Crawdads Win SAL Club Merit Award

Hickory, NC- South Atlantic League President Eric Krupa has announced the recipients of the 2014 South Atlantic League Annual Awards, with the Hickory Crawdads winning the SAL Club Merit award while 'Dads General Manager Mark Seaman has been named the SAL GM of the Year.

 

The prestigious Club Merit Award is given to a team to recognize the "complete" baseball franchise that has demonstrated franchise stability and success, as well as significant contributions to its community and to the South Atlantic League. In their 22nd year in Hickory, the Crawdads hosted the 55th Annual SAL All-Star game for the third time on June 17th. The 'Dads also finished with a total attendance of 148,414 at the newly renovated L.P. Frans Stadium, marking the club's highest attendance since 2007.

 

"The Club Merit Award is voted on by our peers, so to have the other teams in our league recognize what we've accomplished this year is very rewarding," said Seaman. "While the General Manager of the year award is given to one person, much like the club merit award, it's truly a team effort. I'm so excited for our staff. They've worked so hard this year and they have truly earned both of these awards."

 

As the winner of the SAL Club Merit Award, the Crawdads will be the league's nominee for Minor League Baseball's top award, the John H. Johnson Award, which is presented annually to honor the complete baseball franchise -- based on franchise stability, contributions to league stability, contributions to baseball in the community, and promotion of the baseball industry.

 

A complete list of the 2014 SAL Annual Awards includes:

 

SAL Club Merit Award - Hickory Crawdads [Note: Hickory will be the SAL's nominee for the John H. Johnson Award]

 

SAL Community Service Award - Greensboro Grasshoppers [Note: Greensboro will be the SAL's nominee for the John Henry Moss Community Service Award]

 

SAL Excellence in Marketing Award - Greenville Drive [Note: Greenville will be the SAL's nominee for the Larry MacPhail Award]

 

General Manager of the Year - Mark Seaman (Hickory Crawdads)

 

SAL Female Executive of the Year - Alyssa Dooyema (Delmarva Shorebirds) [Note: Alyssa will be the SAL's nominee for the Rawling's Woman Executive of the Year Award]

 

Sales Executive of the Year - Todd Olson (Greensboro Grasshoppers)

 

Media Relations Director of the Year - Adam Marco (West Virginia Power)

 

Sports Turf Manager of the Year - Mike Williams (Charleston RiverDogs)

 

Best Playing Field Award - Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park (Charleston RiverDogs)

 

Athletic Trainer of the Year - Mark Keiser (Lexington Legends)

 

Bat Person of the Year -Colby Wagner (Greenville Drive)

Visiting Clubhouse Manager of the Year - Bob Perry (Greensboro Grasshoppers)

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