Former MiLB president Peters dies at 90

It's difficult to imagine a time when the Minor Leagues were not as connected to the Majors as it is today, and baseball fans have Hank Peters to thank for fostering that relationship.

Minor League Baseball's sixth president passed away at the age of 90 on Sunday due to complications after a recent stroke in Boca Raton, Florida, as reported by the Baltimore Sun.

"Hank was highly regarded throughout baseball as a man of integrity and great character," Orioles current general manager Peter Angelos said in a statement. "His impact was felt by multiple organizations throughout his 40-year baseball career, and he will be missed by all who knew him."

Best known for being the general manager of the 1983 World Series champion Orioles, Peters had an enormous impact on the Minor Leagues. After working on the Major League side of the farm-system department for 25 years with St. Louis, Kansas City, Cincinnati and Cleveland, the Missouri native was put on the 1971 ballot to lead the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues.

Although he was worried his background was too Major League-heavy, Peters was voted in as president and began his term in 1972.

At the time when not all Minor League teams had a Major League affiliation, Peters advocated to build ties between the two leagues and create player development contracts. He also fought to keep struggling leagues -- like the Carolina, New York-Penn and Northwest leagues that had no more than six teams -- alive and helped them flourish.

During his time with the executive committee, Peters proposed many improvements to the Minors, including setting standards on stadiums, transportation and lighting, but at the time were deemed too expensive.

"If it had passed, it might have speeded up lot of things that the game needed and eventually got," Peters had said of the proposals. "Instead, we had to settle for a piecemeal approach, and moved on. We had [former MiLB exec] Bob Freitas and a few others going around the country to visit clubs and inspect ballparks. We wanted to share ideas and improve things as much as we could."

After four years of leading the Minors, Peters was named the Orioles general manager. In the Majors, he continued to help the game and those around him, including current Braves president of baseball operations John Hart, who was hired by Peters to serve as an Orioles Minor League manager in 1982.

"Hank has been the most influential individual in my professional career," Hart told the Baltimore Sun. "I've never known a man with more integrity, energy or passion. This is a tough time, a sad time."

Peters was named MLB's Executive of the Year twice during his 12 years in Baltimore before serving as the Indians general manager from 1987-1992.

"We celebrate Hank's instrumental role in the renaissance of Indians Baseball," Indians president Makr Shapiro said in a statement. "Hired in November of 1987 by Owner Dick Jacobs, Hank was the foundation of the rebirth of baseball in Cleveland that led to a new ballpark, modernized baseball and business operations and, ultimately, championship teams."