Brady Ballard has been honored as 2013 Florida State League (FSL) Executive of the Year for his work with the Daytona Cubs. Ballard was recently named vice president, Historic Dodgertown – Vero Beach, Florida by President and CEO Peter O’Malley. Ballard, the former general manager of the Daytona Cubs for the past four seasons, was an eight-year member of their front office.

Chuck Murphy, president of the Florida State League, said of Ballard’s selection:  “This is an award that is a long time coming. Brady did an excellent job in promotions, in attendance and he also works very well in the community, including a school education program that brings kids to the ballpark. He’s very organized, intelligent and has got great initiative.  It was a rough year for the club because of heavy rains and they lost games, but regardless of all that they set attendance records. He would be the first one out there with a squeegee mop to prepare the field and stadium. Brady would never ask anyone to do anything that he wouldn’t do himself. He’s a fine young man.”

The award will be presented to Ballard at Baseball’s Winter Meetings in Orlando, Dec. 10-11.

Previous FSL Executive of the Year recipients have included former Vero Beach Dodgers general managers Terry Reynolds in 1980, 1983 and 1985 and Tom Simmons in 1991. Reynolds, a former director of Dodgertown in 1988, now serves the Cincinnati Reds as senior director of professional and global scouting, while Simmons is in his 12th year as director of athletics at Ohio Northern University in Ada.

Under Ballard’s leadership in 2013, the Daytona Cubs won the Florida State League championship and set a per-game attendance record of 2,518 fans at Jackie Robinson Ballpark, despite 14 weather-related cancellations. Ballard worked diligently with various charitable organizations in the Daytona Beach community and, as a key member of the FSL marketing committee, spearheaded the league-wide agreement with the Florida Lottery.

Ballard is winding up his responsibilities with the Daytona Cubs this week and will report to Historic Dodgertown – Vero Beach to begin his work there on October 8.

He and his wife, Gina, are making plans to relocate to the Vero Beach community from South Daytona.

About Historic Dodgertown – Vero Beach, Florida

Historic Dodgertown – Vero Beach, Florida is a multi-sport, 80-acre complex on Florida’s Treasure Coast managed by former Dodger owner Peter O’Malley in a partnership since 2012. O’Malley, whose family developed and expanded the site formerly known as “Dodgertown” for nearly 50 years, partnered with his sister Terry O’Malley Seidler and former Dodger star pitchers Chan Ho Park and Hideo Nomo.

The home of Dodger Spring Trainings from 1948-2008, it was the starting place for six World Championships and 14 N.L. Pennant-winning teams. Numerous Baseball Hall of Fame players trained on these hallowed grounds, as well as 19 visits from professional teams in Asia.

The all-inclusive facility, owned by Indian River County, gives teams of all ages the unique opportunity to train, play, dine and stay together in on-site villas. Participants utilize one of 10 ½ playing fields (seven are Musco-lighted for night games), including a new cloverleaf of youth baseball/softball fields with concessions area and new multi-purpose field (110 by 150 yards) for football, soccer and lacrosse. Other amenities include clubhouses, two full-sized weight rooms, dining room, Stadium Club lounge and a competition-size swimming pool. The home of 6,500-seat Holman Stadium, Historic Dodgertown – Vero Beach, Florida provides an all-encompassing experience for guests and is the ideal setting to build a championship team. It’s the perfect location for tournaments, camps, schools, business conferences and seminars. Visit historicdodgertown.com for more