Speaker Bio

Dr. Charles Steinberg
May 8, 2007 (Tuesday evening/Annual Meeting)

Play Ball!
How the Red Sox communicate
across a multi-cultural playing field

Dr. Charles Steinberg joined the Boston Red Sox as Executive Vice President/Public Affairs March 1, 2002 after holding a similar position with the San Diego Padres, for whom he had worked the previous seven years. Steinberg began his career spending 19 years with the Baltimore Orioles.

He has now earned four championship rings: the 1979 American League pennant with Baltimore, the 1983 World Championship with Baltimore, the 1998 National League pennant with San Diego, and the 2004 World Championship with the Red Sox.

In his five seasons in Boston, Steinberg has been a creative force in the franchise’s fan-friendly attitude, warm hospitality, and ceremonies, special events, and marketing. Responsible for the fan’s experience at Fenway Park and for the Red Sox’ relationship with the community, Steinberg oversees the club’s communication, good will, and fan relationships. These areas include public and community relations, electronic and live entertainment, television and video production, and advertising and customer service.

Among his responsibilities and innovations with the Red Sox are:

• Opening Day ceremonies (including the presentation of the championship rings in 2005);
• players greeting fans at the gates;
• Father’s Day Catch at Fenway;
• Tribute to Ted Williams;
• Fenway Ambassadors program, and
• community events on September 11, Halloween, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, the birthdays of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Jackie Robinson, and Valentine’s Day.

Other career accomplishments of note:

• Emmy Award for his television production of the story of the 1998 National League Champion Padres.
• Telly Award for the video of the 1989 Orioles.
• On the field, Steinberg orchestrated the finale of Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium in 1991, the opening of Oriole Park at Camden Yards in 1992, and the ceremonies surrounding the 1993 All-Star Game.
• Created the Orioles’ first video production department in 1985, first customer service department in 1993, and ultimately headed its public relations department.

The Baltimore native’s baseball career began at age 17 with an internship from Gilman School arranged with the Orioles’ Jack Dunn III, grandson of the man who first signed Babe Ruth. He was Hall of Fame Manager Earl Weaver’s statistician six years and continued that position with manager Joe Altobelli through the Orioles’ World Championship season of 1983.

He worked for the Orioles while earning his undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland and his doctorate from Maryland’s dental school, and continued his front office work while also assuming the role of team dentist. In 1982, he became a founding and charter member of the Academy for Sports Dentistry.

An amateur musician and songwriter, Steinberg served on the board of the San Diego Symphony and performed “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” on the Fenway Park organ during Jimmy Buffett’s concerts in 2004. He was part of group that sang on the Dropkick Murphy’s hit song, “Tessie,” and appeared with Drew Barrymore in the Farrelly Brothers’ hit film, Fever Pitch. He is now on the board of the Boston chapter of the Anti-Defamation League and is on the Advisory Board of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts.