Press release Major League Baseball, Major League Baseball Players Association
Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) this week announced that Cathy Bradley, the longtime Executive Director of the Baseball Tomorrow Fund (BTF), will depart the industry’s joint grant-making initiative, effective this Friday, April 5th.
Bradley, who has led the organization since 2000, turned the Baseball Tomorrow Fund into a trusted source of funding for grassroots baseball and softball programs and the construction and refurbishment of facilities. With her evaluation of requests through in-person visits, the BTF has provided an estimated $37 million in assistance to more than 1,000 projects worldwide. Bradley advised municipalities, nonprofits, school districts, universities and other organizations on projects funded by the BTF and organized equipment drives for children in need. She supported many league-wide initiatives, including the distribution of more than $10 million from the MLB-MLBPA Disaster Relief Fund to causes related to the tragedy of September 11th. Bradley was the parties’ liaison to the National September 11th Memorial & Museum as well as to Scholarship America.
Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr. said: “All of us at Major League Baseball are proud of the Baseball Tomorrow Fund’s accomplishments under the guidance of Cathy Bradley. We thank Cathy for her tireless efforts to advance youth baseball and softball in local communities and wish her the very best.”
Tony Clark, Executive Director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, said: “Cathy served as an enthusiastic and effective ambassador for youth baseball and softball through the Baseball Tomorrow Fund for nearly 20 years. Her passion, effort and leadership made our game more accessible to thousands of young people in communities around the world. We thank her and wish her well in her future endeavors.”
Prior to leading the BTF, Bradley served as Manager of Corporate Affairs & Internet for the Milwaukee Brewers for five seasons. The University of Missouri graduate, who currently serves on the Board of the Historic House Trust of New York City, began her Baseball career with the Baltimore Orioles in 1993. She also worked for the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games in 1995-1996.