Larry MacPhail Award


The Larry MacPhail Award was presented annually from 1966 to 2019 by Minor [League Baseball] to recognize "a club that demonstrates outstanding and creative marketing and promotional efforts within its community, its ballpark, in media, and other promotional materials". The award was named in honor of National [Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Baseball Hall of Fame] member Larry MacPhail, a baseball executive who was considered an innovator in the sport, particularly in the areas of marketing and promotion. It was usually presented during baseball's Winter Meetings.
No award was given in 2020 after the cancellation of the minor league season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, Major League Baseball assumed control of the minor leagues and the honor was discontinued. The Golden Bobblehead Awards, previously issued at the annual Minor League Baseball Innovators Summit, began to be issued at the Winter Meetings in place of the Larry MacPhail Award to recognize the top promotional efforts in the minors.
Forty-six teams won the Larry MacPhail Award. The Columbus Clippers, El Paso Diablos, and Nashville Sounds each won the award on three occasions, more than any other teams, followed by the Charleston RiverDogs, Hawaii Islanders, Reading Phillies, Richmond Braves, and Rochester Red Wings, who each won the award twice. International League teams won the award eight times, more than any other league, followed by the Eastern League, Pacific Coast League, Southern League, and Texas League ; the American Association, Florida State League, and Midwest League ; the Pioneer League and South Atlantic League ; the California League and New York–Penn League ; and the Carolina League, Northwestern League, and Western Carolinas League. Eighteen teams competed at the Triple-A and Double-A classification levels, more than any other classes, followed by Class A ; Class A-Advanced ; and Class A Short Season and Rookie.

Winners

Number of wins by teams who won the award multiple times
^Indicates multiple award winners in the same year

YearTeamLeagueClass
1966Spartanburg PhilliesWestern Carolinas LeagueClass A
1967Rochester Red Wings International LeagueTriple-A
1968Cocoa AstrosFlorida State LeagueClass A
1969Hawaii Islanders Pacific Coast LeagueTriple-A
1970^Hawaii Islanders Pacific Coast LeagueTriple-A
1970^Wichita AerosAmerican AssociationTriple-A
1971Oklahoma City 89ersAmerican AssociationTriple-A
1972San Antonio BrewersTexas LeagueDouble-A
1973Tucson TorosPacific Coast LeagueTriple-A
1974West Palm Beach ExposFlorida State LeagueClass A
1975Tacoma TwinsPacific Coast LeagueTriple-A
1976^Cedar Rapids GiantsMidwest LeagueClass A
1976^El Paso Diablos Texas LeagueDouble-A
1977Columbus Clippers International LeagueTriple-A
1978Nashville Sounds Southern LeagueDouble-A
1979Columbus Clippers International LeagueTriple-A
1980Nashville Sounds Southern LeagueDouble-A
1981Nashville Sounds Southern LeagueDouble-A
1982El Paso Diablos Texas LeagueDouble-A
1983Arkansas TravelersTexas LeagueDouble-A
1984^Billings MustangsPioneer LeagueRookie
1984^Columbus Clippers International LeagueTriple-A
1985Richmond Braves International LeagueTriple-A
1986Iowa CubsAmerican AssociationTriple-A
1987Albuquerque DukesPacific Coast LeagueTriple-A
1988Birmingham BaronsSouthern LeagueDouble-A
1989Buffalo BisonsAmerican AssociationTriple-A
1990Richmond Braves International LeagueTriple-A
1991Salt Lake City TrappersPioneer LeagueRookie
1992Fort Myers MiracleFlorida State LeagueClass A-Advanced
1993El Paso Diablos Texas LeagueDouble-A
1994Reading Phillies Eastern LeagueDouble-A
1995Kane County CougarsMidwest LeagueClass A
1996Wilmington Blue RocksCarolina LeagueClass A-Advanced
1997Rochester Red Wings International LeagueTriple-A
1998Charleston RiverDogs South Atlantic LeagueClass A
1999Reading Phillies Eastern LeagueDouble-A
2000Lowell SpinnersNew York–Penn LeagueClass A Short Season
2001Tennessee SmokiesSouthern LeagueDouble-A
2002Lakewood BlueClawsSouth Atlantic LeagueClass A
2003Trenton ThunderEastern LeagueDouble-A
2004Altoona CurveEastern LeagueDouble-A
2005Brevard County ManateesFlorida State LeagueClass A-Advanced
2006Round Rock ExpressPacific Coast LeagueTriple-A
2007West Michigan WhitecapsMidwest LeagueClass A
2008Ogden RaptorsPioneer LeagueRookie
2009Chattanooga LookoutsSouthern LeagueDouble-A
2010New Hampshire Fisher CatsEastern LeagueDouble-A
2011Lake Elsinore StormCalifornia LeagueClass A-Advanced
2012Wisconsin Timber RattlersMidwest LeagueClass A
2013Charleston RiverDogs South Atlantic LeagueClass A
2014San Jose GiantsCalifornia LeagueClass A-Advanced
2015Akron RubberDucksEastern LeagueDouble-A
2016Midland RockHoundsTexas LeagueDouble-A
2017Brooklyn CyclonesNew York–Penn LeagueClass A Short Season
2018Eugene EmeraldsNorthwestern LeagueClass A Short Season
2019Lehigh Valley IronPigsInternational LeagueTriple-A