SL1 Mississippi Braves

M-Braves GM Named Light the Night Walk Corporate Chair

Published on June 27, 2008 under Southern League (SL1)
Mississippi Braves News Release


Pearl, MS - June 18, 2008 - The Mississippi Chapter of The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is proud to announce Steve DeSalvo as Corporate Walk Chair of the 2008 Light The Night Walk to be held on September 25, 2008 at Trustmark Park Stadium in Pearl.

Steve DeSalvo, a 49-year-old native of Centereach, New York, is in his 22nd season with the Braves' AA franchise and his 28th season in professional baseball, 27 of them as a minor league General Manager.

A Magna Cum Laude graduate of St. John's University in New York City with a Bachelor of Science in Sport Management, DeSalvo began his career in Daytona Beach, FL, as Assistant General Manager of the 1981 Florida State League Champion Daytona Beach Astros.

From there, DeSalvo was promoted to General Manager of the Auburn Astros of the NY-Penn League. Spending two years in Auburn, DeSalvo's club broke an all-time attendance record, earning him the league's 1983 Executive-of-the-Year honors.

In 1985-86, DeSalvo returned to the FSL as General Manager of the Ft. Myers Royals. At the conclusion of the 1986 season, DeSalvo accepted the position of Assistant General Manager of the Tucson Toros; AAA affiliate of the Houston Astros. However, three months later, DeSalvo was named General Manager at Greenville.

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In 1990, again in 1998, and just recently again in 2007, DeSalvo was selected as the Southern League's Executive-of-the-Year. His peers also honored him in 1997, receiving the "Outstanding Community Service Award" by the Southern League. In 1992, Greenville captured its first Southern League Championship under DeSalvo's tenure and when the G-Braves won the 1997 SL title it marked the fourth time DeSalvo has been General Manager of a championship team.

In October 2000, DeSalvo was elected Vice President of the Southern League. He also currently chairs the Southern League Marketing Committee and is a member of the Minor League Baseball Marketing Committee.

DeSalvo is the AA Braves representative on the Southern League Board of Directors. He also involved the Braves with many charitable organizations in the Greenville, SC area. In three consecutive years (2001, 2002, 2003), DeSalvo was named Man-of-the-Year by the Upstate Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in his efforts to raise funds in the fight against devastating childhood diseases. In 2001, he was awarded the Vocational Service Award by the Pleasantburg Rotary Club.

DeSalvo was also actively involved with an effort to save middle school sports in cooperation with the School District of Greenville County. His work, through the CORE Initiative, has assisted in allowing basketball, baseball, and softball to continue at the middle school level. In 2002, he was awarded the American Medal of Honor for his community service work, a national award presented through the American Biographical Institute.

DeSalvo commuted back and forth from Greenville, SC to the Jackson area during the 2004 baseball season and became a permanent resident of Rankin County in September 2004. Continuing the community efforts put forth in South Carolina, DeSalvo already sits on several community boards including The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Board of Trustees, the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi, Goodwill Industries, and the Leukemia Society Fundraising Committee. In addition, DeSalvo served as Chairman for the American Red Cross Ride for the Red and as Chairman for the Leukemia Society's Light The Night Walk in 2006.

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Light The Night is an evening walk and fundraiser held annually in communities across the country, to commemorate lives touched by blood cancer and support blood cancer research and patient services. Co-workers, family and friends teams, and individual participants walk together at twilight with illuminated balloons to support the search for a cure and to give families continuous care and support. The evening is a community celebration with music, refreshments, and family activities with no particular level of fitness required. LTN begins at 5:30 p.m. with the walk starting at 7:00 p.m.

"There is a light at the end of the tunnel and we are getting so close to finding a cure," said Ann Buchanan, Campaign Manager of the Mississippi Chapter of LLS. "The support from individuals, dedicated sponsors, and volunteers have all contributed to enhancing the lives of cancer patients and their families in our community. And for that we are truly grateful."

To volunteer or for more information about Light The Night, contact the Mississippi Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at 601.956.7447 or visit www.lightthenight.org/ms to register.

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Southern League Stories from June 27, 2008


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