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HOT STOVE LUNCHEON IS ON MONDAY, JANUARY 20TH

The annual event is at The Apollo on Emma in Springdale in conjunction with the Springdale Rotary Club
Admission to the event is $20 for fans and it includes lunch as we preview the upcoming season of Naturals baseball. (NWA Naturals)
January 10, 2020

SPRINGDALE, Ark. - The Northwest Arkansas Naturals will host their annual Hot Stove Luncheon to preview the 2020 season on Monday, January 20th (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day) at The Apollo on Emma (308 W. Emma Ave.) in Springdale in conjunction with the Springdale Rotary Club. The event features special

SPRINGDALE, Ark. - The Northwest Arkansas Naturals will host their annual Hot Stove Luncheon to preview the 2020 season on Monday, January 20th (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day) at The Apollo on Emma (308 W. Emma Ave.) in Springdale in conjunction with the Springdale Rotary Club. The event features special guests to give insight on the upcoming baseball season.
The Hot Stove Luncheon will take place from 12 p.m. until 1 p.m. at The Apollo on Emma with doors opening at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, January 20th. Fans of all ages are invited to this pre-season event on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day that features new Naturals' Manager Scott Thorman, whom was tabbed by Kansas City to lead Northwest Arkansas earlier today, and Alec Zumwalt, Director of Hitting Performance/Player Development for the Kansas City Royals. The two (2) special guests will be on hand to take questions during a scheduled Q & A session during the program. Justin Cole, the Vice President/General Manager of the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, is also scheduled to speak and provide fans with the latest news on the upcoming season.

Admission to the event, which includes a buffet lunch, is only $20 per person. Fans that are interested in attending the Hot Stove Luncheon at The Apollo on Emma (308 W. Emma Ave.) in Springdale are being asked to call Matt Fanning at (479) 927-4053 or email him at [email protected] to purchase their ticket(s). The organization is encouraging fans to purchase their tickets in advance as there are currently only 15 spots left through the Naturals' ticket allotment for the luncheon.
SCOTT THORMAN, FIELD MANAGER - NORTHWEST ARKANSAS NATURALS
Thorman, 38, was recently tabbed by the Kansas City Royals as the new field manager for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. He becomes the sixth manager in franchise history after being promoted this off-season from the Wilmington Blue Rocks (2019).
The Naturals' skipper is entering his sixth managerial season within the Kansas City Royals organization. He has accumulated a regular season record of 304-259 to go along with two league championships. He started his managing career with the Burlington Royals in 2015 and 2016 before advancing to Lexington in 2017 and 2018 and then Wilmington in 2018. His work with the Legends in 2018 garnered him the Dick Howser Award, given out annually to the Royals' most outstanding player development person.
Prior to managing, he played professionally for 12 years including a Major League stint with the Atlanta Braves in 2006 and 2007.
ALEC ZUMWALT, DIRECTOR OF HITTING PERFORMANCE/PLAYER DEVELOPMENT & SCOUTING - KANSAS CITY ROYALS
Zumwalt, is entering his ninth season with the Royals and first as Director of Hitting Performance/Player Development. From 2018-19, he was the director of baseball operations and player development., after serving as the Major League Advance Scout 2013-2017 and as Pro Scout in 2012. Alec was awarded the Royals' Art Stewart Scout of the Year Award for his efforts during the 2015 season.
The first opportunity for fans to catch the 2020 Northwest Arkansas Naturals in action will be at Arvest Ballpark on Thursday, April 16th at 6:35 p.m. against the Corpus Christi Hooks (Double-A Affiliate of the Houston Astros) for Opening Night.
The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League Affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. The Naturals play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, Ark. For more information, including team statistics, ticket options, group outings and more, please visit NWANaturals.com, and follow us on Twitter @NWANaturals and Facebook.com/Naturals.
-Naturals-