RiverHawks' Shelley, Ciarrachi Pitch and Hit Club Award Winners
January 20, 2004 - Frontier League (FL)
Rockford RiverHawks News Release
CHICAGO â The Rockford RiverHawks collected two more awards this week at the 58th Annual Chicago Pitch and Hit Club Awards Banquet.
After a second straight record-breaking season, former Rockford RiverHawk Jason Shelley is the Chicago Pitch and Hit Club's Independent Leagues Player of the Year. Principal owner and team president Dave Ciarrachi, who brought professional baseball back to Rockford, was named the club's Minor League Executive of the Year.
Shelley broke the Frontier League earned-run average record and posted the second-lowest ERA in the six independent leagues. Before the Milwaukee Brewers picked him up, Shelley was on pace to break the league strikeout record for the second year in a row.
Baseball America magazine named Shelley its Independent Player of the Year in September. The Brewers have signed Shelley to a 2004 contract and he will join Triple-A Indianapolis for spring training.
Shelley was 7-1 with a 0.85 ERA and a league-leading 82 strikeouts for the RiverHawks when the Brewers signed the Frontier League All-Star on July 18. His ERA broke the previous record â 1.31, set by Joe Thomas of the Canton Crocodiles in 2001 â by nearly half a run. Shelley struck out a Frontier League-record 156 hitters in 2002.
Ciarrachi moved the RiverHawks from Springfield after the 2001 season. The RiverHawks have averaged more than 2,000 fans a game in each season and became the first professional baseball team in Rockford history to increase attendance from the first to second year. In November, Ciarrachi announced the construction of a new stadium at Interstate 90 and Riverside Boulevard. The stadium will be ready for the 2005 season.
The RiverHawks open the 2004 season on May 21 at Windy City, then begin the home schedule at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday, May 25th at Marinelli Field against the Kenosha Mammoths.
Frontier League Stories from January 20, 2004
- RiverHawks' Shelley, Ciarrachi Pitch and Hit Club Award Winners - Rockford RiverHawks
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