Chambliss Named New Knights Manager

FORT MILL, S.C. - November 3, 2008 - The Charlotte Knights will have a new field manager in 2009, as Chris Chambliss has been named the club's manager. This will be Chambliss' first season in Charlotte.

Chambliss joins the Knights as an accomplished manager and coach. Chambliss guided the London Tigers to the Eastern League championship in 1990 and that season was named Minor League Manager of the Year by The Sporting News. Chambliss also served as the hitting coach for the New York Yankees on their 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000 World Series championship teams. Chambliss was also the hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals (1993-95), New York Mets (2003) and Cincinnati Reds (2004-06). Chambliss comes to Charlotte after spending the 2008 season as hitting coach for the Richmond Braves.

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 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.

Richard Dotson returns for his second straight season as the Knights pitching coach. In 2008, Dotson helped seven Knights pitchers get promoted to the major leagues. Under Dotson the Knights pitching staff had the fifth best ERA (4.13) in the IL and led the league in complete games (8).

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 will re-join the Knights as their hitting coach. 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. Ward's son Daryle is currently a player for the Chicago Cubs.

The Knights also announced that trainer Scott Johnson will return for his 10th season in Charlotte and his 21st 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 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 fourth season in Charlotte and his sixth 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.