanks the vendors and partners in the Sports Turf Industry who also played an important role in this award. Ball also sends a special thanks to "...Chuck Greenberg and our ownership group for the commitment they have shown to help make BB&T Coastal Field one of the best facilities in the Country".

"This has been one remarkable year for Chris Ball," says Myrtle Beach Pelicans General Manager, Scott Brown. "From NCAA Regional's, NCAA Super Regional's, the Carolina/California All-Star game, and 70 Pelicans home games, Chris has continued to work his magic to keep BB&T as one of the premiere fields in the country" says Brown. This season Butter was once again aided by Assistant Director of Sports Turf Management Corey Russell who joined the Pelicans last season. "We were in the spotlight a lot this year with the events we had and it's great to receive the recognition we've gotten for the hard work by the whole staff," Russell said. "To have learned all the lessons I've learned over the last two seasons under the best in the business is absolutely invaluable to me."

Ball, in his eighth year in Myrtle Beach, is an alumnus of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He joined the Pelicans after stints in Greensboro as Supervisor of Athletic Facilities with the city's parks and recreation department and in Pennsylvania where he served as the Double-A Harrisburg Senators' head groundskeeper. Ball originally hails from Greenville, North Carolina.