Miss Babe Ruth’s Retirement Party To Be a Red Carpet Night Grasshoppers will honor batgirl Saturday, Aug. 29

"(Greensboro, NC)  Fans will be met with glitz and glam as they approach NewBride Bank Park on SATURDAY, AUG 29. The night of celebration and commemoration will honor our legendary bat girl Miss Babe Ruth.  The red carpet affair centers on the Lifetime Achievement Award, being awarded to the local icon.

The Greensboro Grasshopper players will wear limited edition tuxedo jerseys and the first 1,500 guests will receive limited edition coasters with Babe’s retirement seal.  Search lights, paparazzi, spotlights, red carpets and more will make the evening a night to remember.

Gates open at 6:00 p.m.  Pre-game and in game festivities are planned for the red carpet event.  The post- game tribute will be a must see for all.

“It’s kind of sad to see Babe’s career coming to an end, so we want to send her off in a very special way,” said Donald Moore, the Grasshoppers President and General Manager, and also Babe’s owner. “She’s been such a huge part of our team and community that hopefully folks will want to come out and see her at least one more time.”

        

Since making her debut on August 2, 2006, Miss Babe Ruth has become the face of the franchise. She enjoys fetching bats, taking baseballs to the umpires and running the bases following Hoppers home games. Over the past several years, she has received increased recognition from both the Greensboro and national community.

“When we sent her retirement release this past April, I had no idea that there would be so much reaction but I guess she has become such an icon and a legend,” Moore said. “It’s hard to believe time’s gone by this quickly because it seems like just yesterday she was a little pup coming back from the trainer.”

Miss Babe Ruth will officially conclude her career Wednesday, Sept. 2, having appeared in 649 consecutive games. Her brother, Master Yogi Berra, and her niece, Miss Lou Lou Gehrig, will carry on the family tradition of entertaining Grasshoppers fans.

The Greensboro Grasshoppers encourage fans to support Miss Babe Ruth by cheering her on at the game Saturday, Aug. 29. For ticket information, please call 336-268-2255 or go to www.gsohoppers.com."

- A Press Release

Miss Babe Ruth Prepared for Last Time Around 2015 to be Popular Canine’s Farewell Season

"Greensboro, NC - The Greensboro Grasshoppers announced today that Miss Babe Ruth will retire at the end of the 2015 season. The beloved Labrador Retriever bat and ball dog has entertained millions of fans since debuting as a 9-month old on August 2, 2006. Fans have grown accustom to watching her take baseballs to umpires, serve as the Grasshoppers bat girl, and run the bases nightly for 580 consecutive games.

“Babe is such a fixture at our ballpark that it’s hard to imagine a game without her, but the time is coming,” said Grasshoppers President and General Manager Donald Moore, and also Babe’s owner. “We have given this a lot of thought and hope she will have several years of good health and relaxation following her retirement. Babe will be 10 this fall and she deserves to slow down.”

                

Babe’s popularity has grown immensely over the years, as she has her own statue in front of the ballpark, her own souvenir items, and her own annual baseball card. She greets fans after every Friday and Saturday ‘Hoppers game along with her brother, Master Yogi Berra, and her niece, Miss Lou Lou Gehrig.

The team estimates that Babe has delivered over 3,500 baseballs to umpires and retrieved upwards of 4,600 bats in her tenure. She has also generated over $200,000 in income through her career-long sponsorship with Novartis Animal Health. 

The Grasshoppers kick off their 2015 home regular season this Thursday April 16 at 7:00 PM versus the Delmarva Shorebirds. For ticket information call 336-268-2255 or go to www.gsohoppers.com."

- A Press Release

Grasshoppers Announce 2015 Coaching Staff

"The Miami Marlins announced that Kevin Randel will be the manager for the 2015 Greensboro Grasshoppers.

Randel will be joined by hitting coach Luis Quinones and pitching coach Jeremy Powell.   Ben Cates will be returning for his third season as Athletic Trainer.  Trevor Ging will return as the strength and conditioning coach.

Kevin Randel will begin his first season as the manager of the Greensboro Grasshoppers.  He has spent the last three seasons as the hitting coach for the Jacksonville Suns, Double A affiliate of the Miami Marlins.  Randel is no stranger to Greensboro as he was the Grasshoppers hitting coach in 2010 and 2011.  He also played  for the Greensboro Bats during the 2003 season and part of the 2004 season.

Randel was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the 13^th round of the 2002 First-Year Player Draft and spent eight seasons in the Club’s Minor League system.  Randel Currently resides in Fuquay-Varina, NC with his wife Laura.

Jeremy Powell is entering his second year as the Greensboro Grasshoppers pitching coach.  Prior to Greensboro, he served as the pitching coach for the Gulf Coast League Marlins.

Prior to his coaching career, he spent two years in the Pirates’ Minor League system pitching for Triple-A Indianapolis.  Powell played abroad in Japan for Nippon Professional Baseball from

2001-08. He also spent seven years in the Minor Leagues in the Expos’ and Padres’ organizations.

Luis Quinones is new to the Miami Marlins organization and will begin his first year with the Greensboro Grasshoppers as the hitting coach.  Prior to joining the Miami Marlins Quinones spent time with the Cincinnati Red, San Diego Padres and Detroit Tigers in managerial and hitting coach roles.

Quinones was an integral part of the Cincinnati Reds 1990 World Series Championship team, with duties that included the occasional spot start, pinch hitter, late-inning defensive substitution and pinch runner.  He was known for his hustle and dedication.  He drove in what would be the winning run in Game 6 of the 1990 NLCS, a 2-1 Reds victory.

Individual Grasshopper game ticket, Season Tickets, Miami Marlins Exhibition game tickets, mini ticket plans and advertising packages are now on sale for the 2015 season.  For more information, please contact the Grasshoppers office at 336.268.2255 or visit www.gsohoppers.com."

- A Press Release