Princeton Rays' General Manager Jim Holland Receives Appalachian League's President Award

Published on December 10, 2015 under Appalachian League (ApL)
Princeton WhistlePigs News Release

Princeton Rays' General Manager Jim Holland became the most recent recipient of the Appalachian League President's Award and received the honor as part of the league's activities on December 8, 2015 at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, TN. The hotel was the site of this year's annual Minor League Baseball Winter Meetings for all of Minor League Baseball.

The award, which has only been presented periodically by the league throughout the years, was presented to recognize Holland's 24 years of continuous service to the Appalachian League. It was presented to Holland by Pat O'Conner, President of Minor League Baseball, who was at the meeting along with the other league team local operators as well as the minor league player personnel directors for the ten major league sponsors that currently operate teams in the Appalachian League. Holland announced on November 17 that he will be leaving the Princeton Rays organization at the end of December.

The wording on the award said "In appreciation for your 24 years of dedicated service to the Appalachian League and baseball in Princeton, West Virginia."

"Most of the time I have had my mind thinking about Appalachian League baseball over these past 24 years so it really makes receiving this honor very, very special to me. The Appalachian League is a great league that continues to feature many convenient advantages for fans and players alike. I have been blessed to work in conjunction with the other league teams and will always be a vocal promoter of the Appalachian League no matter where the future leads me," said Holland, a 58-year old native of Dunbar, WV.

Holland received one more surprise that same evening (December 8) when he was given special recognition at the annual Tampa Bay Rays' minor league affiliate dinner. Tampa Bay Director of Minor League Operations Mitch Lukevics, on behalf of the Tampa Bay Rays organization, presented Holland with a Rays jersey that was personalized with Holland's name on the back and uniform number 24 in recognition of Holland's 24 years on the job as General Manager at Princeton.

"Whether it's in Princeton, West Virginia or down in Florida, everybody knows how I feel about the Rays and the first class way they have always treated my family and I. Saying goodbye to the Rays is indeed very tough but I have made a whole bunch of friends that our family will have for a lifetime," concluded Holland.

Minor League Baseball Pat O'Conner and Princeton Rays GM Jim Holland

Appalachian League Stories from December 10, 2015

• Princeton Rays' General Manager Jim Holland Receives Appalachian League's President Award - Princeton WhistlePigs

The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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