Clint Brown, Owner Of Florence Freedom, Dies Unexpectedly

By Mike Perleberg Florence Freedom team owner Clint Brown (right) has died. Photo via Florence Freedom. (Florence, Ky.) - The owner and president of the Florence Freedom minor league baseball team has died. Clint Brown died unexpectedly Monday night or early Tuesday morning, the team announced Wednesday. He was 63. According to a letter by general manager Josh Anderson, Brown collapsed in a hotel room the night before he was to travel back to northern Kentucky from Arizona. Brown had purchased the Freedom out of bankruptcy for $3 million in 2004. He was a steady presence at the ballpark and in the community. He opened the ballpark to local high school teams and brought two Frontier League All-Star Games to the facility. A statement from Anderson said Brown was a valuable member of the league and community. He will be sorely missed. “Clint meant so much to me and all of his front office staff, most to his wife Kim who is our Assistant General Manager. As you can imagine her world is upside down right now so all I can ask you to do is pray. Pray for the peace that passes all understanding,” Anderson wrote. “But while Kim truly was family to Clint, there’s not one on his staff that didn’t feel as if they were on the outside. Why? Because the man genuinely cared about the well-being and development of his staff more than any owner I’ve been around. He poured his knowledge and caring into the people he hired. That’s not a knock against other owners, but a tribute to ours. “During his life Clint owned other businesses, and they will all tell you the same thing. He cared so much and we lost a great one.” Anderson said the franchise will look to make the 2018 season one that would make Brown proud. Florence Mayor Diane E. Whalen said Wednesday the city was saddened by Brown’s passing. “We have worked hard to establish a mutually beneficial partnership between the city and the Florence Freedom. Clint’s goal was always to promote the team and the community and bring family fun to the fans. Clint, Kim and the entire Freedom Family are a part of our community. We mourn the loss of a member of our 'family,' and pray for strength for his family and friends during this difficult time,” Whalen said. Services for Clint Brown have not yet been announced.