Jon Hall recently was selected as the 2011 Appalachian League Sports Turf Manager of the Year in honor of the Danville (VA) Braves winning Field of the Year.
Hall and his staff work for the city, but maintain American Legion Post 325 field for the Danville Braves and other local sports teams.
The award is based on input from the league’s on-field managers and umpires throughout the season and rates 11 categories.
Hall and his staff ranked first in seven categories and second in the other four (out of 10 teams).
Categories include field preparation, infield and outfield turf, overall playing surface, and professionalism of staff.
“This is just justification for what we (Braves) knew all year,” said Danville Braves general manager David Cross. “They (Hall and his staff) worked hard all year to make this field look and play the best it has in years.
“This just proves that despite some of the challenges they faced, the hard work they put into the field did not go unnoticed.”
Hall is now eligible for the Short-Season/Rookie Level Sports Turf Manager of the Year and will compete against winners from five other leagues.
The winner will be honored at the Baseball Winter Meetings in Dallas, Texas, the week of Dec. 5.
This is the second time a Danville groundskeeper has taken home the league award. Richard Gieselman won the award in 2006.