[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 143 (Friday, September 23, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1708]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              THE COME-FROM-BEHIND GRASSHOPPERS WIN IT ALL

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. HOWARD COBLE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 23, 2011

  Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, as Major League Baseball begins its post-
season push, the professional minor leagues are concluding their 
seasons. The citizens of the Sixth District of North Carolina are 
celebrating the first championship since 1982 of the Greensboro 
Grasshoppers of the South Atlantic League.
  The Hoppers--as their fans affectionately call them--were a dramatic, 
come-from-behind team all season. It took the final games of the season 
for the Hoppers to even qualify for post-season play. Greensboro split 
the first two games at home in the best-of-five championship series 
against the Savannah Sand Gnats. When the series moved to Savannah, the 
Hoppers lost game three to the Sand Gnats. It has been 11 years in the 
``Sally League'' since a team leading two-games-to-one failed to clinch 
the championship. With Savannah needing only one more win to capture 
the South Atlantic League title, the Hoppers were facing the end of 
their season, when they pulled out a heart-stopping, 11-inning win to 
force a fifth and deciding game.
  Even in the championship game, Greensboro fell behind 2-0 early 
before cruising to 7-3 win to capture its first South Atlantic League 
championship in almost three decades. Hoppers Manager Andy Haines told 
the Greensboro News & Record that he could not pick a Most Valuable 
Player for the series. ``There's no way I could name anyone,'' Haines 
told the newspaper. ``We had a lot of guys contribute. It was someone 
different every night.''
  All of the Grasshoppers can be proud of the regular season, along 
with the dramatic run to the title. Among those who were part of 
Greensboro's first championship since 1982 included: pitchers Michael 
Brady, Alex Caldera, Jordan Conley, Grant Dayton, James Leverton, 
Miguel Mejia, Robert Morey, Gregory Nappo, Mike Ojala, Chris Shafer, 
Rett Varner, Kyle Winters, and Brett Zawacki. The catchers were Aaron 
Dudley, Wilfredo Gimenez, and Jacob Realmuto. The infielders included 
Daniel Black, Joe Bonadonna, Mark Canha, Ryan Fisher, and Noah Perio. 
The outfielders were lssac Galloway, Marcell Ozuna, James Wooster, and 
Christian Yelich. Only one of those on the disabled list, Zachary Neal, 
made it onto the post-season roster, but the others contributed during 
the year and they included Kevin Cravey, Alan Oaks, Jay Rogers, Adam 
Veres, and Sean Watson.
  Greensboro is one of the best-run minor league teams in the entire 
United States and it is because of an outstanding front office. This 
championship caliber group includes: Donald Moore, President/General 
Manager; Katie Dannemiller, Vice President, Baseball Operations; Jimmy 
Kesler, CFO; Tim Vangel, Assistant General Manager, Sales and 
Marketing; Jake Holloway, Assistant General Manager, Head 
Groundskeeper; Erich Dietz, Director of Ticketing; Todd Olson, Sales 
Associate; Murray White, Sales Associate; Joey Burridge, Sales 
Associate/Ticket Representative; Rosalee Brewer, Sales Associate; John 
Redhead, Executive Director of Business Development; Laura Damico, 
Director of Community and Event Development; Shawn Russell, Director of 
Promotions/Production; Amanda Williams, Director of Creative Services; 
Yunhui Bradshaw, Director of Merchandise; Chad Green, Assistant 
Director of Stadium Operations; Kaid Musgrave, Assistant Groundskeeper; 
and Bob Perry, Clubhouse Director.
  Championship Skipper Andy Haines was ably assisted by Pitching Coach 
Willie Glen and Hitting Coach Kevin Randel. The players were kept in 
championship form all season long by Athletic Trainer Masa Fujimoto and 
Strength and Conditioning Coach Cody Clark.
  On behalf of the citizens of the Sixth District of North Carolina, we 
congratulate Greensboro Grasshoppers owners Cooper Brantley, Wes 
Elingburg and Len White and everyone affiliated with the Hoppers on 
providing its fans with so many dramatic moments during a memorable 
season. All of us who love the Hoppers are basking in the glow of the 
first South Atlantic League Championship since 1982. We may see some of 
today's Grasshoppers playing for the parent club--the Florida Marlins--
in the near future, but none of us will forget the 2011 season when 
Greensboro came from behind numerous times to win it all.

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