Mustangs Named as Freitas Award Winner

BILLINGS, MT (November 28, 2012) - Baseball America has announced that the Billings Mustangs are the winner of the 2012 Bob Freitas Award for the Short-Season classification in minor league baseball.

"The Billings Mustangs are showing the value of their community commitment with their outreach programs, affordable pricing and 60 years of history in Billings. We are pleased to recognize Billings as the 2012 Bob Freitas Award winner for the Short-Season level classification in minor league baseball," said Lee Folger, President/Publisher of Baseball America.

The awards are named after Bob Freitas, the storied long-time minor league baseball operator, promoter and ambassador, who passed away in 1989. The awards are designed to honor clubs that exhibit sustained excellence in the business and operations of minor league baseball. Individual franchises are not eligible for nomination until their fifth season of existence.

"We are thrilled and deeply honored to be selected as this year's recipient of the Bob Freitas Award," said Gary Roller, Mustangs General Manager. "To be recognized by baseball's premier publication is indeed humbling, and to have our name associated with the legacy of Mr. Freitas is a privilege."

The Billings Mustangs club was founded by a group of local business persons and was incorporated as a "community-owned" club in 1948. It continues to operate as such today. Profits from the operation of the Pioneer League club are reinvested into improvements in their stadium, rather than distributed to stockholders as dividends.

"The successes that we've been fortunate enough to experience as an organization are largely due to both the fans and business partners that we have in the area, and each deserves much of the credit for this award," added Roller. "We embrace our role in the community and we are extremely proud to call Billings our home."

Since 1989, Baseball America has recognized excellence in minor league franchise operations with the Bob Freitas Awards at the annual Baseball Winter Meetings.