Carson named Florida State president

Chuck Murphy, who had served as president of the Florida State League since 1990, passed away last month at the age of 83. On Wednesday, Ken Carson was named as his successor.

Carson, the league's executive vice president since 2011, began his Florida State League career in 1986 as general manager and director of Florida operations of the Dunedin Blue Jays. He held that position through the 2006 season, at which point he was named a senior consultant for the Toronto Blue Jays. Carson is also an inaugural member of the Minor League Baseball Board of Trustees, having served in that capacity since the board's 1992 inception.

"This is a tremendous honor to be asked to serve as Florida State League president," said Carson. "It is even more of an honor to succeed Chuck Murphy, who was a great friend to me and widely respected across Minor League Baseball. I have been very fortunate to work for Paul Beeston and the Toronto Blue Jays for over 38 years, since they came into the American League in 1977. ... Paul has been a great leader for the Blue Jays and a close personal friend."

Beeston, who in 1976 was hired as the Blue Jays' first employee, reciprocated Carson's kind words.

"I applaud the Florida State League on their selection of Ken Carson as president," said Beeston. "He is a loyal, intelligent and dedicated individual who will serve the league very well. They are lucky to have him."

Carson, a native of Barrie, Ontario, and a certified athletic trainer, has enjoyed an interesting and varied sports industry career. In 1958, while still a teenager, he worked as a trainer for his hometown junior league hockey team, the Barrie Flyers. This was followed by stints with the minor league Niagara Falls Flyers (1961-64), Rochester Americans (1965-66) and, finally, the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins (1966-76). Carson's long association with Beeston began in 1977, when he was hired as the Blue Jays' first-ever athletic trainer. He worked in that capacity for 10 seasons and in 1980 was named the American League trainer for the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Los Angeles.

Carson, 73, has long been a prominent figure within the Dunedin community. He is married to his wife, Lillian, and has seven children, 13 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He was elected to the Florida State League Hall of Fame in 2012, as part of a class that included long-time Toronto Blue Jay Lloyd Moseby.