Hoppel Named Executive of the Year

MIDLAND, TX - Texas League President Tom Kayser announced this week that General Manager Monty Hoppel has been named the 2013 Texas League Executive of the Year.

This is Hoppel's fifth time to win the award in his 24 year Texas League career. Since the award's inception in 1965, only legendary executives Bill Valentine of Arkansas (six) and Jim Paul of El Paso (five) have captured the Texas League honor on five or more occasions.

Monty's previous awards came in 1991, 1995, 2002, and 2009. The first followed the purchase of the franchise by Miles Prentice and Bob Richmond, a partnership which entered its third decade in 2010. 

"It is once again an honor to be the Texas League Executive of the Year. I have always felt the Texas League has the best owners and staff of any league in Minor League Baseball," stated Hoppel.  "I am humbled to be chosen because we have so many great operators."

In 1995, the Angels passed the 200,000 single-season attendance mark, an accomplishment thought impossible in a market the size of the Permian Basin (the Angels drew 202,830 at Christensen Stadium).

The 2002 season saw the opening of First American Bank (now Citibank) Ballpark and the Scharbauer Sports Complex. Hoppel spearheaded, as he puts it, a remarkable "grass roots" effort that led to the sports complex becoming a reality, ushering the franchise (and sports in West Texas) into a new era. 

In 2009, a season in which many franchises nationwide saw at least a slight drop in attendance, the RockHounds per game attendance actually increased. Including the four playoff games, which drew 14,246, the RockHounds reached an all-time attendance record (296,529) for the second consecutive season, setting new marks in the seventh and eighth seasons at Citibank Ballpark, a remarkable feat.

This season, the increases in attendance continued, as the RockHounds set a new single-season record of 317,233. Despite being in the 12th year of Citibank Ballpark, 2013 marked the eighth straight season that the club saw anincrease in per-game attendance (most teams in Minor League Baseball suffer a dramatic decrease after the first couple years in a new ballpark).

Since Hoppel was named General Manager in 1990, the franchise has seen 5,587,277 fans come through the gates to support baseball in West Texas.

"This award is a true testament of our entire RockHounds staff," Hoppel said. "We have such great people who all have contributed to our success.  I can truly say that I have the best staff to work alongside, and I appreciate all their expertise and hard work."     

Franchise Honors & Awards

   Midland Cubs

- 1979: Texas League Executive of the Year - Bill Rigney, Jr.

- 1979: Sporting News Executive of the Year - Bill Rigney, Jr.

   Midland Angels

- 1986: Texas League Executive of the Year - Bill Davidson

- 1986: Sporting News Executive of the Year - Bill Davidson

- 1988: Texas League Promotional Award

- 1990: Texas League Organization of the Year

- 1991: Texas League Executive of the Year - Monty Hoppel

- 1994: Texas League Organization of the Year

- 1995: Texas League Executive of the Year - Monty Hoppel

- 1995: Baseball America Bob Freitas Award (Nation's Top Double-A Franchise)

   Midland RockHounds

- 2002: Texas League Organization of the Year

- 2002: Texas League Executive of the Year - Monty Hoppel

- 2005: Texas League Champions

- 2007: Minor League Baseball - John H. Johnson Award (National Franchise of the Year)

- 2009: Texas League Executive of the Year - Monty Hoppel

- 2009: Texas League Champions

- 2010: Baseball America Minor League Baseball Executive of the Year - Monty Hoppel

- 2010: Bowie Kuhn Award (Baseball Chapel)

- 2011: Texas League Organization of the Year

- 2012: Warren Giles Award - Bob Richmond

- 2012: Baseball America Executive of the Year - Bob Richmond

- 2012: Special Commendation from Minor League Baseball for Years of Service - Bob Richmond

- 2013:   Texas League Executive of the Year - Monty Hoppel