Rochester Red Wings

 

 

 

 

Elected : USSSA New York Hall Of Fame in 2006
Inducted : 2007, Rochester, NY

Rochester Red Wings - Naomi Silver ' Chairman

Baseball City, USA ...that's the distinction bestowed upon Rochester, NY by Baseball America in 1998, and the title hasn't passed since. Rochester was granted this distinguished honor based on the city's rich baseball tradition, the Red Wings' operational and promotional skills, and unwavering fan and media support. The moniker embodies what we expect to deliver every season at 1 Morrie Silver Way - family-oriented baseball entertainment with a very personal link to the community.

The year 2007 marks the 120th year of professional baseball in Rochester. The history on and off the field is as rich as any, and our roll call includes Stan Musial, Bob Gibson and Johnny Mize, as well as more recent stars Jim Palmer, Eddie Murray, Cal Ripkin, Curt Schilling, and 2006 American League MVP, justin Morneau (21 Hall of Famers have passed through Rochester.) The Red Wings are winners, earning playoff berths 43 times since playoffs were introduced in 1933, and it includes a league record 10 Governors' Cup Championships. In 2006, the Red Wings fell one game short of their 11th, losing in the decisive fifth game of the Finals. Rochester is also a recent home for every major Minor League Baseball award, including the 2004 President's Trophy for franchise of the year. And in 2006, the world of academe weighed in, as we garnered a PRISM Award for excellence from the University of Massachusetts (which covered teams an all Minor League sports).

And we're unique in other ways. We've had only three Major League affiliates (Cardinals, Orioles, and Twins) since the inception of the farm system in the late -1920s, and are one of the few community-owned ballclubs in the land. In 1956 and '57, local businessman Morrie Silver - with help from venerable congressman Frank Horton and a generous Rochester community - engineered a stock drive that allowed the Wings to purchase the ballclub and Red Wing Stadium from the Cardinals. Our ballpark was later renamed in Morrie Silver's honor - Silver Stadium - and after his passing, his widow, Anna Silver, carried on the family tradition of family baseball for Rochester. It was later passed to daughter Naomi, who has been chairman of the board for years (and 9-year old Morrie and 5-year old Desiree are part of baseball's future in Rochester).

With uniquely positive circumstances in a diverse, baseball-friendly community, Rochester is indeed Baseball City, USA.