Former Phillie Dickie Noles and hitting coach Milt Thompson headline Hot Stove lineup
Special guests from the Phillies will include former pitcher Dickie Noles, hitting coach and former Phillie outfielder Milt Thompson, broadcaster Tom McCarthy and Asst. General Manager Scott Proefrock.
Noles spent four season with the Phillies (1979-1981 & 1990) and was a member of the 1980 World Series Championship squad. He currently serves as the Employee Assistance Professional with the Phillies.
Thompson spent 13 years as a player in the big leagues and has been a coach with the Phillies for six seasons.
Tom McCarthy just finished his 2nd year of his second tour of duty as the TV voice of the Phillies. He also spent five seasons with the club (2001-2005) as the host of the pre and post-game shows, while also doing radio play-by-play.
Proefrock was hired by Ruben Amaro, Jr. as his Asst. General Manager in November, 2008. He has previously worked for the Pirates, Rays, Braves and Orioles.
Other guests include will include;
Williamsport Crosscutters manager Chris Truby a veteran of four Major League seasons with Houston (2000-2001), Montreal (2002), Detroit (2002) & Tampa Bay (2003).
Penn College Wildcats Baseball Coach Chris Howard who has Major League stints with the Seattle Mariners in 1991, 1993 and 1994. Howard played for the Williamsport Bills in 1989.
Phillies Director of Minor League Operations Steve Noworyta.
The Phillie Phanatic
The evening, presented in part by Professional Petroleum, Woodlands Bank, WRAK and the Williamsport Sun-Gazette, will consist of dinner, an entertainment portion, featuring interviews and question and answer segments with many of the special guests, plus Chinese and live auctions of Phillies & other sports memorabilia by T&S Auction Company.
One of the event highlights will be the induction of former Phillie legend Dick Allen into the Bowman Field Hall of Fame. Allen hit .329 with 20 home runs and 109 RBI's for the Williamsport Grays in 1962. At press time, Allen was unsure if he would be in attendance for the event.
The Hall of Fame was started in 1989 by the Bowman Field Commission and the Williamsport Bills as a way to honor those who were influential and important to the history of Bowman Field and professional baseball in Williamsport. The Bowman Field Hall of Fame was dormant since 1991, and was revived by the Crosscutters at the 2009 Hot Stove Banquet with the induction of the legendary Tommy Richardson.
The doors open at 5:30 with an hour of mingling, fun and games with Boomer and the Phillie Phanatic, plus the start of the Chinese auction. The dinner and entertainment portion of the event will begin promptly at 6:30 PM. Free autographs will be available for attendees at the close of event.
A limited number of tickets are still available by calling the Cutters offices at (570) 326-3389 or ordering online at www.crosscutters.com.