Franchise Presented with Bowie Kuhn Award
The RockHounds have received Baseball Chapel's prestigious Bowie Kuhn Award.
Presented during the Baseball Winter Meetings in Orlando, Florida, the award was accepted by General Manager Monty Hoppel and Ken Marks, who has served as Baseball Chapel team leader for the club for two decades.
"What an honor to receive the Bowie Kuhn Baseball Chapel award. Only one team in the minor leagues wins this award each year and, it is humbling that we were recognized," said Hoppel, who was named Baseball America's Minor League Executive of the Year for the 2010 season.
Established in 1973, Baseball Chapel serves "those in professional baseball who desire to deepen their Christian faith, but who are unable to attend church." The program ministers to nearly 3,000 people every week during the baseball season, beginning in spring training.
"Ken Marks has done our Baseball Chapel for 20 years and deserves all the credit," Hoppel added. "Ken does so much for our franchise, and he has touched the lives of many of our players and coaches."
Ken Marks' predecessor as chapel team leader, who worked in the oil business, was a few months away from being transferred out of the area. Ken, who was already active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, accepted an invitation to "come out and take a look" at chapel. The transfer came through "four or five days later," and Ken was told "it's all yours." That was 1990, two decades of Sunday chapels and hundreds of friendships ago.
"It's almost impossible to put into words just how much (the Baseball Chapel) ministry has meant," he said. "And to be recognized out of more than 170 baseball clubs in the country is very humbling. It's a joy and a pleasure to be able to provide an opportunity for these young men to worship and share their faith."
Some of the same faces Ken has seen in chapel, many of whom he stays in touch with, he would later see in the Major Leagues. "Tim Salmon, Brad Ziegler, Cliff Pennington ... the list is so long," he says. Others make a more subtle impression. During the 2010 season, one RockHounds player who attended virtually every chapel told Ken he "had never been to a formal church service in his life. That was remarkable ... and very rewarding."
Ken conducts chapel every Sunday on which the RockHounds have a home game. Chapel services are also provided for the visiting teams (as it is for the RockHounds players on the road) and umpiring crews. Over the last two seasons, chapel has included a service for Latin players, conducted by George Bernal.
"George has really helped us fill a void," Marks said. "So many of the young men from the Dominican Republic and Mexico have attended chapel, but language can be a bit of a hurdle. George communicates so well and provides a comfort level. The kids have really taken to him, and he's added so much to the ministry."
The Bowie Kuhn Award is named in honor of the late baseball commissioner, who helped give Baseball Chapel a foothold in its infancy. In the late 1960's and early 70's, Detroit sportswriter Watson Spoelstra had begun organizing Sunday chapel services for Detroit Tigers players. He approached Kuhn, asking him to allot funds to expand the project. Kuhn agreed, and Baseball Chapel quickly expanded across Major League Baseball (and, just five seasons later, the minor leagues).
Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008 (less than a year after his death), Kuhn spoke widely on his Roman Catholic beliefs during and after his tenure as baseball's top executive. One of his appearances was at the 1995 West Texas Sports Banquet & Memorabilia Auction, hosted annually by the RockHounds.
"I am so grateful for the serving hearts of Ken (Marks), Monty (Hoppel) and the RockHounds staff, who made this award possible."
"Bowie (Kuhn) was a business partner of mine, as well as a close personal friend, which makes this all the more meaningful. Bowie was instrumental in the founding of Baseball Chapel, which does so many wonderful things for players and their families.
"What a great year this has been for all of us."
Bob Richmond
RockHounds co-owner
Bowie Kuhn Award Winner, 1999
Baseball Chapel is an international ministry recognized by Major & Minor League Baseball and is responsible for the appointment and oversight of all team chapel leaders (more than 500 throughout professional baseball).
Its ministry is directed toward players, coaches, managers and their wives, umpires, front office and ballpark staff.
Baseball Chapel's ministry extends throughout Major and Minor League Baseball, and reaches outside the United States serving leagues in Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Japan.
www.baseballchapel.org