PRESS RELEASE – The Pulaski Mariners (Appalachian League affiliate of the Seattle Mariners) have announced the hiring of veteran husband-wife baseball management team John & Lois Dittrich to oversee team operations in Pulaski.
John Dittrich, a veteran of over 40 seasons in baseball management, will serve as General Manager while his wife, Lois, also a seasoned front office veteran will oversee the business and office management of the ballclub. Together, the tandem represents 80 years of professional baseball management experience.
As he takes the reins in Pulaski, Dittrich, 63, will have served as General Manager at every level of minor league baseball. He was previously affiliated with the Seattle Mariners as General Manager of the Calgary Cannons in 1987-88 when the Cannons were the M’s class AAA affiliate in the Pacific Coast League. His other stops include terms as GM at Greensboro, NC (Cincinnati Reds / NY Yankees) and Columbus, GA (Cleveland Indians) in the class A South Atlantic League and as Owner/GM in Amarillo (San Diego Padres) of the class AA Texas League.
“We are extremely excited to be involved with the Mariners once again and to be a part of the Appalachian League.” Stated Dittrich “This is a great opportunity for us to put an exclamation point on our career and to have come full-circle in our involvement with professional baseball.”
Dittrich’s experience also includes four seasons in the front office of the major league Texas Rangers, three years in the office of the National Association of Professional Baseball League (MiLB) and one year as Assistant to the President of the class AA Texas League.
“With the leadership John and Lois bring, there is no doubt the baseball experience for the coming season will be better than anything we have ever seen in Pulaski. These are dynamic people and they will produce a treat for our fans and for the baseball community. We are thrilled with the experience and vision they bring and we know they will be a tremendous asset to our organization.” said Wayne Carpenter one of the owners of the Pulaski Mariners.
John and Lois Dittrich have been married for 44 years and have worked as a husband-wife team at virtually every stop in their career. Lois has served as business/office/ticket manager at most every location. They have received numerous “Executive of the Year” and other awards and Lois was named South Atlantic League “Woman of the Year” in 1994. They have three grown children.
The appointment was effective December 1, 2013. John Dittrich can be reached via email at – john@pulaskimariners.net or by phone (630) 917-0814 (cell).
ballparkbiz.wordpress.com 
Chiming in on that – John and Lois have accomplished enough to be able to pick and choose where they want to be, not just where the jobs are if they choose to be anywhere at all besides retirement. I couldn’t imagine living AND working with my spouse, John and Lois pull it off well. Congratulations to them and best wishes to two of the best operators in the business.
A more accomplished pair of administrators the Mariners could not hope to enlist for the 2014 season. Best wishes to John and Lois as they venture out of retirement for, oh, perhaps the umpteenth time, drawn back by the irresistible siren song of the minor league circuit.