Dragons Awarded Minor League Baseball's Top Honor

Dayton, Ohio-Minor League Baseball™ announced today that the Dayton Dragons have been selected as the 2012 winner of the John H. Johnson President's Award. The Dragons will receive their award at the annual Baseball Winter Meetings™ Banquet on Thursday, December 6 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

The John H. Johnson President's Award is the top honor that can be given to any Minor League Baseball franchise. This award is given annually to just one Minor League team in the nation, from among 160 teams from all classifications (Single-A, Double-A, Triple-A). The Johnson award is the highest honor for any minor league franchise and it is based on the total comprehensiveness of the franchise.

The award has been presented annually since 1974. Over those 39 years, the Dragons are only the third Midwest League team to win the award, and just the second in the past 32 years.

"The Dayton Dragons epitomize how a Minor League Baseball club should operate," said Pat O'Conner, President of Minor League Baseball. "They have become a cornerstone for the community in which they reside."

"The award is an honor for the entire Dayton and Miami Valley community and the culmination of 13 years of efforts by everyone who has contributed to the Dragons success," said Robert Murphy, Dragons President. "Our community should be very, very proud of what they have accomplished."

In announcing the award, Minor League Baseball recognized the Dragons 913 game sell-out streak, the attendance marks, community involvement, and numerous other awards won by the franchise.