League president Hayes wins Giles Award
The Giles Award annually honors outstanding service as a league president. The New-York Penn League has experienced tremendous growth since Hayes took over as President in May 2001. The NY-Penn set attendance records in his first two years in office, including 1,890,053 in 2002. Since then, the 14 clubs in the circuit have attracted over 1.75 million fans every season. Hayes has spearheaded efforts for league-wide marketing sponsorships. He also implemented a mid-season all-star game into the schedule, beginning in 2005. New stadiums for Aberdeen, State College and Tri-City that have opened since he's taken office have been among the sites for the All-Star Game.
"I am very grateful for being selected as the recipient of the 2009 Warren Giles Award," said Hayes. "This is a tremendous honor. My being selected for the Warren Giles Award, however, would not have happened but for the outstanding support of the New York-Penn League owners, GMs and staff members. To each of them and to Pat O'Conner and the entire NAPBL staff, I say, 'Thank you.'"
Off the field, Hayes, a relief pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds in 1982 and 1983, streamlined his clubs' numerous philanthropic initiatives through the formation of a charities foundation. Last year, the New York-Penn League Charitable Foundation contributed over $840,000 in cash and gifts-in-kind to causes in the baseball family and in the cities its clubs call home.
This year, the Foundation began awarding three, $2,500 college scholarships, representing each of the league's divisions. The four playoff clubs raised over $20,000 during the post-season for Lucas Holko, a 4-year-old boy who was critically injured when he struck by a foul ball at a Mahoning Valley game in September.
In addition to his duties as league president, Hayes serves on the BIRCO/MLB Advanced Media; MLB Farm Directors; and Professional Baseball Umpire Corp. Council of League Presidents Committees.