EL1 Eastern League

Douglas Wins 2012 Diamond Pro Sports Field Manager of the Year Award

August 27, 2012 - Eastern League (EL1) News Release


PORTLAND, MAINE - Eastern League President Joseph McEacharn is pleased to announce Dan "Dirt" Douglas of the Reading Phillies has been named the winner of the 2012 Eastern League Diamond Pro Sports Field Manager of the Year Award. It is the fifth time in his career that Dan has won this award, which is selected based on voting by Eastern League field staff and umpires.

Douglas, who was also chosen as the top groundskeeper in the Eastern League in 1993, 1997, 2000 and 2009, serves as the Head Groundskeeper at FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading. Dan, who earned his degree in Agronomy from Penn State University, has been with the Reading franchise for the past 22 seasons. In 2001 he was the recipient of the Harry C. Gill Award from the Sports Turf Managers Association, which is the organizations highest honor and in 2009 Douglas was named the Double-A Sports Turf Manager of the Year.

In presenting Dan with this award we would also like to recognize Jason Boone, Dan Carl, Jeff Cuthbertson, Michael Gurcsik, Jake Leadbetter, Edward Harbaugh, Jonathan Raymond, Jeffrey Reigner, Todd Reinert and Raymond Werts, who are also part of the grounds crew at FirstEnergy Stadium.

"Dirt has been an integral part of the Reading Phillies family since he first arrived here in Baseballtown 22 seasons ago," said Reading Phillies GM Scott Hunsicker. "His field here at FirstEnergy Stadium speaks for itself - he's the best. He was even able to handle a cocktail party for 600 people on the infield at the All Star Game Home Run Derby "" while he drove the golf-ball picker-upper-thingy. Plus, the extra volunteer work that Dirt does at Gordon Hoodak Stadium for the children of the Boys & Girls Club of Reading, and at countless other community fields throughout the region, speaks volumes of the kind of person he is. We are very, very proud of him, and his fine staff."

Diamond Pro offers a complete line of professional groundskeeping products which include infield conditioners, calcined clay products, mound & home plate clays, clay bricks, marking dust, green divot sand, infield and warning track mixes. The newest addition to the Diamond Pro family of products is Double Play Infield Conditioner, a first of its kind product that is an ideal blend of Vitrified Red Infield Conditioner and Professional Calcined Clay Conditioner, together in one bag. Diamond Pro® professional groundskeeping products deliver long lasting performance and quality while enhancing the look and feel of a well-maintained field. Diamond Pro is a subsidiary of Dallas, Texas based Texas Industries, Inc. (TXI) which is a leading supplier of construction products, including cement, ready-mixed concrete, and lightweight aggregate, in the western United States. For more information visit www.diamondpro.com and follow them on Facebook and Twitter (@DiamondProTXI).

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