Larry MacPhail Award

The Larry MacPhail Award is presented annually by Minor League Baseball (MiLB) to recognize the top promotion effort in the minor leagues.^[1] MiLB teams are known for using promotions such as theme nights, in-game promotions and giveaways, specialty foods, and fireworks shows to increase attendance at games.^[2] The award is named after Baseball Hall of Fame member Larry MacPhail, who introduced innovations such as night games, team travel by airplane, pension plans, and batting helmets.^[2] The award was first presented in 1966 and is usually awarded during baseball's Winter Meetings.^[2]

Forty-six teams have won the Larry MacPhail Award. The Columbus Clippers, El Paso Diablos, and Nashville Sounds have each won the award on three separate occasions, the most of any team, followed by the Charleston RiverDogs, Hawaii Islanders, Reading Phillies, Richmond Braves, and Rochester Red Wings, who have each won the award twice. International League teams have won the award eight times, the most of any league, followed by the Eastern League, Pacific Coast League, and Southern League and Texas League (6); the American Association, Florida State League, and Midwest League (4); the Pioneer League and South Atlantic League (3); the California League and New York–Penn League (2); and the Carolina League, Northwestern League, and Western Carolinas League (1). Eighteen teams have competed at the Double-A classification level, the most of any class, followed by Triple-A (16); Class A (10); Class A-Advanced (5); and Class A-Short Season and Rookie (3).

Key[]

Winners[]

The Nashville Sounds won the award in 1978, 1980, and 1981.

Rocky Bluewinkle, mascot of the Wilmington Blue Rocks, plays a promotional game in-between innings

A member of the Northwest Arkansas Naturals' staff uses a T-shirt cannon to launch T-shirts to fans.

"Country Legends" participate in a mascot race at the Nashville Sounds' First Horizon Park.

See also[]

• Baseball awards#U.S. minor leagues

References[]