Rich Gedman Named Can-Am League Manager of the Year
September 2, 2005 - Canadian American League (Can-Am)
Worcester Tornadoes News Release
Worcester, MA (September 2, 2005) - Worcester Tornadoes manager Rich Gedman has been named the Can-Am League's Manager of the Year, the league announced today. The award was determined by a vote of league managers.
Gedman has led the Tornadoes to a 49-39 record thus far this season, with four games remaining in the campaign. The Worcester native led the Tornadoes to a South Division championship in the first half of play, an incredible accomplishment for a team playing its inaugural season. Worcester is challenging the New Haven County Cutters for the second-half title as well.
With their division title in hand, Gedman will lead the Tornadoes into their first postseason in team history next week.
"This is not a one-man award," said the first-year skipper. "This has a lot to do with the team and a lot to do with the coaching staff. I wouldn't be in this position were it not for them."
"I can't think of anyone more deserving of this award," said Tornadoes president and CEO Alan Stone. "Rich's leadership has been exemplary and his contribution to the team immeasurable, especially for a club in our inaugural season.
"On behalf of the organization and all Tornadoes fans, I'd like to express how proud we are of what Rich and the entire team have accomplished this season."
Gedman became the first manager in Tornadoes history at a press conference on February 15. He had been a coach for the North Shore Spirit in 2003 and 2004.
Gedman's Worcester roots run deep, making this award that much more meaningful. He grew up in the city and graduated from St. Peter-Marian High School in 1977, after which he signed as a free agent with the Boston Red Sox. Despite not being drafted out of high school, Gedman rocketed through the Sox system, arriving at Fenway Park in 1980 at the age of 20. The following year he hit .288 and was named the American League Rookie of the Year by The Sporting News.
He would go on to a productive major league career that spanned 13 years, eleven of them in Boston. He played in 1,033 big league games and hit 88 career home runs. Gedman was named to the American League All-Star team in 1985 and 1986, and he became just the sixth catcher since 1900 to hit for the cycle when he did so in 1985. He appeared in a pair of Division Championship Series, in which he batted a combined .357, and the 1986 World Series.
Gedman and the Tornadoes head to New Haven County to face off against the Cutters for a four-game Labor Day weekend series beginning tonight. Should Worcester sweep New Haven County, the Tornadoes would face a wild card team - which would, in all likelihood, be the Spirit - in the divisional series. But if the Tornadoes drop one or more games of the weekend set, New Haven County and Worcester will face off in the best-of-five divisional series. Games One and Two of the first round of the playoffs will take place at Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field on Wednesday and Thursday, September 7 and 8. Tickets for the first two playoff games are available at the Tornadoes office at 303 Main Street, over the phone by calling (508) 792-2288, or online by logging on to worcestertornadoes.com.
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