Chip R
07-18-2008, 04:30 PM
http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20080718&content_id=3147514&vkey=pr_cin&fext=.jsp&c_id=cin
Reds trio to receive Hall's Crosley Award
Bender, Bennett, Stowe to be honored Sunday
CINCINNATI -- The Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum today announced the recipients of the newly created Powel Crosley Jr. Award, designed to honor individuals who have exemplified the Crosley spirit of dedication and devotion during extended careers of service to and achievement with the club.
Scout Gene Bennett, clubhouse manager Bernie Stowe and the late baseball executive Sheldon "Chief" Bender will be recognized in pre-game ceremonies on Sunday. Bender's grandson, Eric Muller, will represent his grandfather at the ceremonies. Chief Bender died Feb. 27.
"The contributions of these individuals have been vital to the Reds organization, sustaining its position of prominence and respect in the game of baseball and the community," said Reds Hall of Fame Board President Bob Castellini Jr.. "We look forward to honoring these individuals on July 20 with this well-deserved recognition and permanently in a special area within the Reds Hall of Fame."
The ceremonies are part of the Hall of Fame Weekend activities that also include formal induction ceremonies tomorrow, when Barry Larkin, Cesar Geronimo, Joey Jay and the late executive Garry Herrmann will be inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame during on-field ceremonies that begin at 7 p.m. All those honored on Saturday and Sunday will be recognized at Sunday evening's Hall of Fame Induction Gala at Duke Energy Center.
*Sheldon "Chief" Bender - Awarded Posthumously
From his hiring in 1967 until his retirement in 2005, Sheldon "Chief" Bender's lifetime of accumulated baseball knowledge impacted virtually every aspect of the Reds' player development and personnel departments. Serving in a number of positions over the course of his nearly 40 years with the club, Bender spent the bulk of his tenure overseeing the club's Minor League operations. Under his watch, the Reds' farm system enjoyed the most fruitful period in club history, producing Reds Hall of Famers Johnny Bench, Dave Concepcion, Ken Griffey Sr., Don Gullett, Mario Soto, Tom Browning, Eric Davis and Barry Larkin. The talent that emerged from the farm system under Bender's direction was critical to the Reds' World Series championship seasons of 1975, 1976 and 1990. The Reds' annual Minor League Player of the Year Award is named in his honor. In 1998, Bender was crowned the "King of Baseball" by the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues for his long and successful career of service to the game.
Gene Bennett
Gene Bennett began his association with the Reds organization as a Minor League player in 1952. He moved into a part-time scouting position following the 1958 season and gradually saw his responsibilities increase until he was promoted in 1975 to scouting supervisor for Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan and Indiana. His many notable signings include Reds Hall of Famers Don Gullett and Barry Larkin, All-Stars Paul O'Neill, Jeff Russell and Chris Sabo and longtime Major Leaguers Charlie Leibrandt and Dave Tomlin. Larkin, O'Neill and Sabo were regularly in the same lineup during the Reds' World Series championship season in 1990. Bennett has also served as an advance scout at the Major League level for the Reds and has supervised countless amateur tryout camps. In 1992, he was named Special Assistant to the General Manager. A 14-time winner of the TOPPS Scout of the Month Award and recipient of the TOPPS All-Star Scout Award in 1988 and 1995, Bennett was elected to the Middle Atlantic Major League Baseball Scouts Hall of Fame in 1996.
Bernie Stowe
The Reds' clubhouse manager since 1968, Bernie Stowe began his Reds career as a clubhouse boy in 1947. Since that time, Stowe has devoted countless hours ensuring that Reds players' equipment and uniform needs are met and that the clubhouse is a comfortable and enjoyable place for players to prepare for the game and wind down afterward. A part of three of the five World Series championship teams in Reds history and six of the franchise's nine pennant-winning clubs, the excellence of Stowe's work has been recognized by his selection as equipment manager for four National League All-Star teams. In 2003, the Reds' clubhouse at Great American Ball Park was officially named after Stowe to commemorate his years of service and his role as a living link to more than six decades of Reds history.
Powel Crosley Jr. Award
In 1934, motivated by civic pride and a love of baseball, entrepreneur and industrialist Powel Crosley Jr. purchased a financially strapped Cincinnati Reds franchise. Crosley brought stability and innovation to the Reds. Under his nearly three decades of stewardship, the Reds organization introduced night baseball to the Major Leagues, saw the expansion of its home ballpark, solidified the grand Cincinnati Opening Day tradition, hosted two All-Star games, fielded some of the most memorable teams in club history and strengthened its position as an integral part of the civic and cultural fabric of Greater Cincinnati.
Reds trio to receive Hall's Crosley Award
Bender, Bennett, Stowe to be honored Sunday
CINCINNATI -- The Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum today announced the recipients of the newly created Powel Crosley Jr. Award, designed to honor individuals who have exemplified the Crosley spirit of dedication and devotion during extended careers of service to and achievement with the club.
Scout Gene Bennett, clubhouse manager Bernie Stowe and the late baseball executive Sheldon "Chief" Bender will be recognized in pre-game ceremonies on Sunday. Bender's grandson, Eric Muller, will represent his grandfather at the ceremonies. Chief Bender died Feb. 27.
"The contributions of these individuals have been vital to the Reds organization, sustaining its position of prominence and respect in the game of baseball and the community," said Reds Hall of Fame Board President Bob Castellini Jr.. "We look forward to honoring these individuals on July 20 with this well-deserved recognition and permanently in a special area within the Reds Hall of Fame."
The ceremonies are part of the Hall of Fame Weekend activities that also include formal induction ceremonies tomorrow, when Barry Larkin, Cesar Geronimo, Joey Jay and the late executive Garry Herrmann will be inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame during on-field ceremonies that begin at 7 p.m. All those honored on Saturday and Sunday will be recognized at Sunday evening's Hall of Fame Induction Gala at Duke Energy Center.
*Sheldon "Chief" Bender - Awarded Posthumously
From his hiring in 1967 until his retirement in 2005, Sheldon "Chief" Bender's lifetime of accumulated baseball knowledge impacted virtually every aspect of the Reds' player development and personnel departments. Serving in a number of positions over the course of his nearly 40 years with the club, Bender spent the bulk of his tenure overseeing the club's Minor League operations. Under his watch, the Reds' farm system enjoyed the most fruitful period in club history, producing Reds Hall of Famers Johnny Bench, Dave Concepcion, Ken Griffey Sr., Don Gullett, Mario Soto, Tom Browning, Eric Davis and Barry Larkin. The talent that emerged from the farm system under Bender's direction was critical to the Reds' World Series championship seasons of 1975, 1976 and 1990. The Reds' annual Minor League Player of the Year Award is named in his honor. In 1998, Bender was crowned the "King of Baseball" by the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues for his long and successful career of service to the game.
Gene Bennett
Gene Bennett began his association with the Reds organization as a Minor League player in 1952. He moved into a part-time scouting position following the 1958 season and gradually saw his responsibilities increase until he was promoted in 1975 to scouting supervisor for Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan and Indiana. His many notable signings include Reds Hall of Famers Don Gullett and Barry Larkin, All-Stars Paul O'Neill, Jeff Russell and Chris Sabo and longtime Major Leaguers Charlie Leibrandt and Dave Tomlin. Larkin, O'Neill and Sabo were regularly in the same lineup during the Reds' World Series championship season in 1990. Bennett has also served as an advance scout at the Major League level for the Reds and has supervised countless amateur tryout camps. In 1992, he was named Special Assistant to the General Manager. A 14-time winner of the TOPPS Scout of the Month Award and recipient of the TOPPS All-Star Scout Award in 1988 and 1995, Bennett was elected to the Middle Atlantic Major League Baseball Scouts Hall of Fame in 1996.
Bernie Stowe
The Reds' clubhouse manager since 1968, Bernie Stowe began his Reds career as a clubhouse boy in 1947. Since that time, Stowe has devoted countless hours ensuring that Reds players' equipment and uniform needs are met and that the clubhouse is a comfortable and enjoyable place for players to prepare for the game and wind down afterward. A part of three of the five World Series championship teams in Reds history and six of the franchise's nine pennant-winning clubs, the excellence of Stowe's work has been recognized by his selection as equipment manager for four National League All-Star teams. In 2003, the Reds' clubhouse at Great American Ball Park was officially named after Stowe to commemorate his years of service and his role as a living link to more than six decades of Reds history.
Powel Crosley Jr. Award
In 1934, motivated by civic pride and a love of baseball, entrepreneur and industrialist Powel Crosley Jr. purchased a financially strapped Cincinnati Reds franchise. Crosley brought stability and innovation to the Reds. Under his nearly three decades of stewardship, the Reds organization introduced night baseball to the Major Leagues, saw the expansion of its home ballpark, solidified the grand Cincinnati Opening Day tradition, hosted two All-Star games, fielded some of the most memorable teams in club history and strengthened its position as an integral part of the civic and cultural fabric of Greater Cincinnati.