IL1 Charlotte Knights

Knights Field Staff Returns for 2010

Published on January 12, 2010 under International League (IL1)
Charlotte Knights News Release


FORT MILL, S.C. - January 12, 2010 - Former major league all-star and World Series winner Chris Chambliss will return as the Charlotte Knights manager in 2010. This will be Chambliss' second season in Charlotte.

He managed the Knights to a 67-76 record-a four game improvement over 2008. Chambliss and his staff saw 16 players get promoted to the White Sox in 2009. Including rehab assignments, there were 23 players that spent time with the Knights and White Sox last season.

Chambliss is also known for outstanding playing career that included 17 seasons in the major leagues spending time with the Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves. Chambliss won the 1971 American League Rookie of the Year award and the 1978 Gold Glove for his defensive work at first base. He was also named to the 1976 AL All-Star team. Chambliss played in three World Series winning the 1977 and 1978 titles with the Yankees.

Chambliss was selected number one overall in the 1970 amateur draft by the Cleveland Indians. Perhaps his most famous playing moment came in the 1976 ALCS when he hit a series clinching walk-off home run that sent the Yankees to their first World Series since 1964.

The former first baseman became a successful hitting coach in the major leagues following his playing career. Chambliss served as the Yankees hitting coach on their World Series teams in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000.

Richard Dotson returns for his third straight season as the Knights pitching coach. In 2008, Dotson helped nine Knights pitchers get promoted to the major leagues. Under Dotson the Knights pitching staff was fourth in IL with 998 strikeouts.

Fans are also likely to remember Dotson for his playing career. Dotson played 12 major league seasons with the White Sox, New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals. He went 22-7 with a 3.23 ERA in helping the "winning ugly" White Sox team of 1983, win the American League West. Dotson finished fourth in Cy Young voting in 1983, and was also named to the 1984 AL All-Star team.

Gary Ward is back with the Knights as their hitting coach for the second consecutive season. Ward was previously the Knights hitting coach from 1999-2001 before being promoted to the same position with the Chicago White Sox on May 20, 2001. Ward guided Knights hitters to a.290 batting average in 1999 en route to the Governor's Cup Championship.

Ward spent 12 seasons in the major leagues with the Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers, New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers. He was named to the AL All-Star team in 1983 and 1985.

The Knights also announced that trainer Scott Johnson will return for his 11th season in Charlotte and his 22nd in the White Sox organization. Johnson has twice been named International League trainer of the year. He also was the head trainer for the Taiwanese National Team at the 2006 and 2009 World Baseball Classic, and selected as trainer for the 2003 Triple-A All-Star game.

Returning to the Knights training staff will also be strength and conditioning coach Chad Efron. This will be Efron's fifth season in Charlotte and his seventh in the White Sox organization. Efron had previously worked at Class AA Birmingham and at Class A Winston-Salem.

The Charlotte Knights are the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. For ticket or event information, please contact the Knights front office at (704) 357-8071 or (803) 548-8050 or visit our website at www.charlotteknights.com for more information.

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International League Stories from January 12, 2010


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