FRIEDENSBURG - Distinct Golf and Hidden Valley Golf Course have announced the hiring of Michael A. Coe as course manager.
Coe's responsibilities will include organizing, coordinating and producing golf outings and leagues, along with providing accommodations to the golfing public. Coe will also supervise food and beverage operations, schedule staff and work in conjunction with the course superintendent to ensure an orderly flow of all operations.
Coe will graduate this spring from Kutztown University with a bachelor of science degree in sports management. He has worked the previous three years at Distinct Golf's Willow Hollow location near Reading.
Distinct Golf, founded in 1958, owns and operates five public golf courses in eastern Pennsylvania and central New Jersey. In addition to Hidden Valley and Willow Hollow, they include Wedgewood in Allentown, Fairview in Lebanon and Bunker Hill in Princeton, N.J. More information can be obtained by visiting www.distinctgolf.com or contacting Coe at (570) 739-4455, ext. 13 or via email at hvgolf@verizon.net.
READING - Dusty Wathan will return for his third season as Reading Fightin Phils manager in 2014, the Philadelphia Phillies announced Wednesday afternoon.
Wathan, 40, has a 138-146 record in two seasons with Reading. In his two seasons as the manager of the Fightin Phils, he has seen 14 players, including Darin Ruf, Cody Asche and Jonathan Pettibone, make their Major League debut.
Rounding out Wathan's staff will be pitching coach David Lundquist, who will be back for his second season, and hitting coach Rob Ducey, who will be coming to Baseballtown for the first time.
The Fightin Phils will kick off their season Thursday, April 3, when the team hosts the Portland Sea Dogs at FirstEnergy Stadium.
ALLENTOWN - Former Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Mickey Morandini has been named the bench coach of the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the Philadelphia Phillies announced Wednesday.
Morandini, who spent the last two seasons managing the Phillies' Class A team in Lakewood, will join second-year manager Dave Brundage, second-year pitching coach Ray Burris and fourth-year hitting coach Sal Rende for the seventh season of IronPigs baseball.
Morandini, 47, played 11 years in the major leagues and was a member of the Phillies' 1993 World Series squad. He has compiled a 161-189 record over three seasons as a manager in the Phillies system, also coaching the short-season Williamsport Crosscutters in 2011.
ALLENTOWN - The Lehigh Valley IronPigs are beginning a search for a new Coca-Cola Park public address announcer. Tim Chorones, who held the post since the team's inception in 2008, has stepped down after six seasons behind the microphone.
The process to replace Chorones will start immediately, the team annouced. Anyone interested in becoming the next voice of Coca-Cola Park must send a resume and a 30-second speaking sample in mp3 format to pasearch@ironpigsbaseball.com by Jan. 31.