Minor League Baseball Announces Winner of Larry MacPhail Promotional Award

October 25, 2018 - Northwest League (NWL1) News Release

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Minor League Baseball announced today that the Eugene Emeralds of the Short Season Class-A Northwest League are the recipients of the 53rd annual Larry MacPhail Award, symbolizing the top promotional effort in Minor League Baseball.

The award has been presented since 1966 and is named after Hall of Famer Leland Stanford "Larry" MacPhail, Sr., who introduced innovations such as night baseball, airplane travel, pension plans and batting helmets. The Emeralds will receive their award at the Baseball Winter Meetings Banquet on Sunday, Dec. 9, at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Emeralds are the first Northwest League team to win the award since its inception.

"The Larry MacPhail Award is the most sought-after achievement in Minor League Baseball and we are so proud of our great staff led by Allan Benavides," said Emeralds Owner D.G. Elmore. "Winning this award is not just an award for the Emeralds and the Elmore Sports Group, but also for what is possible in a smaller market and Short Season baseball through creative thinking and hard work."

The Emeralds have long been one of Minor League Baseball's top promotional organizations, having been the Northwest League's nominee for the Larry MacPhail Promotional Award for the last eight seasons. Over the last eight years, the Emeralds have won Golden Bobbleheads for Best Charity Promotion or Event (2011), Best In-Game Promotion or Event (2014) and Best Community Promotion or Event (2016 - also won the Best Overall Promotion Award).

In their 37 home games in 2018, the Emeralds held 32 different promotional theme nights, ran 10 weekly promotions, had eight specialty jersey nights and conducted over 30 nightly promotions during games, helping them set a PK Park attendance record of 125,967 fans.

"We are so honored to be the first Northwest League team to win this award, as this league has some of the best operators and owners in all of Minor League Baseball. After being nominated for several years, to finally win the award is just tremendous," said Benavides. "Our staff works tirelessly year-round to keep our brand top of mind and our fun, sometimes experimental, promotions would not be possible without all the fun and creative colleagues we have in this industry whom we continue to learn from each and every year."

"Few teams across Minor League Baseball pack as many events and promotions into their schedule as the Eugene Emeralds," said Minor League Baseball President & CEO Pat O'Conner. "The Emeralds do a wonderful job of coming up with promotions that are timely, entertaining and popular within their community. On behalf of Minor League Baseball, I commend them on a job well done, not only for themselves, but also for the Northwest League and Minor League Baseball as an industry."

PAST LARRY MACPHAIL AWARD WINNERS

1966 Spartanburg, Western Carolinas

1967 Rochester, International

1968 Cocoa, Florida State

1969 Hawaii, Pacific Coast

1970 Wichita, American Association/ Hawaii, PCL (Tie)

1971 Oklahoma City, American Assoc.

1972 San Antonio, Texas

1973 Tucson, Pacific Coast

1974 West Palm Beach, Florida State

1975 Tacoma, Pacific Coast

1976 El Paso, Texas/ Cedar Rapids, Midwest (tie)

1977 Columbus, OH, International

1978 Nashville, Southern 1979 Columbus, OH, International

1980 Nashville, Southern

1981 Nashville, Southern

1982 El Paso, Texas

1983 Arkansas, Texas

1984 Columbus, OH, International/ Billings, Pioneer (Tie)

1985 Richmond, International

1986 Iowa, American Association

1987 Albuquerque, Pacific Coast

1988 Birmingham, Southern

1989 Buffalo, American Association

1990 Richmond, International

1991 Salt Lake City, Pioneer

1992 Ft. Myers, Florida State

1993 El Paso, Texas

1994 Reading, Eastern

1995 Kane County, Midwest

1996 Wilmington, Carolina

1997 Rochester, International

1998 Charleston (SC), South Atlantic

1999 Reading, Eastern

2000 Lowell, New York-Penn

2001 Tennessee, Southern

2002 Lakewood, South Atlantic

2003 Trenton, Eastern

2004 Altoona, Eastern

2005 Brevard County, Florida State

2006 Round Rock, Pacific Coast

2007 West Michigan, Midwest

2008 Ogden, Pioneer

2009 Chattanooga, Southern

2010 New Hampshire, Eastern

2011 Lake Elsinore, California

2012 Wisconsin, Midwest

2013 Charleston, South Atlantic

2014 San Jose, California

2015 Akron, Eastern

2016 Midland, Texas

2017 Brooklyn, New York-Penn

Northwest League Stories from October 25, 2018

• Everett AquaSox Announce 2019 Schedule - Everett AquaSox
• Minor League Baseball Announces Winner of Larry MacPhail Promotional Award - NWL1
• After Seven Mac-Fails, Ems Finally Win Larry MacPhail Award - Eugene Emeralds
• Canadians Announce 2019 Early Bird Schedule - Vancouver Canadians
• Spokane Indians Announce 2019 Season Schedule - Spokane Indians

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