The 2023 Robert O. Fishel Award for Public Relations Excellence winner, Rich Rice, vice president of baseball communications for the Rangers, was presented with his award on Monday.
The “active, non-uniformed representative of Major League Baseball whose ethics, character, dedication, service, professionalism and humanitarianism best represent the standards propounded by Robert O. Fishel” receives the annual award, according to MLB. The first recipient of the award, Fishel worked as an executive for the St. Louis Browns, Cleveland, and the Yankees. Working for the American League, he was the recipient of the prize in 1981.
Rice recently completed his 23rd full-time season in Major League Baseball, including his 21st overall with the Rangers. Rice has spent the majority of his professional career with Texas, though he also spent two years in the Rockies’ media relations department in 2006-07. Rice, a Kansas City native, began his career as a Royals clubhouse attendant from 1994-99, later serving as an intern with both the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Cubs in 2000.
Rice is the second Rangers representative to win the Fishel Award, following John Blake in 1993.
The 30 clubs and officials from the American and National Leagues submit nominees for the Fishel Award, which is voted on by active past winners and MLB officials.
