Salem-Keizer Volcanoes Recognized Nationally
Receive Minor Baseball's Most Prestigious Organization Award

Kathy Johnson
mlnsportszone.com

Keizer, OR. - 12.07.01 - The Nation's highest award for overall baseball excellence in the minors, the Bob Freitas Award, has been received by the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes.

The Bob Freitas Award is presented annually by Baseball America to the Minor League Baseball Organization judged as the best in its classification.

The Freitas Award, named for longtime minor league operator and enthusiast Bob Freitas, has been bestowed by Baseball America each year since 1989.

The program is designed to reward longevity in baseball excellence and to give recognition for present success.  A club's overall operations are judged along with their front office staff.

The Freitas Award is considered Minor League Baseball's highest honor.

At the Class A short-season level, the Volcanoes were named the 2001 Bob Freitas Award winner. 

"We are extremely honored and very excited," said Volcanoes co-owner/General Manager Jerry Walker. "This is a tremendous tribute to the entire Salem-Keizer Volcanoes organization."

The honor is more significant since this was the first year Salem-Keizer was eligible for the Freitas Award. A minor league team must be in existence for five years to qualify and this was the Volcanoes fifth season.

Having drawn more than 640,000 fans in their five-year history, an average of 3,400 per game, the team has shattered all local attendance records.

Prior to the Volcanoes arrival, only twice has attendance surpassed 100,000, once having been in 1946 with 103,000 fans and again in 1951 with 109,976.

The Volcanoes have exceeded 115,000 in attendance in each of their five seasons and the club's attendance has ranked in the top 10 for all short season teams across the nation.

"This is such a wonderful honor," said Walker. "Moving the franchise to Salem-Keizer and its success locally has been a great story.  Now to be recognized as the best by Baseball America, one of the top baseball publications in the world, is really special."

The award will be formally announced in the issue of Baseball America that hits newstands on November 23, 2001. 

An Award Luncheon will be held during the Baseball Winter Meetings in Boston, Massachusetts, on Saturday, December 15, when the Freitas Award will be officially presented to the Volcanoes owners, Jerry Walker and Bill Tucker.