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GREENSBORO -- The Grasshoppers have at least a share of the South Atlantic League’s Club Merit Award for the fourth straight year, the league’s president announced today.

The franchise will split the 2008 citation, which recognizes overall operations, with the Greenville Drive. The Hoppers led the league in total attendance in 2008 and hosted a successful All-Star Game in June.

“I had visited the club in April and was very impressed with it,” said Eric Krupa, who is in his first year as president. “When everything went perfectly for the All-Star Game, that was the icing on the cake. The one comment everybody made was how perfect the All-Star Game was in Greensboro.”

Donald Moore, the team’s chief operating officer, was named the outstanding general manager in the league for the fourth straight year. Allison Moore, Donald Moore’s daughter, was named community relations director of the year after running many All-Star logistics and supervising the team’s involvement with 300 nonprofit groups.

“It’s flattering,” Donald Moore said. “I’ve always said that running a baseball team in the town you grew up in is pretty special. I’ve never taken that for granted.”

On the field, the Florida Marlins affiliate finished 66-72 and hit 161 home runs, the most by any team below Triple-A. Outfielder Mike Stanton, who turns 19 in November, became the youngest U.S.-based professional player in at least 46 years to hit 35 or more long balls. He finished with 39 – one short of the South Atlantic League record and the second-highest total in all of the Minors this year.

Contact Rob Daniels at 373-7028 or rob.daniels@news-record.com