Bulls Honored By Raleigh Hot Stove League

The Raleigh Hot Stove League presented the Durham Bulls with its Board of Directors Special Achievement Award at the league’s 53rd annual banquet on the evening of Tuesday, January 28, 2003 at the McKimmon Center on the NC State campus. The special recognition honored the Bulls for winning the 2002 International League Championship.

The Bulls won their first IL pennant this past September under the direction of their all-time winningest manager, Bill Evers. The win marked the Bulls first championship since stepping up to Triple-A in 1998 and their first title since 1969.

Others awarded at the annual off-season event included University of South Carolina baseball coach Ray Tanner, recipient of the Will Wynne Award for outstanding achievement by a North Carolinian during the 2002 season; former Carolina League President Bill Jessup, recipient of the Willie Duke Lifetime Achievement Award; and Coastal Plains League President Pete Bock, recipient of an award for his contributions to amateur baseball.

The Hot Stove League Banquet was created to stimulate and create interest in baseball in the Triangle area. The event is concerned with promotion of baseball from the little league level all the way to the Major Leagues, honoring baseball legends such as baseball Hall-of-Famer Enos Slaughter, George Steinbrenner, Ted Williams, Johnny VanderMeer and Willie Stargell.