Yearout Wins Sports Turf Manager of the Year
November 13, 2014 - Northwest League (NWL1)
Spokane Indians News Release
SPOKANE, Wash. - SPOKANE, Wash. - Minor League Baseball announced today (Thursday, November 13) that Spokane Indians Heads Groundskeeper David Yearout is the winner of the Sports Turf Manager of the Year Award for the Short Season-A/Rookie classification level. This is the 14th year of the awards, and the third time a Spokane groundskeeper has been honored. Tony Lee (2001) and Joe Hill (2007) also won the award.
Yearout, 23, graduated from Washington State University in May 2014 with a bachelor's degree of science in integrated plant management. He was the first person to be accepted into the Spokane Indians groundskeeper internship in 2011, working under Lee. After the internship, Yearout was offered the assistant groundskeeper position and held onto it until being promoted prior to the 2014 season.
"I'm honored to be able to continue the rich history of the Spokane Indians groundscrew," said Yearout. "I've always wanted to make it to the major leagues, and I love being outside, but once I realized I wasn't going to be playing in the pros I decided to figure out a different way to live on the diamond. Groundskeeping is my passion."
With Yearout at the helm, Avista Stadium won the Northwest League Field of the Year for the 10th-consecutive season, and the 16th time in the last 18 years. He also volunteers with the Lewis & Clark High School baseball team during his free time.
The rest of the Indians groundscrew includes Trevor Heilman, Jacob Fender, Daniel Ramirez and Larry Blumer. Blumer has been an assistant groundskeeper for several decades at Avista Stadium. The quintet also perform regular choreographed dance routines during Friday and Saturday night games during the summer season.
The Sports Turf Managers of the Year are selected by a 15-member awards committee, compiled by the Sports Turf Managers Association. Each League is awarded a nominee, and is individually scored on cultural practices, gameday routine, resource utilization, staff management and the grounds keeper's involvement and support of the sports turf industry. Joey Stevenson (Triple-A, Indianapolis Indians), Brock Phipps (Double-A, Springfield Cardinals) and Keith Winter (Single-A, Fort Wayne TinCaps) were the other recipients.
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Northwest League Stories from November 13, 2014
- Yearout Wins Sports Turf Manager of the Year - Spokane Indians
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