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Ken Silver - Owner
Ken is entering his sixth year as owner of the Gastonia Grizzlies after he purchased the team in 2002. He is also the owner of the Forest City Owls who begin their inaugural season in the Coastal Plain League in 2008. Previously, Ken served as a member of the Board of
Directors for the South Atlantic League from 1991-2005 and was elected Second Vice President of the league in 2002. Ken was an owner of the Erie Sea
Wolves from 1993-1999. Ken sold the club in 1999 after the Sea Wolves were
granted AA status.
Ken was previously an owner of the Savannah Sand Gnats and Modesto A’s. He also served on the Board of Directors for the California League in 1992 and 1993. Ken is married to Bette and they have three children, Mike,
Kevin and Debbie and seven grandchildren. |
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Jesse Cole - General Manager
Jesse is entering his first season as General Manager of the Grizzlies. He spent last spring as a sales executive for the Spartanburg Stingers before traveling to Cape Cod to become an Assistant Coach for the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod League. Jesse graduated from Wofford College where he was a four-year starter. Cole finished among career leaders in starts and innings pitched and also set the record for longest outing, going 9 2/3 innings as a junior. A two-way player Cole was named Southern Conference Player of the Month as a freshman. He was also named to the Southern Conference All-Academic team three times and received the Southern Conference Commissioners Medal in 2006. Cole grew up playing at the South Shore Baseball Club in Hingham, MA where his father is a part owner. |
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Jamie Curtis - Assistant General Manager
After serving as the Administration Intern in the Coastal Plain League office during the 2007 season, Jamie Curtis returns to Gastonia as the Grizzlies' Assistant General Manager in 2008. No stranger to baseball, Curtis began her career path in baseball in 2001, where she spent the next two seasons working with the South Atlantic League's Kannapolis Intimidators (Single-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox). From there she moved on to serve as a Ticket Office and On-Field Promotions Assistant for the Durham Bulls (Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays) of the International League in 2005. In 2006, Curtis served as the Marketing and Promotions Intern for the Grizzlies, helping to oversee multiple areas of baseball operations. A 2007 graduate of North Carolina State University with a B.S. in Parks, Recreation and Tourism and a concentration in Sports Management, Curtis currently resides in Concord, N.C. |
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Tom Phelps - Marketing Director
Tom is entering his third season as Marketing Director of the Gastonia Grizzlies. The past two years he has also worked with the Spartanburg Stingers of the Coastal Plain League and he will now begin his first year as Marketing Director of the Forest City Owls. Prior to Gastonia, Tom spent 2001-2006 as the Director of Sales of the Fayetteville Patriots of the NBA Development league. From 1999-2001, Tom was Director of Sales of the Carolina Mudcats. Previously Tom worked in sales for the Washington Bullets, the Georgetown Hoyas and in 1994, Tom was the Director of Operations for the Burlington Indians. Phelps has a wife, Lea and a 1-year-old son, Kai Phoenix. His son’s middle name comes from Tom’s alma mater Elon where he graduated in 1993. |
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Eli Benefield - Head Coach
Eli is entering his second season as Head Coach of the Grizzlies. In his first season he led the team to a 16-38 record. Benefield coached 1 year at Davidson after he graduated in 2005. Benefield starred at Hunter Huss High School in Gastonia before going on to lead Davidson University as a four-year starter. He is the all-time career (57) and single-season doubles leader at Davidson with 21 in 2005. He is also top 10 on the all-time hits list for the Wildcats. He was also a three year starter and fan favorite for the Gastonia Grizzlies from 2002-2004. |
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2008 Interns
Wilder Clark
Wes Cogdill
Lauren Lee
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Director of Media Relations |
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John Chagaris |
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PA Announcer/Clubhouse Manager
Brian Rushing |
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Scorekeeper
Daniel Smith |
