Attalla Honored for Grounds Work
August 13, 2003 - Southern League (SL1) News Release
MARIETTA, GA â The Southern League of Professional Baseball Clubs announced today that Jacksonville Suns' Director of Field Operations, Ed Attalla, has been named the 2003 Southern League Sports Turf Manager of the Year. The award is presented by the Southern League in conjunction with Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball. Attalla was selected by a vote of Southern League field managers, radio broadcasters and umpires.
Ed Attalla began his turf management career with the AA Bowie Baysox in Bowie, MD, in 1996 as Assistant Groundskeeper. After two seasons in Bowie, he spent one season as the Assistant Groundskeeper at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium, home of the NFL's Washington Redskins. Following his time in D.C., Ed worked one season for the Delmarva Shorebirds of the South Atlantic League as Head Groundskeeper, where he received the "Best Playing Field" award in 1998. He made the move to Jacksonville in 1999 to work for Spectacor Management Group (SMG), the operator of the sports facilities in Jacksonville, including Alltel Stadium and the former home of the Suns, Wolfson Park. Ed was hired by the Jacksonville Suns in 2003 to manage the field of the new Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville, which he has done masterfully.
"When I hired Ed, he didn't have a ballpark, just a garage for an office," said Jacksonville Suns' Vice President and General Manager Peter Bragan, Jr. "He did a remarkable job, in the fact that he wasn't able to start working on the field until mid-March. I think Ed did outstanding work on our field this year, and I was especially impressed that he was able to get our putting green to have a double break," said Bragan.
A native of Bricktown, NJ, the 33-year-old graduate of Limestone College in Gaffney, SC resides in Jacksonville with his wife Sue, and their six-year-old son Lou.
Southern League Stories from August 13, 2003
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- Suns' late rallies fall short in 4-3 loss - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Orlando Pounds Tennessee 11-2 - Orlando Rays
- Rays Burn Smokies - Knoxville Smokies
- Autograph Sunday Returns this Weekend - Birmingham Barons
- Attalla Honored for Grounds Work - SL1
- Lookouts Drop Stars in 16, 5-4 - Huntsville Stars
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