1960-2011: 52 Seasons of Championship Baseball

The Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks baseball club has entered its 52nd season. The Goldpan- ners operate in a similar manner as a minor league team: playing nightly in stadiums before fans, using wood bats and minor league specification equipment, and also enduring epic road trips by bus. Looking back, it is clear that the program has made a stunning impact on the baseball world. The Goldpanners were pioneers in the promotion of collegiate sports, and rode the strength of the amateur athlete to many victories on and off the fied. The Fairbanks club remains dedicated to providing minor league level competition in order to assist in the continuation of the athletes’ careers into the ranks of professional ball. Pic by Tom Dennis 2011 SEASON DEDICATED TO BILL STROECKER (1920-2010)

William George (Bill) Stroecker, Fair- banks’ best known civic leader since the days before Statehood, passed away No- vember 8, 2010, at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital.

Born in Fairbanks on July 31, 1920, Stro- ecker had the rare distinction of never calling anywhere else home, leaving Fair- Though started as a humble town team in the banks only in 1938 to attend New Mexico “North of the Range League”, the Alaska Gold- Military Institute and then again near the panners gained wide fame almost immediately end of World War II when stationed at after finishing second overall in the nation at Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada as part of the Lend-Lease Program. the National Baseball Congress World Series in Wichita, Kansas. Following the war Bill, the son and grand- son of pioneer Alaskan families, returned The curiosity of the Goldpanners being from the to Fairbanks and took the post of book- Last Frontier, mixed with the entertaining play keeper at First National Bank. He suc- ceeded his brother, Ed, as bank president of a ball team composed entirely of college ath- in 1967, remaining in that position until letes, endeared many fans in the Lower 48. The the bank was sold in 1978. continued successes of the club led to an almost cult-like following during the 60s and 70s. The Charming to the core, the rugged Stroeck- er enjoyed a wide-range of activities. His team’s allure has only continued to grow with musical talents are legend as he played each passing season -- and each surpassed re- his trumpet at many localfunctions. He cord and milestone. played regularly with a jazz band known as the Frigid-Aires. His interest in music, Over the years, the club has achieved numerous particularly jazz, ran deep and he spent many relaxing hours listening to the great national and international distinctions, leading to artists from the first half of the last cen- world-wide fame rivalling that of professional CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD: Charlie Cole tury. teams. The influence of the club in the base- CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER: Don Dennis ball world is still on the ascent even now. Be- PRESIDENT: E. Chilton Hines Bill had served with the Goldpanners in some capacity for roughly fifty years. sides the growing popularity of the Midnight Sun VICE PRESIDENTS: Phil Prax, Brian Rasley Game, the team’s alumni often continue with the ASSOCIATE GENERAL MANAGER: Todd Dennis game after their playing careers are over, and ASSISTANT TO THE GM: John Denning, B.J. Hall are now positioned administratively throughout SPECIAL ASSISTANT: Smith Barber all levels of play. STADIUM OPERATIONS: Shirley Stewart HOUSING OPERATIONS: Rhonda Lohrke In addition to the nearly 200 players to have TRAINING STAFF: Jim Kimbal ascended to the major leagues (and one - Dan FIELD MANAGER: Jim Dietz Pastorini - who joined the NFL as Quarterback), FIELD PREPARATIONS: Carroll Barber an increasing number have risen to the pinnacle VEHICLES: John Lohrke, Seekins Ford of baseball in the coaching or front office admin- VIP, Park Surveyor/Engineer: Jason Barnebey istrative fields. INTERNS: Joshua Gilberts (Management) Josh Collins (Broadcasting) In 2008, three-year Goldpanner Bill “Spaceman” Tom Dennis (PannerVision Production) Lee returned to Fairbanks and declared to the local press that the Goldpanners were “the num- www.goldpanners.com William G. Stroecker P.O. Box 71154 Fairbanks Son of the Midnight Sun ber one amateur baseball organization in his- tory.” 907-451-0095 / 907-456-6429 Yearbook/Card Design: Todd Dennis 2010 - Our 50th Anniversary Season Talented Club Wins Every Season Series ; 2nd Place By .5 Key pitching lapses keep the Alaska Baseball League crown out of Fairbanks. 105th Midnight Sun Game a 15- thriller. Club sweeps to record of 23-4 at Growden Park.

The 51st season (50th Anniver- reliever Kyle Brule of Oklahoma Baptist. sary) of the Alaska Goldpanners Brule, who started his career at Arizona came down to as close a finish as State, had three outstanding summers is possible in the Alaska League, as a closer for the Goldpanners and but unfortunately the Panners etched his name into the team record wound up on the short side. book. Cabral was a first-year guy who went 5-0 with a 2.47 aver- Pic by Duane Nelson The Mat-Su Miners claimed age. He started eight games and his the title when the Goldpanners 54.1 topped the club. dropped five of their last seven games. The unfortunate streak Freshman hurler Chase McDowell of came as the team was just one Rice made a late surge on the mound win away -- at the Anchorage Gla- and finished 3-2 with a 2.30 ERA. He cier Pilots -- from salting away the worked 47 innings and struck out 41 to title. But, when that game was lead the club in that category. lost on a dramatic walk-off home run the door was cracked just a bit A couple of Yuba College hurlers con- for the Miners. They responded tributed mightily before leaving the club. by taking 3 of 4 -- one game of Matt Vedo went 4-0 with a team leading Top row, from left: J.T. Chargois, Jarod Berggren, Jesse Sikorski, Kyle Richter, Derek Grieve, which had been rained out in Fair- 2.20 ERA while Zach Vawter-Scoggins Jake Stewart, Kyle Brule, Evan Simonitch. Middle row, from left: Jim Dietz, Jerrod Rig- banks earlier. The Miners needed chipped in at 2-0 with a and a 2.52 gan, Matt Mardesich, Jake Dziubczynski, Colton Plaia, Chase McDowell, Ryan Cabral, Mike two wins on the final day but wise- ERA. Tauchman, Liam Baron, Simon Kudernatsch, Trainer Mark Wellhousen, Austin Wooldridge, ly had their two top await- Dan Cassidy. Bottom row, from left: Zach Arneson, Elliot Van Gaver, Derrick Chung, Derek ing the depleted Panners. Simon Kudernatsch of Hartford U., a Wilson, Martin Medina, Kevin Roundtree, DJ Crumlich. Czech native, came to Fairbanks for a By the end of the Alaska season tryout and wound up the club’s lead- 2010 ALL-ABL TEAM: 1st Team - 2B: Derrick Chung,; 3B: Martin Medina; Relief: Liam Fairbanks was without a single ing hitter at .319. Second year third- Baron ; Closer: Kyle Brule; Starting Pitching: Ryan Cabral // 2nd Team - 1B: Mike Tauchman starting outfielder and had a baseman Martin Medina of Bakersfied banged shortstop/second base- slugged six home runs and his 28 runs ; SS: DJ Crumlich,; C: Kevin Roundtree; OF: Jake Stewart; Utility: Simon Kudernatsch; DH: man in Derrick Chung, a two-year batted in tied Jesse Sikorski of Johns Jesse Sikorski; Gold Glove: DJ Crumlich mainstay with the club. Without Hopkins for tops in that department. an outfield a trip to the national BASEBALL AMERICA TOP 10 PRO PROSPECTS KYLE RICHTER, JAKE STEWART & D.J. CRUMLICH tournament was aborted after Manager Jim Dietz went into the sea- reaching Denver en route. son needing just three victories to post his 500th win with the club. He got that The Panners set an Alaska milestone early on and moved all the League record of sorts when they way to 531 by season’s end. Those vic- captured the season series from tories coupled with all his victories lead- each of the five other teams but ing the Cascade Royals and Springfield still managed to lose the title by Mitchford Mack Bulldogs of Oregon, two one-half game. seasons at the Anchorage Glacier Pilots, and a really big 1980 season with the The club had some outstanding Boulder Collegians places Dietz at the pitching, primarily from starter top of the heap among summer baseball Ryan Cabral of Southern Cal and managers. The 52nd season of the Alaska Goldpanners takes on a look of something old and something 2011 - The 52nd Season of Goldpanners Baseball borrowed from the past along with something Goldpanners to Operate Two Separate Clubs During Summer new. New entry into the Fairbanks Adult Amateur Baseball League provides Goldpanners with more roster spots for local ballplayers. For the first time in decades the Goldpanners will be participating in the North of the Range of Houston Baptist leads the way at first while Kyle Gleason of the League, now known as the Fairbanks Adult Ama- University of Minnesota has a line on third. the middle infield will be teur Baseball League. The new wrinkle allows rotated among Cody Slader of San Diego State, and Mike Vaughn a training ground and perpetual tryout situation II of Fresno Pacific. The outfield will be patroled by Andy Peterson for Fairbanks and Alaska players aspiring to raise of Santa Ana College; Zac Fujimoto of Loyola Marymount, and Chris their level of baseball competence. Doyle of Grossmoont College in La Mesa, Ca. Doyle is the son of Jeff G. Doyle of the Fairbanks 1976 national championship team. The team, known as the Midnight Sun Gold- panners, has a season stretching from June 6 through July 18 and will play most every game at Growden Stadium. Former Fairbanksan Ran- dy Barber, presently head coach at Tempe High School in Arizona, will manage the team while the pitching coach is local baseball legend Sean Timmons. Player/Coach and assistant general manager with the team is Joshua Gilberts out of the University of Wisconsin, who himself lived in Fairbanks for a short time in his youth.

The Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks team will again be headed by Jim Dietz. It will be Dietz’ 15th season with the organization Pitching coach is Mike Hogan out of Orange Coast Col- lege. Hogan was a leading on the Gold- panners’ 1981 Alaska State Champion team. Catcher Colton Plaia of Loyola Marymount is the only returning player from the Panners’ strong 34-15 team of a year ago, Plaia will also spend some time this summer learning to work from the mound. Plaia is just one of several 2011 team members to hold credentials at more than one position. Ver- satility will be a strong suit of the team. Several of the team’s 11-man pitching staff are two-way players at their respective colleges. Leading the way in that category would be Chris Pfau of Lincoln University in St. Louis; Mac Acker out of Columbia Basin College in Washington and Mike Rivera of Fresno Pacific College. The infield appears solid with another group of ‘shortstop qualified’ players who will share the various positions around the horn. Robbie Buller 1960-2011: 52 Seasons of Championship Baseball Charlie Cole - Chairman of the Board Holder of Manifold State, National, and International Titles; Record 6 NBC & Kamloops 1960 Championship: North of the Range League In 1959, shortly after the passage of the 1961 Championship: North of the Range League Alaska Statehood Bill, University of Alaska 1961 Championship: N.B.C. Alaska Regional Tournament Fairbanks basketball coach Ray Wheeler 1961 Second Place: Alaska State Championship 1962 Championship: North of the Range League determined to field a baseball club. 1962 Championship: Alaska State Tournament 1962 Championship: N.B.C. Alaska Regional Playoff Ray sought to generate support from a 1962 Championship: N.B.C. Alaska Regional Tournament number of local baseball enthusiasts. In the 1962 Second Place: N.B.C. World Series 1962 Award: National Non-Pro Team of the Year process of preparing for the season, he or- 1962 Award: Most Popular National Non-Pro Team dered a set of uniforms to be manufactured 1963 Award: Most Popular National Non-Pro Team by a local sporting goods store: Pan-Alaska 1963 Championship: N.B.C. Alaska Regional Tournament Sports, which was operated by WWII vet- 1963 Third Place: N.B.C. World Series 1964 Championship: Alaska State Tournament eran H.A. “Red” Boucher. 1964 Championship: N.B.C. Alaska Regional Tournament 1964 Second Place: N.B.C. World Series Despite Wheeler’s best efforts that spring, 1965 Championship: N.B.C. Alaska Regional Tournament he was unable to get the team onto the 1965 Fourth Place: N.B.C. World Series 1966 Championship: N.B.C. Alaska Regional Tournament field. Boucher, then stuck with a set of uni- 1966 Championship: Hawaii International Baseball Tourn. forms for a team that didn’t exist, organized 1966 Championship: World Baseball Tournament his own push to see the project through. 1967 Championship: N.B.C. Alaska Regional Tournament 1967 Fourth Place: N.B.C. World Series 1968 Championship: N.B.C. Alaska Regional Tournament This he did, and 52 years later the Alaska 1969 Second Place: N.B.C. Alaska Regional Tournament Goldpanners is recognized as the all-time 1969 Fourth Place: N.B.C. World Series greatest amateur baseball club in history. 1970 Championship: N.B.C. Alaska Regional Tournament 1970 Championship: N.B.C. Big West Conference Tourn. 1970 Fourth Place: N.B.C. World Series The successes of the club during this pe- 1971 Second Place: N.B.C. Alaska Regional Tournament riod are numerous. Listed on this page are 1971 Second Place: N.B.C. World Series year-by-year results for all 51 Goldpanners 1972 Championship: N.B.C. Alaska Regional Tournament teams. 1972 Championship: N.B.C. World Series 1972 Fifth Place: Honkbal Baseball Week in Holland 1973 Championship: Alaska World Series YEAR MANAGER G W L % 1973 Championship: N.B.C. World Series 1960 Boucher 18 11 7 61% 1973 Championship: Kamloops International Tournament* 1974 Championship: Alaska Baseball League 1961 Boucher 16 12 4 75% Team founder H.A. “Red” Boucher enlisted in the 1962 Boucher 31 24 7 77% 1974 Championship: N.B.C. World Series 1963 Boucher 1974 Championship: Kamloops International Tournament* Navy at age 17, served in the Pacific theatre during 57 45 12 79% 1975 Championship: Alaska World Series 1964 Boucher 54 35 19 65% World War II as an expert signalman and meteorolo- 1975 Championship: Kamloops International Tournament* gist, and achieved the rank of Chief Petty Officer. 1965 Boucher 57 38 19 67% 1975 Championship: N.B.C. Far West Regional Tourn. 1966 Boucher 63 50 13 79% 1975 Second Place: N.B.C. World Series 1967 Boucher 55 45 10 82% 1976 Second Place: World Crown Tournament At Midway, Boucher served aboard the famous Big 1968 Boucher 48 37 11 77% 1976 Championship: Pueblo Tournament of Champions E -- the USS Enterprise. After the war, one of his 1969 Boucher 59 41 18 69% 1976 Championship: N.B.C. World Series tours of duty took him to the Panama Canal Zone 1976 Championship: Kamloops International Tournament* 1970 Olsen 57 38 19 67% where he was awarded the Air Force Commenda- 1971 Dietz 68 46 22 68% 1977 Championship: Kamloops International Tournament* 1972 Dietz 1977 Championship: Alaska Baseball League tion Ribbon - the only Navy man so honored for ath- 60 40 20 67% 1977 Championship: Alaska State Tournament 1973 Dietz 66 49 17 74% letic endeavor - for his service in the baseball pro- 1977 Championship: N.B.C. Northwest Regional gram at Albrook Field in the Canal Zone. Albrook 1974 Dietz 80 60 20 75% 1977 Second Place: National Baseball Congress World Series 1975 Dietz 68 51 17 75% 1978 Championship: Alaska Baseball League was one of a number of Air Force and Navy teams 1976 Dietz 82 56 26 68% 1979 Championship: Alaska Baseball League that Boucher led to championships. 1977 Dietz 78 48 30 62% 1980 Championship: Alaska Baseball League 1978 Hines 69 41 28 59% 1980 Championship: National Baseball Congress World Series Red and his family came to Alaska, settling in Fair- 1981 Championship: Alaska Baseball League 1979 Hines 66 45 21 68% banks in 1958 after John F. Kennedy told him there 1980 Hines 52 43 9 83% 1982 Championship: Alaska Baseball League 1981 Hines 1983 Championship: Alaska Baseball League was great potential in the far north territory. Field- 44 26 18 59% 1983 Championship: Top of the World Series 1982 Hines 57 40 17 70% ing the Goldpanners in 1960 was only one of his 1983 Championship: N.B.C. Alaska Regional Tournament local projects. He also served on the Fairbanks 1983 Snow 61 42 19 69% 1983 Second Place: National Baseball Congress World Series 1984 Snow 65 42 23 65% 1984 Championship: Alaska Baseball League City Council, and became mayor in 1966. Boucher 1985 Kelly 66 41 25 62% 1984 Third Place: National Baseball Congress World Series was elected Lieutenant Governor of Alaska under 1986 Weathers 62 39 23 63% 1985 Championship: Alaska Regional NBC State Tournament Governor William Egan, serving from 1970 to 1974. 1987 Weathers 59 40 19 68% 1986 Championship: Alaska Baseball League Pacific Division Afterwards, he served in the Alaska House of Rep- 1986 Fourth Place: National Baseball Congress World Series 1988 Weathers 67 46 21 69% resentatives and later served on the Anchorage As- 1989 Harrison 52 30 22 58% 1987 Second Place: U.S. Open Tournament - Hawaii 1990 Dietz 1988 Championship: U.S. Open Tournament - Tahoe sembly. He was also a telecommunications leader 57 37 20 65% 1989 Championship: Midnight Sun Invitational 1991 Dietz 61 47 14 77% in Alaska, boosting Internet access in remote vil- 1990 Championship: U.S. Open Tournament - Ontario lages. Boucher passed away at age 88 during the 1992 Dietz 47 22 25 47% 1991 Championship: Alaska Baseball League 1993 Dietz 59 36 23 61% 1991 Championship: National Shootout Tourney - Amarillo summer solstice of 2009. 1994 Baumann 55 36 19 65% 1991 Second Place: U.S. Open Tournament - Carson City Red won many accolades 1995 Parker 51 33 18 65% 1993 Championship: Alaska Federation 1996 Parker 54 24 30 44% 1993 Championship: Alaska Baseball League with the Goldpanners, 1997 Leppert 56 38 18 68% 1993 Second Place: Grand National Baseball Tournament none greater than being 1998 Cowgill 56 31 25 55% 1994 Championship: Alaska Baseball League named the “Manager of the 1999 Cowgill 1994 Championship: Alaska Invitational Tournament 45 24 21 53% 1994 Second Place: Grand National Baseball Tournament Decade” by the National 2000 Cowgill 48 28 20 58% 1995 Championship: Alaska Federation Baseball Congress, 2001 Jones 53 26 27 49% 1995 Championship: Alaska Baseball League operators of the 2002 Cheff 57 38 19 67% 1996 Championship: Hawaii International Tournament World Series of 2003 Cheff 55 38 17 69% 1996 Second Place: Kelowna International Tournament summer ball 2004 Cheff 45 29 16 64% 1997 Second Place: Alaska Invitational Tournament 2005 Cheff 51 39 12 76% 1997 Second Place: Kelowna International Tournament in Wichita, 2006 Cheff 43 21 22 49% 1998 Second Place: Kelowna International Tourn. Kansas. 2007 Gloyd 43 23 20 53% 2000 Seventh Place: National Baseball Congress World Series 2008 Gloyd 2001 Championship: Wood Bat Invitational Tournament 38 18 20 47% 2002 Championship: Alaska Baseball League 2009 Gloyd/Dietz 73 34 39 46% 2002 Championship: N.B.C. World Series 2010 Dietz 49 34 15 69% 2003 Championship: Alaska Baseball League 2005 Championship: Alaska Baseball League 2005 Winners: Midnight Sun Game Centennial TOTALS 2,834 1,853 977 65% 2009 Championship: Kamloops International Tournament Raymond “Hap” Dumont 1960-2011: 52 Seasons of Championship Baseball Charlie Cole - Chairman of the Board Boucher strengthened the organization’ ties to the Fairbanks com- munity by organizing a volunteer director board in 1963. The duties of the Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks Board of Directors are all geared toward supporting the careers of Outside college athletes pur- suing pro ball, and Fairbanks athletes pursuing college scholarships.

Name Joined Departed *Deceased

* Bill Ackiss 03/14/73 1974 Carl Johnson 07/01/95 2004 Cynthia Adams 05/12/02 2008 Martha Johnson 07/12/89 1995 John Luther Adams 05/12/02 2008 Steve Karakash 04/07/65 1967 * Steve Agbaba 04/12/67 1970 Jim Kelly 03/24/76 1980 Terry Aldridge 05/01/92 ACTIVE Ed Kennedy 03/25/70 1972 Russ Amerson 10/12/77 2008 Jim Kimbal 05/13/09 ACTIVE Brad Amundson 05/01/92 1995 Mark Klaich 02/23/72 1976 Roger Anderson 05/20/81 1982 * Jane Knox 05/01/92 2007 * Lenny Arsenault 03/05/80 1991 Barney Kopf 03/09/67 1980 Carroll Barber 03/17/86 ACTIVE Barney Kopf 01/31/86 1987 Jason Barnebey 05/13/09 ACTIVE * Julius Kornfeind 11/02/77 1995 Dan Barrett 03/05/80 1980 Walt Kozie 03/10/71 1982 Cliff Batye 05/08/07 2008 Eric Kuntz ACTIVE Dr. James Beckley 09/20/66 1980 Lee Lambert 11/11/81 1988 * Ben Bennett 04/22/81 1981 Marc Langland 02/28/73 1977 * Bob Bloom 03/10/71 1973 Marc Langland 01/30/80 1982 * Bill Boggess 04/17/68 1968 * Mike Lawless 05/26/10 2010 * H.A. (Red) Boucher 05/28/63 1972 Ed Lawrence 05/11/84 1988 * H.A. (Red) Boucher 11/29/89 2009 * Ray Leach 02/05/69 1975 Heide Boucher 06/21/69 ACTIVE * Ted Lehne 03/26/69 1974 Mark Boyer 06/17/87 1995 * Tony Licalsi 07/22/83 1995 Tom Brice 06/17/97 2006 Dick Lobdell 03/20/74 1975 Lee Bridgeman 03/07/01 2004 John Lohrke 04/14/04 ACTIVE Mark Browning ACTIVE A.J. Maestas 05/26/10 ACTIVE The Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks have named their first new Chair- Rob’t Marcinkowski 05/26/10 Andy Bruce 07/22/83 1987 ACTIVE man of the Board since Bill Stroecker became President in 1965. * Don Bruce 12/01/71 1992 * Jack Markstrom 04/28/65 1966 * Lloyd Burgess 05/06/65 1969 * Harvey Marlin 04/28/65 1968 * Fred R. Burnett 05/28/63 1963 Harvey Marlin III 04/18/79 1983 Charles E. Cole, a local attorney and former Alaska Attorney General, Wally Burnett 05/28/63 ACTIVE Jon McCoy ACTIVE is actually returning to a post he occupied in the early 1960s. As the Jim McNamee 03/22/67 * John Butrovich 05/31/66 1978 * 1969 board was formed following the 1962 season, it was Cole who led the * Harold Byrd 02/15/67 1995 Bob Meath 04/06/77 1987 Phil Carboy 06/03/70 1980 * Ed Merdes 03/22/67 1991 organizational efforts and served as chair until Stroecker’s election in * Ernie Carter 05/28/63 1968 Ward Merdes 05/08/92 1995 the spring of1965. Thus, Cole and Stroecker are the only two presiding Ed Carroway 05/21/65 1967 Ward Merdes 05/13/09 ACTIVE officers in the 52-year history of the team and its directors. Wally Cathcart III 03/12/75 1975 * Tony Messina 03/19/68 1978 Jerry Cleworth * Tom Miklautsch 04/05/65 1995 Jack Clowers 05/26/82 1984 * Gene Miller 01/24/68 1976 Following a successful career at Stanford he moved into professional Dean Clowers 05/01/92 1996 Mike Minsky 05/20/87 2003 ball for three years and then wound up in Fairbanks where he was a Charles Cole 05/28/63 ACTIVE Harold Moles 07/01/81 1991 fixture on the local diamonds throughout the 1950s. Charlie topped off Tom Moyer 07/15/87 2008 * Al Collins 04/12/67 1967 his Fairbanks baseball career with a pitching win in the 1958 Midnight * George Craft 03/10/71 1980 * Jack Murphy 01/24/68 1987 * Bill Creighton 03/20/74 1981 Steve Nerland 03/24/76 1980 Sun Game. On the very day the bill for Alaskan statehood was on the Chuck Culver 03/30/83 1995 * Carl Noble 05/06/83 1995 floor of the US Senate, Charlie started and beat the Ladd Field All-Stars Sheena Cummings 05/07/08 2010 Ed Orbeck 06/07/63 1969 in the 53rd playing of the Midnight Sun Game -- which marks the exact Bill Pair 01/30/80 1981 * Hap Currington 05/04/77 1977 half-way point to this year’s 106th playing of the game.. Chris Custer 05/08/07 2009 Steve Peek 05/07/08 ACTIVE Frank Danner 04/05/66 1970 Ed Perkowski 05/04/77 1978 * Bob Davis 03/10/71 2000 Mark Poole 05/09/86 1991 Charlie’s post-baseball career included many distinctions. He was Ron Davis 03/29/67 1976 Phil Prax 03/07/01 ACTIVE the former Attorney General of the State of Alaska (from 1991-1994) Lowell Purcell 05/01/92 2000 Frank DeLong 04/06/77 1982 * – personally negotiating with the president of Exxon in the wake of the Don Dennis 01/31/68 ACTIVE * Phil Ramos 03/18/81 1981 Steve Dennis 05/12/92 1998 Dale Rankin 03/26/75 1995 1989 spill. He was the Assistant Attorney General for the Territory of Todd Dennis 04/07/01 ACTIVE Brian Rasley 05/07/03 ACTIVE Alaska, and Fairbanks city magistrate. For that first race for magistrate * Jim Desmond 07/31/66 1969 * Dave Rasley 05/20/81 2009 -- in 1955, mere weeks after having arrived in town -- Charlie beat out Luella Rasley 05/13/09 HON. Jim Dieringer 06/09/82 ACTIVE George Sullivan, who then moved to Anchorage. Jim Dixon 05/13/09 ACTIVE Gretchen Ray 05/07/03 ACTIVE * Robert Dixon 05/28/63 1963 * Dr. Joseph Ribar 04/05/65 1966 Larry Dotson 05/13/09 ACTIVE * Les Rogers 03/16/77 1995 Bob Douglass 05/01/92 ACTIVE Doyle Ruff 06/15/84 1987 Bob Downes 03/05/80 2001 Mort Schierhorn 12/07/77 1980 * Joe Eisenmenger 03/12/69 1973 * Leo Schlotfeldt 05/08/65 1971 * Gerald Evans 04/05/65 1969 Ralph Seekins 03/28/79 1991 * Judge Vern Forbes 03/22/67 1969 Mike Sfraga 06/24/87 1990 * Gerald Finley 04/05/65 1967 Harris Shelton 05/14/82 1992 Kevin Fitzgerald ACTIVE Jack Shuttleworth 03/10/71 1987 * Al Fleetwood 03/22/67 1972 * C.W. Snedden 05/28/63 1967 * Joe Franich 05/28/63 1978 * Duane Snedden 03/27/68 1990 * Robert Francis 2010 Dr. Bryce Stallard 03/24/80 1980 Paul Gavora 03/22/67 1972 Rod Stephens 05/07/08 ACTIVE John Glidden 05/09/86 1990 Steve Stephens 03/14/73 ACTIVE Conrad Gonzalez 06/09/09 ACTIVE Mike Stepovich 05/28/63 1967 Les Gray 05/27/70 1971 Mike Stepovich III 05/25/84 1987 Dale Green 04/07/65 1965 John Stein 05/13/81 1987 * Les Gunderson 01/19/72 1980 Dave Stewart 03/10/71 1973 B.J. Hall 03/06/81 1982 * Bill Stroecker 05/28/63 2010 B.J. Hall 02/28/86 ACTIVE Jay Sullivan 07/12/78 1981 * Bob Hardin 03/13/74 1977 Tim Sullivan 05/09/86 1988 * Col. Ken Haycraft 05/21/65 1982 * Dave Swanson 11/04/81 2010 Jim Hayes 06/07/91 2003 Danny Thomas 03/17/76 1981 * Ken Henry 04/17/74 1977 Sean Timmons 05/08/07 ACTIVE Hank Heuvel 04/14/76 1979 L.K. Virgin 03/29/67 1969 Al Hines 04/26/89 2009 Nate Voegeli 03/16/01 2004 E. Chilton Hines 02/17/95 ACTIVE Bob Vogt 03/06/68 1970 Lynn Hines 02/17/95 2009 * Dick Ward 01/24/68 1969 Bud Hollowell 03/18/81 1981 * Bill Waugaman 04/05/65 1969 Don Hoover 04/07/77 1980 Emmitt Wilson 04/12/67 1972 Bill Hutchinson 03/12/75 1976 * Sam Woodke 04/18/79 2010 Jim Jasperson 04/18/79 1981 Dale Woody 03/12/75 1978 Norm Jenkins 02/28/86 ACTIVE Dale Yoder 03/12/75 1980 Raymond “Hap” Dumont Shirley Jenkins 02/28/86 ACTIVE Assistant AG for AK Territory Charlie Cole Alaska Territorial Governor Mike Stepovich 1960: Goldpanners Adopts Midnight Sun Game Tradition World Famous Event Enriched by the Player and Opponent Recruiting of the Goldpanners The Midnight Sun Game tradition dates back to the earliest days of Fairbanks, Alaska. During the winter of 1905/06, two local pubs bet bragging rights for the entire winter (plus a few incidentals) on the outcome of the game. From there, the novelty of the event led to outsiders being imported to take on the Fairbanks team. In the first year of operation for the Goldpanners ballclub, Red Boucher recognized the novelty of the promotion, and the opportunity the game offered to represent Fairbanks to the outside world.

# WINNING PITCHER BASEBALL’S MOST NATURAL PROMOTION 1 1906 California Bar 7 Eagles Club 4 Ross/Stroecker 2 1907 Tanana Company 2 Eagles Club 1 McLaughlin 3 1908 Arctic Brotherhood 3 Northern Commercial 2 Wakefield 4 1909 California Bar 8 N.M.’s 7 Each June 21, on the longest day of the year (with a full 24 hours of light in the 5 1910 California Bar 8 Athletics 11 Courtemanche 6 1911 California Bar 16 Arctic Senators 11 Jack Buckley vast Tanana Valley), Fairbanksans celebrate the coming of the summer solstice 7 1912 Van Dycks 20 Eagles Club 5 Eddie Stroecker in a variety of ways, including baseball at midnight. Never once has artificial 8 1913 Van Dycks 11 Marquettes 13 Jack Buckley 9 1914 Van Dycks 11 Marquettes 9 lighting been used for this unique event, and never has the game been delayed 10 1915 Van Dycks 11 Eagles Club 9 Eddie Stroecker due to darkness. 11 1916 Van Dycks 5 Marquettes 6 Howard Logan 12 1917 Van Dycks Fairbanks Clothing Stanford 13 1918 Fairbanks All-Stars 20 Nenana 7 Beam Since the Goldpanners are the farthest North ballclub on Earth, where in summer 14 1919 Fairbanks Men Professionals 15 1920 Van Dycks 9 Fairbanks Clothing 7 Charles Gies the sun rarely stops shining, the team annually takes advantage of its unique 16 1921 Impromptu Only No News Report geographic location by staging a baseball game during the midnight hour. 17 1922 Yannigans Revelers 18 1923 Fairbanks All-Stars 4 Nenana 2 19 1924 Anchorage AK RR 6 Fairbanks Giants 0 With Fairbanks a mere 160 miles South of the Arctic Circle, the sun is just be- 20 1925 Radio Station 5 Sawmill 2 21 1926 Anchorage 8 Fairbanks 2 Bortz ginning to set in the North as the game gets under way and, at its conclusion 22 1927 Fairbanks All-Stars 6 F.E. Company Athletics 2 some three hours later, the sun begins to rise again - also in the North. It is a 23 1928 Fairbanks All-Stars 7 F.E. Company Athletics 6 Shaw 24 1929 Fairbanks All-Stars 4 F.E. Company Athletics 5 Hinsey phenomenon ever so rare. 25 1930 Standard Oil 7 Fairbanks 0 Ralph Wien 26 1931 Fairbanks All-Stars F.E. Company Athletics 27 1932 Independents 8 Fairbanks All-Stars 4 Herb Johnson There is no other team tradition in baseball history to match that of Fairbanks and 28 1933 Fairbanks All-Stars 18 Independents 7 Abie Holt its annual midnight baseball game. Certainly there is no other team tradition as 29 1934 Impromptu Only No News Report 30 1935 Area Miners 9 Fairbanks All-Stars 4 old as the Midnight Sun Game. The World Series of - 31 1936 Fairbanks All-Stars 3 Area Miners 1 W. Locey which is the promotion of no single team (not even the Yankees) - is a mere three 32 1937 Impromptu Only No News Report 33 1938 Shields Baseball 6 Shields Softball 1 Selwyn Young years older than the annual solstice classic in Fairbanks. 34 1939 Cushman Merchants F.E. Company Athletics 35 1940 Ester Miners 3 Fairbanks Cubs 2 Vern Reake 36 1941 Cushman Merchants Ladd Field All-Stars The “high noon at midnight” classic originated in Fairbanks in 1906 at the direction 37 1942 Fairbanks All-Stars 8 F.E. Miners 5 L. Albin of local ballplayer and bartender Eddie Stroecker. Every year since it was a ritual 38 1943 Quartermasters 6 Ladd Field All-Stars 2 Treskovich 39 1944 Edmonton Yanks 3 Ladd Field All-Stars 4 to play the game on the solstice. The Goldpanners, led by H.A. “Red” Boucher, 40 1945 Team Attu 4 Ladd Field All-Stars 3 Johnson adopted the concept in 1960 -- the club’s very first year of competition. 41 1946 Ladd Field All-Stars 8 Fairbanks Allies 7 Allen 42 1947 Ladd Field Eagles 8 Fairbanks All-Stars 5 B. Brown 43 1948 Ladd Field All-Stars 12 Midnight Sun All-Stars 2 Joe Lagosky Though each game is unique in its own way, that first solstice game was truly a 44 1949 Fairbanks All-Stars 3 Ladd Field All-Stars 2 Valentine 45 1950 Fairbanks All-Stars 5 Anchorage U.S. Army 2 classic, as the enthusiasttic Boucher led the Goldpanners to a 11-0 victory over 46 1951 Military Stars 4 Fairbanks All-Stars 0 Newman the Fairbanks Pioneers. One of the finest moments in the history of the event 47 1952 Ladd Field All-Stars 2 Fairbanks All-Stars 1 Klesitz 48 1953 Fairbanks All-Stars 6 Military Stars 2 Brow came in 1967, when Kumagai-Gumi Japan was the visiting team. With the Pan- 49 1954 Fairbanks All-Stars 5 Ladd Field All Stars 0 B. Roberts ners fresh off of a World Championship against Japan, the game took on great 50 1955 Ladd Field All-Stars 20 Eielson All Stars 8 L. Wineburn 51 1956 Eielson Air Force 5 Ladd Field All-Stars 7 B. Edwards international significance The Goldpanners’ starting pitcher for that game was 52 1957 Sportland Bees 6 Air Force All-Stars 0 Floyd Brower Bill (later “Spaceman”) Lee. 53 1958 Sportland Bees 5 Ladd Field All-Stars 3 Charlie Cole 54 1959 Anchorage All-Stars 16 Fairbanks Sales & Service 6 Frank Keenan 55 1960 Alaska Goldpanners 11 Fairbanks Pioneers 0 Ray Wheeler 56 1961 Alaska Goldpanners 10 North of the Range Stars 4 Paul Long Over the years, the Midnight Sun Game has enjoyed wide popularity. GQ 57 1962 Alaska Goldpanners 8 Military Stars 3 George Mies Magazine dubbed the game one of the “86 Reasons to be proud to be an 58 1963 Alaska Goldpanners 1 Wichita Dreamliners 3 Dave Newkirk 59 1964 Alaska Goldpanners 5 Grand Junction Eagles 10 Barry Lersch* American.” Baseball America called the game one of the “12 Must See Events for 60 1965 Alaska Goldpanners 4 USC Trojans 3 George Mies the Baseball Fan.” For Fairbanksans, the game is a way to reflect on the passing 61 1966 Alaska Goldpanners 8 OSU Beavers 3 Don Rose* 62 1967 Alaska Goldpanners 3 Kumagai-Gumi 10 Yasuo Fujitsu; Lee* of a year, and to celebrate surviving another long winter. 63 1968 Alaska Goldpanners 7 Santa Clara Broncos 0 Brent Strom* 64 1969 Alaska Goldpanners 2 Boulder Collegians 5 Burt Hooten* 65 1970 Alaska Goldpanners 3 Arizona Wildcats 4 Leon Hooten* 66 1971 Alaska Goldpanners 12 Stanford Indians 3 Rich Troedson* 67 1972 Alaska Goldpanners 4 Ponchatoula, LA 5 Kenny Alfred 68 1973 Alaska Goldpanners 5 Brigham Young 8 Lynn Allan 69 1974 Alaska Goldpanners 7 WSU Cougars 6 Wayne Steele 70 1975 Alaska Goldpanners 4 Vanderbuilt Commodores 3 Thad Troedson 71 1976 Alaska Goldpanners 6 Westwood Bruins 4 Greg Harris* 72 1977 Alaska Goldpanners 12 Alberta Generals 11 Mike Boddicker* 73 1978 Alaska Goldpanners 1 Wichita Coors 10 Ray Fontenot* 74 1979 Alaska Goldpanners 8 UNC Tar Heels 2 Alan Wiggins 75 1980 Alaska Goldpanners 16 Wisconsin Badgers 5 Ron Romanick* 76 1981 Alaska Goldpanners 11 Intermountain Badgers 4 Dan Plesac* 77 1982 Alaska Goldpanners 8 San Francisco Senators 3 Eddie Delzer 78 1983 Alaska Goldpanners 7 Anchorage Bucs 2 Todd Simmons 79 1984 Alaska Goldpanners 9 Taiwan Olympic - Forfeit 0 Dion Beck (forfeit) 80 1985 Alaska Goldpanners 11 Moraga, CA, Marauders 12 Blas Minor* 81 1986 Alaska Goldpanners 8 San Francisco Senators 1 John Sipple 82 1987 Alaska Goldpanners 1 Mat-Su Miners 2 Kris Kramer 83 1988 Alaska Goldpanners 6 Hawaii Island Movers 5 Jim Richardson 84 1989 Alaska Goldpanners 7 San Diego Sea World 3 Dennis Gray 85 1990 Alaska Goldpanners 12 San Bernadino Tribe 3 Jerry Stafford 86 1991 Alaska Goldpanners 9 Lake Tahoe Stars 8 Benji Grigsby* 87 1992 Alaska Goldpanners 1 Victor Valley, CA, Mets 2 Gabe Herrera 88 1993 Alaska Goldpanners 10 Lake Tahoe Stars 4 Robert Donnely 89 1994 Alaska Goldpanners 15 San Diego Stars 6 Darin Blood 90 1995 Alaska Goldpanners 10 San Francisco Seals 4 Chris Bloomer 91 1996 Alaska Goldpanners 5 Anchorage Bucs 3 Adam Pettyjohn* 92 1997 Alaska Goldpanners 12 Kelowna Grizzlies 0 Craig Jones 93 1998 Alaska Goldpanners 14 Kelowna Grizzlies 7 Pete Fredericks 94 1999 Alaska Goldpanners 7 Oceanside, CA, Waves 1 Jason Berni 95 2000 Alaska Goldpanners 3 Santa Barbara Foresters 2 Adam Heaps 96 2001 Alaska Goldpanners 2 Oceanside, CA, Waves 1 Andy Davidson 97 2002 Alaska Goldpanners 2 California Running Birds 1 Sean Timmons 98 2003 Alaska Goldpanners 3 California Running Birds 1 Drew Jenson 99 2004 Alaska Goldpanners 9 Kenai Peninsula Oilers 1 Sean Timmons 100 2005 Alaska Goldpanners 3 Omaha Zone 1 Sean Timmons 101 2006 Alaska Goldpanners 2 Beatrice Bruins 1 Chris Kissock 102 2007 Alaska Goldpanners 1 Oceanside, CA, Waves 6 Tim Stromble 103 2008 Alaska Goldpanners 10 California Running Birds 6 Bill “Spaceman” Lee* 2009 Alaska Goldpanners Midnight Sun Series vs. Kumagai Gumi Japan. Red Boucher, Bill Lee, Yasuo Fujitsu, and Manager Masayuki Furuta 104 6 Lake Erie, MI, Monarchs 1 Darrah ; Timmons, sv 105 2010 Alaska Goldpanners 4 Heroes of the Diamond 3 Simon Kudernatsch 1960: Goldpanners Adopts Midnight Sun Game Tradition

BASEBALL USED TO REBUILD FAIRBANKS SPIRIT FOLLOWING FIRE OF 1906

The history of baseball in Fairbanks In the spring of 1906, the sawdust- and bragging rights for the long winter is an integral part of the overall story insulated buildings along the Chena offseason. of the town as a whole. For over 100 River broke into flames. Without years, Fairbanks’ love of baseball has enough fuel to heat up the still- Both the town and the contest took on a helped built community spirit. No event frozen water pipes to put the fire out, new shape in the late 1910s and early demonstrates the importance of baseball the Northern Commercial Company 1920s, when the town of Anchorage in Fairbanks’ early days than the very thought to burn 2,000 pounds of bacon was established and maintained as first Midnight Sun Game in 1906. in its boilers -- thereby raising the water a work camp by the Alaska Railroad. pressure for the fire fighting effort. Fairbanks civic pride led the drive for Though established as a base of letting baseball decide which town was commercial operation in 1901 -- by Instead of allowing this dreadful blow tougher, and the Midnight Sun Game an act of sheer chance or Providence to cripple the town’s morale, immediate became a battleground for statewide -- the Fairbanks population didn’t begin plans were made to rebuild. In the most bragging rights. arriving until gold was discovered critical moment of the life of Fairbanks, the following year. As one might the community determined to live. It The 1930s saw the emergence of expect, the culture that arrived was was at this time that the gold rush camp teams of industrial workers, playing mix of gold rushers and adventurers, became a true frontier town. for such corporations as the F.E. introducing many scoundrels and Company and Standard Oil. The outlaws into the Fairbanks area. Within a month, the entire population winning pitcher of the 1930 game had worked together to build a new was Standard Oil’s Ralph Wien, For about four years, Fairbanks was a life on top of the ashes of the old. pioneering bush pilot and brother of booming town thanks to the gold found This quick success made the summer Alaska Airlines Patriarch Noel Wien. in the surrounding valleys. Between solstice a time of immense celebration Tragically, Ralph was killed later that 1903 and 1905, the gold take coming for Fairbanksans. Local hero Eddie same year when a startled missionary from Fairbanks grew from $40K to $6 Stroecker organized a special midnight grabbed Noel’s secondary yoke stick, million dollars. The freewheeling spirit ballgame to commemorate the longest causing his plane to stall and crash. that typified the entirety of the gold rush day of the year. That evening, it was era embedded itself completely in the as if the entire town exhaled for the Declaration of war in Europe and the town of Fairbanks -- the final destination first time in a month, and the resultant threat of Japanese invasion made in that illustrious and infamous period in spectacle electrified Fairbanks with Alaska a center of military activity. the history of the American West. immense optimism and hope for the Baseball was one major form of future. entertainment for the troops, and Baseball emerged as a highly popular elaborate leagues were created during form of recreation and entertainment, “Fully 1,500 people were present and the height of World War II. Quite and was played vigorously. Large sums there has never been such hooting at often, bases around the Tanana Valley of money were routinely wagered on a local game.” would each hold their own versions single plays. With only so many ways of the solstice classic. There were for a newly rich man to throw around The continued enthusiasm of the town two midnight games in 1940, three his money in those days, and with the and the relentless competative fire of in 1948, three in 1953, two in 1954 recklessness of the age, it is easy to the athletes made the midnight game four in 1955, two in 1956, and three imagine how wild those early games a standard of Fairbanks summer life in 1960. really were. from then on. Even the arctic winters became more bearable, knowing that The Alaska Goldpanners baseball As Fairbanks slowly transformed itself June 21st approached. club, founded by World War II veteran from a temporary commercial base to H.A. “Red” Boucher, adopted the an incorporated town, baseball took on For the first decade or so, the contests Midnight Sun Game in their first year a new civic dimension, with full leagues were held between town teams. Local of competition. The year was 1960, created and maintained by local leaders teams, such as those from the initial and Boucher led the Goldpanners and hooligans alike. participant California Bar and Eagles’ to a 11-0 victory over the Fairbanks Club, battled for supremacy during Pioneers. The Panners have hosted the solstice, scoring runs on the field, the game every year since then.

Eddie Stroecker, driving force behind the first Midnight Sun Game. 1964: Tom Seaver Auditioned in Fairbanks for Southern Cal. Scholarship Boucher and Dedeaux Establish the Fabled Fairbanks “Pipeline to the Major Leagues” The Goldpanners were a everywhere after finishing sencond in the nation in 1962. In a short period of time, Red formed relationships with several West Coast colleges as he promoted summer baseball in Alaska. But it was Boucher’s bond with U.S.C. coach Rod Dedeaux that put the Gold- panners on the map. Dedeaux had one of the top college programs in the country. And Boucher, in Alaska, could help build these young boys into men. Dedeaux sent a young pitcher with hopes of transferring into U.S.C. up to Fairbanks to be sized up by Red.

Tom Seaver set the standard for a generation of big Upon his arrival in Alaska, he was greeted by Gold- league pitchers. In his twenty-year career in the panners manager Red Boucher. Mr. Boucher gave Major Leagues, the righthanded fireballer won 311 Seaver a uniform and then drove directly to the park, games and notched 3,640 , while posting where the Goldpanners were playing the Bells from a 2.86 career ERA, and picking up three Cy Young Washington State. The score was tied at 2-2. Tom awards. Seaver was elected overwhelmingly to the was asked to get in uniform and go to the bullpen. Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992 -- the first year he was eligible for the ballot -- by the high- Tom Seaver: “They picked me up at the airport. I got est percentage in history. in the car, and my uniform was in the car! They said, ‘get dressed’, because they were playing. I didn’t But before Seaver became the National League’s know where we were going. I didn’t know anybody 1967 Rookie of the Year, and a world-famous New on the team. York Mets champion in 1969, “Tom Terrific” was an Alaska Goldpanner. He played in Fairbanks for two So we drive to the stadium, and I got out and went seasons with the Panners (1964-65), after his first to the bullpen... which is where pitchers - young and year of college ball, at Fresno City College, and sec- old - go and spend their time. All of a sudden, they ond after his transfer to the University of Southern called down there and said ‘get loose, you are going California. to be in the game next inning.’ And I pitched in the game.” The transfer to USC came as a direct result of Tom’s progress during his summer with the Fairbanks club. By the sixth inning, Tom was brought into the game, In those days, Panner manager Red Boucher had having just got off the plane. He struck out the first struck a highly successful relationship with legend- batter he faced, got the next one to pop up, and went ary USC coach Rod Dedeaux, who in this case on to win the game. wanted to make sure Tom was good enough to de- serve a college scholarship. Tom Seaver: “If there is one thread that runs through Red Boucher and Rod Dedeaux, it is their enthusi- Red Boucher: “Tom was of the caliber I would call, asm for what they are doing. And especially talking ‘the typical Goldpanner’. I didn’t have to teach him about baseball.“ much as far as baseball was concerned.” Even after establishing himself in Major League Tom Seaver: “For me, it was just going to be an Baseball, Tom would keep in touch with Red. One adventure going to Alaska. I mean, for a kid from of the last times they were together was at the 80th Fresno? No way. I very gladly got on the plane, and birthday party for Rod Dedeaux at USC. went on to Fairbanks.” Throughout the decades since 1964, the “Boucher/ Dedeaux Pipeline” to Fairbanks has resulted in many other similar situations, including the Fairbanks ca- reers of other USC baseball luminaries, such as Dave Kingman, Bill “Spaceman” Lee, and Bret Boone..

USC Head Coach Rod Dedeaux

“Your program, Red, was a vital step in my progress toward reaching a world championship and specifically the Cy Young award of 1969. I send my heartfelt thanks to you and the members of the Goldpanners organization -- May it never cease to exist.” - Tom Seaver, 1969

Tom Seaver’s 1965 Pitching Motion 1964: Tom Seaver Auditioned in Fairbanks for Southern Cal. Scholarship The Sporting News, August 26, 1967

From the top of the world to the bottom of the National League in two fast years is the saga that has unfolded for Tom Seaver and Danny Frisella.

In 1965, the two hard-throwing California collegians were team- mates on the Goldpanners in Fairbanks, Alaska, the northermost “big” city in the United States— not far removed from the Arc- tic Circle. Today Seaver and Frisella are teammates and start- ing pitchers for the Mets in New York, the country’s largest city. Other than the differences they have encountered between life in Fair- banks and on the Great White Way, the two rookies have had to adjust to the winning and losing ways of the Goldpanners and the Mets. Seaver was with the Goldpanners in 1964 and ‘65 and both times the team, man- aged by Red Boucher, won the state semi-pro championship. Frisella helped in winning the ‘65 title. With the Mets, they’re doing their best to keep the team from dropping out of the bottom of the National League.

Seaver is well on his way to establishing himself — in his rookie year, no less — as the best pitcher the Mets have ever owned. He has al- ready tied the record for most victories by a Met righthander (11) and is a virtual cinch to better Al Jackson’s 1933 record of 13 wins.

Frisella, who joined the Mets right out of the Army on July 25 af- ter an earlier fling this year with Durham in the Carolina League, compiled a one-win, one-loss record. Frisella got his first vic- tory over the Pirates, August 11, He was not around to enjoy the win, Don Shaw relieved him and Frisella was in a cab en route to Ken- nedy Airport for a weekend of Army training when he heard the news.

Seaver and Frisella recall happily their days in Alaska with the Goldpan- ners. “Alaska is something else,” said Seaver. “You can’t realize what a magnificient place it is unless you have been there. And it’s a lot different than most people picture it. “I can remember my first trip there. I expected it to be so cold I wore a sweater and a topcoat as I got off the plane. But the fellow who met me at the airport was wearing a short-sleeved sports shirt. “The weather in July and August is ideal, it’s in the high 60s and 70s every day and no humidity, it’s the’ time of the year when they have 24 hours of sunlight and it’s pretty weird.” Seaver said getting used to 24 hours of daylight is a little difficult at first. “I can remember waking up one night at 3 o’clock. I saw the sun coming through the windows - my first thought was that I’d overslept and blown my job.”

Frisella said Alaskans kept the light from coming in the windows by covering them from the inside with tinfoil. “It’s playing night games without lights that’s really strange,” Frisella said. “We would start a game at 8 o’clock in July and we wouldn’t need the lights!’

The big game of the year is the “Midnight Sun” game, according to the two rookies. “That’s the longest day of the year,” Seaver related, “and they celebrate it by starting the game at 11 o’clock at night.” Both boys earned their keep while play ing for the Goldpanners. Frisella drove a lumber truck.

“I was a groundskeeper,” said Seaver. “I’d cut the grass and water the in- field.” Manicuring the Fairbanks diamond proved of some value to Seav- er. As far as fielding pitchers go, no Met covers more ground than their No. 1 rookie.

Signature From Player Contract 1965: First Player Ever Drafted The Goldpanners are the Yankees of the MLB Draft No other baseball organization in the world have had more play- ers drafted and signed to play in the professional ranks.

The Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks court because if you’re selected own the Major League Baseball draft number one, why should you nego- like no other team in baseball history. tiate with only one ballclub?” And There have been a record 1,200 player my first question was “How long will selections devoted to Goldpanner ball- this process take?” They said, “Oh, players, dating back to 1965 and Rick about three to five years.” I said, “For- Monday -- the very first player ever get that, I’m going to play baseball.” drafted by a major league franchise. So we were in Omaha, Nebraska on the day of the draft. Arizona State Of those picks, there have been 125 was ready to play the opening game first round selections, and 19 were of the College World Series. We either the very first or second pick were in uniforms, sitting in the stands of the entire draft! In addition, there and waiting for the preceding game to have been 199 players to reach Major be over. Someone comes up and says League Baseball. This, too, is a record “It’s just come out that you were Kansas among all non-professional teams, City’s first pick in the draft.” I went out and the 16% average of drafted Gold- that night and struck out three times. panners to reach MLB is well ahead of the average ratio of 1 draftee in every Then (Kansas City Owner) Char- 33 (3%) to reach baseball’s pinnacle . lie Finley flew into Omaha and Sal Bando and I were drafted off the Dodgers broadcaster Rick Mon- same team. It was an opportunity day, who played 19 years in the ma- for me to reach out and try to grab jor leagues from 1966-84, was the the brass ring, something I dreamed No. 1 selection overall by the Kan- about as a kid wearing a Little League sas City Athletics in baseball’s first uniform and watching the Dodgers amateur draft in 1965. The 1964 play in the Coliseum. . Goldpanners infielder/outfielder re- calls that historic draft 46 years ago: What’s nice about having been the first selection in the very first draft “Nobody really knew how the process is that I get to relive the dream and was going to work. I had talked to the opportunity when that door was quite a few ballclubs, but Kansas City opened. Every year in June, it takes was going to have the first pick. Their me back to that very first year.” . scout, Art Lilly, had talked with me very briefly when I was with Arizona Four days after he was drafted, with State. He said there was a real good A’s owner Charles O. Finley in the chance that the Athletics would select stands, Monday homered in a 2-1 win me as the number one pick. But on over Ohio State to lead the Sun Dev- the periphery of all of this, nobody ils to their first College World Series knew exactly what was going to hap- championship. Monday would sign pen. No one knew the effect it was the largest bonus in the 1965 draft, going to have on both baseball overall $100,000, and went on to enjoy a pro- and the people who were going to be ductive 19-year big league career. He signed out of high school or college. remains in the game as a broadcaster Actually, I had attorneys coming to for the . me saying, “Look, let’s take this to

Rick Monday Graig Nettles

Fairbanksan Sean Timmons has had a career that stands out so promi- nently, he deserves a category of his very own. To date, Timmons has appeared in a Panners uniform for a record 14 seasons. Highlights of Sean’s career include his becoming the very first Alaskan to be named the ABL Player of the Year in 2003. Sean is the only Panner to win four team MVP awards. He is also the only pitcher to ever cross the 300-inning mark for the club. Among many records, Sean is the all- time games, innings, strikeouts and wins leader. Emmitt Wilson is considered by some to be the greatest all- around baseball man in Alaskan history. He has served the Goldpanners as a player, a coach, an interim head coach, and as a member of the Board of Directors. Emmitt and Sean Tim- mons are the only two active Goldpanners to sit as board mem- bers. Also, he was the first official commissioner of the Alas- ka League, a position he held for almost two decades. Emmitt was a fan favorite on six of the earliest Goldpanners clubs, and was one of the main reasons for the team’s initial successes. 1967: Mike Adamson Vaults to MLB from College Twenty players have skipped the minor leagues; six are Goldpanners

Nine players made the majors from the 1966 Nevertheless, David was apparently greatly Goldpanners Of these, two - Bob Boone and disappointed by this denial of his boyhood Bill Lee - forged nearly Hall of Fame worthy dream, and he took the time to write Gold- careers. However, it is little known pitcher panners management expressing his sorrow. Mike Adamson who made the most immediate impact upon the game of baseball. The leap straight to the major leagues is not easy on anyone.. and Mike Adamson was no Adamson’s stuff was so good for the Goldpan- exception. ners in 1966 (9-0-0 record, 1.43 ERA), and U.S.C. in the spring of 1967, that he bypassed The 19-year-old’s first appearance came on the minor leagues entirely, making his profes- July 1, against the . Adam- sional debut in the American League pitching for the .. son appeared in 3 games for the 1967 Orioles posting a 0-1 record in 3 appearances, before On June 6, 1967 Mike Adamson was drafted being sent to the International League Roch- by the Orioles in the 1st round (1st pick) of ester Red Wings for the remainder of the sea- the 1967 amateur draft (Secondary Phase). He son. While there he won 3 games while losing signed on June 27. At that time he was the first 4, pitching 60 innings and turning in a good player in draft history to go straight to the major 1.95 ERA. leagues. Mike started 1968 with the Red Wings, win- Though seemingly taken from the realm of ning 8 games and losing 4 in 60 innings and fantasy, similar mythical advancements have posted a 3.07 ERA. He was called up to the been enjoyed by numerous Goldpanners. Orioles for the remainder of the season, going 0-2 in 7.7 innings and posted a 9.39 ERA. In fact, out of twenty modern play- ers like Mike to have made their profes- sional debut in MLB, six are Goldpanners! In 1969 Mike was with both the Orioles and Red Wings clubs, building a 11-8 record in And there could have been more. David Clyde 149 innings with a 4.17 ERA with the Red was set to pitch in Growden Park for the Gold- Wings and going 0-1 in 6 games with the Ori- panners in June of 1973. Instead, he found oles. This year was his last appearance in the himself pitching in Arlington Stadium for the Texas Rangers Major League Baseball club. majors.

Clyde, who was a batboy for the Goldpanners Mike appeared in 27 games with the Roch- in the 1967 NBC World Series, had long de- ester club in 1970, winning 4 and losing 5 in sired to play for Fairbanks. However, the op- 95 innings with a 4.36 ERA. The young man portunity to vault directly to the top was too in- spent 1971 with three different minor league credible to ignore. That, and the contract terms teams, with an overall record of 1-3 in 74 in- that were being offered. As it turned out, David received a $125,000 nings and a combined 8.06 ERA. ($617,769 in current dollar terms) signing bo- nus, which was the highest bonus ever given to At age 23 the righthander had spent 5 seasons a draft pick at the time. in and decided to look elsewhere for a career.

Mike Adamson Dave Roberts Steve Dunning Eddie Bane Don Sutton & Tommy Lasorda (1967) 1967: Mike Adamson Vaults to MLB from College

Debut Name Club 04/25/87 Joe Magrane STL 05/25/87 Shane Mack SDP 06/18/61 Don Leppert* PIT 07/04/87 Mike Campbell SEA H.A. “Red” Boucher was a pioneer in tnumerous fields. In sum- 10/03/64 Dave Dowling STL 07/02/87 Alex Madrid MIL mer baseball. Boucher recognized the quality of the amateur ath- 09/02/65 Dick Selma* NYM 09/14/87 Dave Stapleton MIL 09/11/65 Charlie Hartenstein CHC lete, noting in 1960 that “collegiate baseball is becoming a viable 04/07/88 Don Heinkel STL 04/26/66 Jimy Williams STL 04/26/88 Craig Worthington BAL source for major league talent.” By utilizing no professional or 09/03/66 Rick Monday KCA 06/02/88 Don August MIL 04/13/67 Tom Seaver NYM semi-pros, as was the custom of the day, Red paved the way for 07/14/88 John Fishel HOU 07/01/67 Mike Adamson BAL 07/20/88 Roger Samuels SFG collegiate baseball to become the direct route to the major league 07/05/67 Curt Motton BAL 09/02/88 Luis Medina CLE 07/27/67 Dan Frisella NYM as it is today. 09/05/88 Mike Harkey CHC 09/06/67 Graig Nettles MIN 09/12/88 Dennis Cook SFG 09/07/67 Al Schmelz NYM 09/14/88 Chad Kreuter TEX Among the 1,250 players and coaches to have donned a Goldpan- 05/27/68 Mike Paul CLE 09/16/88 Steve Wilson TEX 07/04/68 Andy Messersmith CAL ners uniform through the 2009 season, hundreds have continued 04/05/89 Phil Stephenson CHC 09/09/68 CLE 06/07/89 Jeff Wetherby ATL their careers into professional baseball, with 199 having made it all 06/25/69 Bill Lee BOS 07/07/89 Mike Benjamin SFG 04/09/70 Rich Hand CLE the way to the pinnacle of professional baseball in Major League 07/15/89 Kevin Ritz DET 04/24/70 Greg Garrett CAL 08/19/89 Rob Richie DET Baseball. 06/14/70 Steve Dunning CLE 04/09/90 Tim Layana CIN 09/09/70 Jim Nettles MIN 09/06/90 Paul Faries SDP 06/20/71 Pete Broberg WAS 09/18/90 Brent Mayne KCR There is perhaps no better way to measure the success that the 06/23/71 Tom House ATL 09/02/90 Al Osuna HOU Alaska Goldpanners program has attained over the years than by 07/30/71 Dave Kingman SFG 05/07/91 Chris Donnels NYM 07/31/71 Jim Barr SFG the number of players they have sent to the professional ranks 05/22/91 Don Wakamatsu CWS 09/15/71 Don Rose NYM 05/25/91 Jose Mota SDP and the major leagues. The Goldpanners have so many players 09/19/71 Dan Pastorini (NFL) HOU 06/16/91 Bret Barberie MON 05/17/72 Bob Gallagher BOS in the bigs this season in fact, that they could conceivably field a 07/02/91 Mark Davis CAL 06/07/72 Dave Roberts SDP 09/01/91 Tom Goodwin LAD competitive club on the major league level of ex-players alone. 07/31/72 Brent Strom NYM 09/02/91 Ed Zosky TOR 09/10/72 Bob Boone PHI 05/17/92 PHI 04/08/73 John Andrews STL 05/17/92 Benji Figueroa STL The Fairbanks club’s national second place finish in 1962 helped 04/09/73 Rich Troedson SDP 08/03/92 Doug Linton TOR the club create many contacts throughout the baseball world, in- 06/18/73 Dave Winfield SDP 08/06/92 Shawn Barton SEA 07/04/73 Eddie Bane* MIN creasing the quality of athlete playing for the Goldpanners. Key 08/19/92 Bret Boone SEA 07/19/73 Craig Caskey MON 05/05/93 Pat Meares MIN contacts include collegians such as Rod Dedeaux (USC) and 04/04/74 Jim Sundberg TEX 05/29/93 Greg Brummett SFG 04/07/74 Mike Reinbach BAL Bobby Winkles (ASU), as well as pros such as Jim Campanis 05/29/93 Kevin Higgins SDP 06/14/74 Steve Swisher CHC 05/31/93 Daryl Scott CAL and Tommy Lasorda (Dodgers), both of whom visited Fairbanks 07/27/74 Rusty Gerhardt SDP 07/28/93 Ty VanBurkleo CAL 04/08/75 Jim Umbarger TEX in 1966-67. 08/13/93 Brian Turang SEA 06/14/75 Kerry Dineen NYY 09/01/93 Roger Smithberg OAK 05/15/76 Pete Redfern MIN 09/04/93 Eric Helfand OAK Other reasons for the immense success of the Goldpanners alum- 09/17/76 Gary Wheelock CAL 09/12/93 Bob Hamelin KCR 04/07/77 Steve Kemp DET ni can be offered, but perhaps the easiest explanation is the in- 09/21/93 Marc Ronan STL 04/19/77 Floyd Bannister HOU 04/05/94 Mike Kelly ATL tense conditioning only baseball in Alaska can provide. Raising 05/05/77 Jackson Todd NYM 04/05/94 Keith Lockhart SDP 04/07/78 Chuck Baker SDP the overall demands - physical as well as mental - upon a person 04/19/94 Jeff Tabaka PIT 04/07/78 Don Reynolds SDP 07/18/94 Eric Schullstrom MIN teaches them how to deal with adversity and raise the intensity of 06/29/78 Dwight Bernard* NYM 04/28/95 Todd Steverson DET 07/09/78 Dennis Littlejohn SFG their approach. All Sourdoughs are familiar with this phenomenon. 04/28/95 Gary Wilson PIT 08/06/78 Scott Sanderson MON 04/30/95 Steve Rodriguez BOS Panner athletes are taken far from home, and are expected to per- 08/19/78 Bruce Robinson OAK 05/08/95 Jason Giambi OAK form every day of the week against top-notch competition (unlike 04/11/79 Eric Wilkins CLE 08/02/95 F.P. Santangelo MON 06/08/79 Dan Graham MIN the collegiate season, which plays only on weekends). Mix in the 09/10/95 Darrell May ATL 09/07/79 Sandy Whitol CLE 04/02/96 Dan Naulty MIN ruggedness of the Alaskan experience, and the athlete is forced 09/17/79 Dave Schuler CAL 05/18/96 Shad Williams CAL 04/11/80 Dave Smith HOU to find a previously unapproached level of mental and physical 09/06/96 Mike Robertson SFG 06/01/80 Vance Law PIT 05/31/97 Jose Cruz Jr. SEA discipline in order to succeed. 06/12/80 Mike Kinnunen MIN 09/03/97 Dan Rohrmeier SEA 06/28/80 Tim Lollar NYY 03/31/98 Travis Lee ARI 09/01/80 Bobby Mitchell LAD 04/02/98 Bobby Hughes MIL A number of Goldpanners are also ascending to the top of the 09/04/80 Dave Edler SEA 06/09/99 Jacque Jones MIN game in MLB front offices. Louie Medina (83), for instance, has 09/06/80 Tim Wallach MON 08/21/99 Adam Kennedy STL 09/08/80 John Butcher TEX worked in the Kansas City Royals’ front office for over a decade. 08/27/99 Robert Ramsay SEA 09/20/80 Ken Phelps KCR 09/03/99 Cole Liniak CHC The advancement seen by Goldpanner alums in the ranks of 04/11/81 Dan Boone SDP 09/07/99 Jeff DaVanon ANA 04/12/81 Tim Leary NYM MLB personnel is an exciting recent development. Securing such 08/29/00 Jerrod Riggan NYM 04/26/81 Danny Garcia KCR 09/04/00 Todd Belitz OAK high-ranking, off-field MLB personnel positions is at least as much 05/20/81 Greg Harris NYM 09/07/00 Michael Young TEX 08/19/81 Terry Francona MON an accomplishment as achieving an on-field roster spot. For 04/06/01 Christian Parker NYY 09/02/81 Ron Roenicke LAD 07/16/01 Adam Pettyjohn DET Dan Pastorini (68), the top of the game was as starting QB for 09/09/81 Tim Tolman HOU 09/19/01 Jason Phillips NYM the Houston Oilers NFL franchise. 09/15/81 Dave Hostetler MON 05/10/02 Jason Lane HOU 04/07/82 Ed Vande Berg SEA 09/03/02 Jim Rushford MIL 04/09/82 Gary Rajsich NYM Listed on this page are the 200 Goldpanners 06/26/03 Aaron Heilman NYM 07/06/82 Don Slaught KCR 09/02/03 Bobby Crosby OAK players to ascend to the major leagues, listed 09/11/82 Chris Codiroli OAK 07/02/04 David Bush TOR 09/12/82 Dave Baker TOR by their debut date and major league club. 09/08/04 Greg Dobbs SEA 04/05/83 Mike Couchee SDP 04/16/05 Dave Gassner MIN 06/02/83 Kevin McReynolds SDP 09/18/05 Ryan Garko CLE 09/02/83 Mike Fuentes MON 04/01/06 Steve Hecht* TEX * Coach at MLB level or Gold- 09/02/83 Harold Reynolds SEA 07/02/07 Brendan Ryan STL panners coach following MLB 09/13/83 Jeff Doyle STL 03/21/08 Sheng-Wei Wang# BRO career 09/20/83 Marty Decker SDP 07/11/08 Mike Cervenak PHI 04/03/84 Ben Hines* LAD 07/21/08 Brooks Conrad OAK 04/03/84 Dave Meier MIN # Chinese Professional Base- 05/21/09 Kris Medlen ATL 04/05/84 Ron Romanick CAL ball League; other national ma- 05/23/09 Carlos Fisher CIN 04/11/84 Alvin Davis SEA jor leagues not listed. 06/02/84 Jeff Cornell SFG 07/28/84 Ed Amelung LAD 05/19/85 Oddibe McDowell TEX 06/26/85 Bob Sebra TEX 09/05/85 Kevin Romine BOS 04/11/86 Dan Plesac MIL 05/30/86 Barry Bonds PIT 07/19/86 Billy Moore MON 09/02/86 Dave Cochrane CWS 09/05/86 Pat Dodson BOS Mike Adamson Dave Roberts Steve Dunning Eddie Bane Don Sutton & Tommy Lasorda (1967) 09/06/86 Brad Arnsberg NYY 04/25/87 Billy Bean DET 1971: Dave Winfield Becomes An Every Day Outfielder Minnesota used Dave sparingly as a pitcher; the Panners let him play. Dave Winfield used his prowess in the outfield, and his ferocity at the plate, to drive his career straight into the MLB Hall of Fame. Dave is the second Goldpanners to be inducted into that illustrious fraternity.

Allan Simpson, Sports Writer June 28, 1972

The story of how Dave Kingman gave up pitching to become one of baseball's top hitters has now been chronicled. It was the year 1969, as the story goes, that King- man, then a sophomore pitcher out of the University of Southern California, was recruited by the Alaska Goldpanners lo play ball for the summer in Fairbanks. His reputation as a pitcher at the time was such that he was considered one of the top collegiate throwers in the country.

However, that summer the Goldpanners, though still respecting his ability as a pitch- er, also recognized his unlimited potential as a hitter like no one else had before, and in a bold move they converted the six foot six inch slugger from a pitcher to an outfielder. And since that switch, Kingman has quickly risen to prominence, gaining nationwide acclaim for his slugging exploits with the . All this because the Goldpanners took it upon themselves to convert the multi-talented slug- ger from a pitcher to an everyday ball player.

And now that they've seen what's happened to Kingman, could history repeat itself? Could the Goldpanners have another Kingman in their midst? The name this time is Dave Winfield, and the similarities between his career to date and that of Kingman's at a comparable stage are actually quite amazing.

Winfield, like Kingman, was originally recruited by the Panners as a pitcher, but his recent batting exploits have been so awesome of late, that the natural question to ask is: could he switch positions and become another Kingman?

Tuesday night at Growden Park, Winfield, who like Kingman also towers to a height of 6-6, put on another hitting exhibition which even Kingman would have been proud of, as he cracked a grand slam home run and a run-scoring single to power the Gold- panners to a 5-2 victory over the Grand Junction, Colo., Eagles. Winfield's bases loaded blast, which came with the Panners trailing 2-1 in the fifth, not only personally won the game for the Goldpanners, but it also helped them halt Grand Junction's win streak at 14 games, after the Eagles had taken the opener 7-5 in extra innings. The offensive display by Winfield follows one he put on Saturday when he slammed a double and two home runs—a performance which wasn't even good enough to win his own game.

So in only 12 official at-bats this season, Winfield is hitting .500 andhas slugged three home runs. That’s ahead of the pace Kingman established in ‘69 when he clubbed seven home runs in a total of 64 times at bat. “We’ve known all along what Winfield’s capable of doing with the bat,” said man- ager Jim Dietz “and that’s why we’ve tried to work him into the lineup occasion- ally.” “He’ll play more and more in the outfield as the season progresses, but whether he’ll ever become a full-time outfielder, it’s hard to say at this time.”

“Fairbanks, Alaska Goldpanners. Yeah, I played in Alaska for two summers, which many of these guys up here did. It was the best baseball in the country, prettiest, most majestic state in the union. And to get a chance to win and climb mountains, go dog sledding in the winter - all that. It was a wonderful experience.” - Dave’s 2001 Hall of Fame Induction Speech

“I have probably never adequately thanked you and the entire Goldpanner family for giving me the oppportunity to live and play in Fairbanks. Even had I not achieved the level of success I now enjoy in professional baseball, I would still appreciate the op- portunity as much.” - Dave in a Letter to Don Dennis

Dave Kingman 1971: Dave Winfield Becomes An Every Day Outfielder 1976: Andy Messersmith Becomes Baseball’s First True Free Agent Landmark Court Ruling Against MLB Reserve Clause Heralds New Era in Baseball Though the Panner progream has graduated a large number of important ballplayers to the big leagues, what is truly amazing is the broad impact that the cream of that crop has had in shaping the state of the game itself. By personally taking on the highest eschelons of power in baseball and then defeating them, Andy Messersmith became the most important player since Babe Ruth.

Right-hander made history by challenging reserve clause Messersmith, a product of the University of California at By Gary Caruso / ChopTalk Magazine Berkeley, didn’t like how the media portrayed him and his The Braves don’t open the regular season until the end of quest to break down the reserve clause. He had little to March, but college baseball is in full swing. Among a few say to the press then, and little has been heard from him former Braves coaching in college is Andy Messersmith, since then. the pitcher who in 1976 changed the course of baseball history -- with the assistance of Ted Turner. In fact, more than three decades later, he’s still not inter- ested in talking publicly. ChopTalk made three attempts to Messersmith, 62, is the head baseball coach at Cabrillo interview him, including one through the Cabrillo journal- College, a community college in Aptos, Calif., located on the Pacific coast, south of San Francisco, between San ism department and one through a sports writer in his area, Jose and Monterey. He just started the third season of his and he declined all of them. He does talk to the press in his second stint at the school, where he also coached from area, but only about his players and team, possibly making 1986-91. Last year, the Seahawks were 18-22 overall, 10- him the most-reticent college coach in the country. 15 (fourth place) in the Coast Conference. Messersmith won 39 games in 1974-75, led the NL in Veteran Braves fans are sure to remember Turner sign- winning percentage in ‘74 (.769) and in starts, complete ing Messersmith in 1976 -- to baseball’s first free agent games and shutouts in ‘75 (40/19/7). He won Gold Gloves contract -- and promptly issuing him uniform No. 17 with both seasons and made the All-Star team both years, giv- the “nickname” Channel on the back to promote his TV ing him three career selections. In the ‘70s and ‘80s, how- station. ever, few player acquisitions worked well for the Braves, Messersmith was one of the game’s best pitchers from and this signing fit that description. 1969-75, twice winning 20 games. He started Game 1 of the World Series for the Dodgers in 1974, when he tied Messersmith, only 30 when Turner signed him, never re- Phil Niekro for the league lead in victories. ally was the same pitcher again, though that was due to injuries, not a lack of talent. In 1975, Messersmith played without a contract and claimed he thus became a free agent who no longer was The right-hander started slowly in ‘76. He missed Spring subject to the infamous “reserve clause” that basically Training due to contract negotiations and didn’t win a game bound players to their teams for life at that point. Major until his seventh start on May 17. In June, he appeared to League Baseball refused to recognize his claim, and the matter went before an arbitration panel set up to handle be the pitcher the Braves thought they were getting -- go- disputes between players and management. ing 5-1 and earning his fourth All-Star selection. He injured a hamstring right before the All-Star break, though, and The panel ruled that the reserve clause was no more than that -- combined with a sore shoulder -- hampered him dur- a one-year option, thus making Messersmith and Expos ing the second half and he finished 11-11 with a 3.04 ERA pitcher Dave McNally the first free agents. McNally was in 29 games (28 starts). injured and retired. Messersmith likely would have found himself without a job Messersmith won just five games in 1977, shutting down after a July 3 elbow injury that required surgery. The Braves if not for Turner, the maverick owner looking to make a sold him to the Yankees, and he pitched briefly and inef- splash with his new team and trying to create viewership interest for a major block of programming on his TV sta- fectively for them in ‘78 and for the Dodgers in ‘79 before tion. Turner signed Messersmith for what he called a “life- retiring. His career record is 130-99 in 12 seasons, and time contract” of $1 million. Actually, it was a three-year his 2.86 lifetime ERA and .212 opponents’ batting average deal that would be laughed at on today’s market. In 1976, are strong evidence of the quality of pitcher he was when however, it was major news. healthy. “Curt Flood stood up for us; Jim Hunter showed us what was out there; Andy Messersmith showed us the way. Andy made it happen for us all. It’s what showed a new life.” Ted Simmons, MLB catcher at time of Messersmith case

“I did it for the guys sitting on the bench, the utility men who couldn’t crack the lineup with (the Dodgers) but who could make it elsewhere. These guys should have an op- portunity to make a move and go to another club. I didn’t do it necessarily for myself because I’m making a lot of money. I don’t want everyone to think, ‘Well, here’s a guy in involuntary servitude at $115,000 a year. That’s a lot of bull and I know it.”- Andy Messersmith, after the Seitz ruling, as cited by Helyar.

“We should make it. We’re the ones doing the entertaining.” - Barry Bonds

“For a hundred years the owners screwed the players. For 25 years the players have screwed the owners - they’ve got 75 years to go.” - Yankees pitcher Jim Bouton

“Gentlemen, we have the only legal monopoly in the country, and we’ve f------it up.” - Braves owner Ted Turner

“I wasn’t prepared for the pressure that came down [after the Seitz ruling and his Braves deal]. I didn’t know anything about it. I came out as the dirty dog. That was a real hard thing for me. I just wasn’t ready for it.” - Andy to the NY Times, following career

Dave Kingman Andy Messesmith - 1974 National League Wins Champion 2.86 Career ERA (Seaver won in 1975 and had an identical 2.86 career ERA!) 1983: Fourteen Ascend to MLB from 1983 Goldpanners Huge 1980s Team Representation in MLB by Former Fairbanks Ballplayers The 1983 season saw what was possibly the most talented Goldpanners squad of them all, as attested by the record 14 players that later went on to MLB. One of them is a future Hall of Famer.

The Goldpanners’ “Pipeline to the Big Time” was strong throughout the late 1960s. But by the time the decade of the 1970s was over, the Goldpanners’ output had blanketed Outfielders Oddibe McDowell, Shane the professional game. Mack and Mark Davis are all speedsters There were at least ten future major who help make the Fairbanks Goldpan- leagues on six of the 1970s club ners’ offense potentioally lethal. The rosters. In the mid 1980s, however, players are sharing a room in Wichita the floodgates opened, resulting during the National Baseball Congress in a strong Goldpanners influence throughout all levels of play. tournament.

The largest single group of budding “We just call it the ‘Gold Room”, said But he remains unsigned because major leaguers played together on Goldpanners Manager Dave Snow. the 1983 team. An astounding 13 Davis, who plays left field for Fair- the Twins aren’t offering enough total players from the club eventually (Barry Bonds later commented to Don banks, admits he needs to work on his money, he says. “I’m not looking for made Major League Baseball! No Dennis, “‘The Gold Room? Have you strength. six figures,” McDowell said. “They other amateur team in history has been in there? It’s more like the ‘Mold just haven’t come up with the five fig- come close to either this single sea- Room’) son total, or the overall aggregate. “My arm is not really strong yet,” Davis ures I want.” said. “I’ve learned a lot this summer, Among all the recognizable names Snow hasn’t posted armed guards at though. My biggest goal was to learn The book on McDowell is that he on the list, of major leaguers from the ‘Gold Room’ door to protect his out- how to bunt. With my speed that has to can do everything - run, hit, throw - the 1983 club, the one that stands fielders. But it might not be a bad idea. out the most is that of Barry Bonds. become a part of my game.” though he hasn’t gotten untracked in Barry set the all-time season and the NBC. career home run records, among “All three of these kids are outstanding Davis has had a pair of bunt singles many other achievements. prospects,” Snow said. “It’s the best in the tournament and has stolen two “I haven’t done a whole lot in this collection of outfield talent I’ve ever What is amazing about Barry’s time bases. tournament,” McDowell said. “Hope- with the Goldpanners is that, being coached.” fully, things will start going right for unable to crack the superbly talented “I’m not your typical leadoff hitter,” Da- me sooner or later.” outfield, he was forced to handle McDowell, Mack and Davis all come fielding duties at FIRST BASE. vis said. “I don’t like to take strikes and from the baseball-rich Pacific 10 Con- I don’t like to look for walks.” The Hollywood, Fla., native has That season, the Goldpanners ference. McDowell patrols center field been a valuable commodity to major were sporting what NCAA Hall of for Arizona State. Mack is the right But Davis has drawn 29 walks to lead league scouts since his high school Fame coach Dave Snow called fielder for UCLA and Davis plays center the Goldpanners - even if he doesn’t days - McDowell has been drafted “the most talented outfield I have for Stanford. ever coached”. The trio of fielders like it. five times. -- all future major leaguers -- were dubbed the “Million Dollar Outfield”. McDowell and Mack were two-thirds of Says Snow: “Mark’s a guy who continu- Hutchinson manager Dan Radison They were Mark Davis in left, Odd- the All-Pac 10 outfield and both were ally works to improve his skills and to was coaching at Fort Lauderdale, Fla ibe McDowell in center, and Shane All-Americans. Davis was an honor- Mack in right. The combination was become a complete players. He’s got a Junior College when McDowell was lethal to opponents, helping lead the able mention All-Pac 10 choice. lot of confidence in his game and I think still in high school. Panners to the title game in the 1983 he can be a prospect as a center fielder NBC World Series. Stanford co-sports information director after he improves his throwing. “I knew he was going to be a great Bob Vazquez is astounded that all three Following is an article on the 1983 one all along,” Radison said. “He Goldpanners outfield, written by Bob are together with Fairbanks, which has a McDowell hit .352 and stole 36 bases hasn’t shown what kind of hitter he Lutz for the Wichita Eagle: 4-1 tourney record. Hutchinson defeat- for Arizona State this season, then was really is in this tournament. He re- ed the Goldpanners, 5-4, Friday night. the top pick in the secondary phase of ally doesn’t even belong in this tour- ‘Ten years down the road,” Vazquez the draft - for players who previously nament. If he’d sign he probably be said, “that’s an all-star outfield.” have been chosen. playing Double A ball.” As Fairbanks General Manager Don Dennis says, however, it’s difficult to tell how far a player can go at such a young age.

Davis is only 18 while Mack and Mc- Dowell are 20. “There are just too many variables,” Dennis said. “But I’d have to say that these three are ticketed for get- ting a shot to play in the big leagues.”

So far in the NBC tournament, Mack has be the best long-term prospect. Davis’ stats with the Goldpanners are better than McDowell’s or Mack’s. The San Diego native is batting .322 with 35 RBI and 47 runs scored and has stole Barry Bonds 26 bases in 29 attempts. Mark Davis Oddibe McDowell Shane Mack Jason Giambi Mark Davis Oddibe McDowell Shane Mack

2002: Goldpanners Become First Sports Team to Broadcast an Entire Season on the Internet PannerVision Kicks Open the Door to the Digital Frontier in Sports Programming

The Goldpanners’ organization leads the baseball Every once in a while -- and far more often than world in a number of categories on the field, but you might expect -- something completely out of their successes off the field are just as impressive. the ordinary happens which just defies belief and Broadcasting is no exception, with many victories stimulates wonder. Though it would be obvious to in the field of promotion. suggest that the various on-field streakers deserve consideration here, there is one broadcast in particu- In 2000, the club began audio broadcasting games lar which cemented the “anything goes” attitude of on the Internet, allowing fans around the world to the Goldpanners stream : “The Plane Crash Game” participate in the excitement. The next year, video of July 31, 2003. was added to the broadcast. Though this was a ma- jor milestone for sports, the programming was lim- During the third inning of the last game of the Alas- ited to home games only. Gero von Dehn joined kan portion of the 2003 season, the Goldpanners’ the production crew and as a result, “PannerVision Culpepper was at bat against the Anchorage Bucs “ was born and began to develop an attitude -- a in Mulcahy Stadium. As Jeff was stepping to the rebellious “leader of the pack” type of assurance plate, the umpire frantically called time and waved that nobody else in the world was even trying what toward right field -- where to everyones’ horror, a was already being successfully delivered from Fair- plane was rapidly descending in an apparent at- banks, tempt to land in left field! The plane, a Cessna 207 Skywagon, had stalled and was coming down. As In 2002, the Goldpanners became the all-time first the Bucs’ left-fielder scrambled for cover, the pilot baseball team to stream an entire season over the made a last-second wave of the left wing to avoid Internet. Programming included all away games, the Mulcahy light pole, and plowed into the fences in addition to broadcasting from home. And to top just past left field. The plane flipped over and a it all off, the 2002 Goldpanners’ participation in the ball of flames erupted out of one side, after which NBC World Series in Wichita, Kansas, was broad- it came to rest on its belly with the engine sheared cast in its entirety... a tournament that included the off by the fence. Goldpanners winning their record sixth NBC cham- pionship -- and against arch-rival, the Anchorage “It was incredibly violent,” said passenger Marc Glacier Pilots! Fisher. “My ankle snapped the second we hit. My seat may have been busted. I had seat belts on, but In 2002, no other sports team had broadcast even a I ended up in the luggage.” majority of their season online, not to mention its entirety. ESPN started streaming in early 2003, and Describing the desperate minutes leading up to the Major League Baseball followed suit a few months crash, Fisher said “There were people everywhere. later., but only by offering out of market games us- Every road was busy. It just looked like there’s no ing streams of TV broadcasts. College baseball way to go, nowhere to land. It was scarey, buddy. only began joining the online fun in the late 2000s. Ten seconds from landing, my brother and I both looked at each other and said, ‘We’re f-----.” For- Over the years, there have been many brilliant mo- tunately, the pilot and three passengers all escaped ments for PannerVision. The many game highlites more serious injuries, and no one on the group was include the Panners’ defeat of the eventual national injured. champion Chinese-Taipei Olympic team in 2003, and also what has been dubbed “The Game” -- Thanks to the archival work at www.goldpanners. played on July 23rd in Fairbanks -- a game against com, the actual clip of this event is available for the Kenai Oilers in which Derek Bruce went 6-for-7 viewing on the Internet. There have been millions at the plate, and Jeff Culpepper went an astounding of views of all of the PannerVision games and clip 7-for-7! available online.

In addition to the game activity, there have been Be sure to tune in to PannerVision in 2011,, as all many other key moments, such as when MLB Hall games in Alaska will be broadcast live. of Famers Gaylord Perry, Ferguson Jenkins, and Bobby Doerr tossed ceremonial pitches during Mid- Join our community on Facebook or on YouTube to night Sun Game broadcasts. Brian Wahlbrink commented: “This is ME!! 96 mph: 5 stitches see the bulk of the Goldpanners’ digital output -- a and a concussion. The helmet broke and sliced my head open. committment to the online world that no other team I was trying to charge the mound when my legs gave out. I can approach. talked to this pitcher a few weeks later. He apologized, said he had trouble with his control and bought me a beer. The batter after me is Paul Janish who now is the shortstop for the Cincin- nati Reds. “

This past year the Goldpanners family lost a number of dear friends and long- time team supporters. President of the Board Bill Stroecker passed away in No- vember, ending a 45-year run in the of- fice. Sam Woodke, many years the club treasurer, died on March 30th. Dave Swanson, owner of Professional Phar- macy, who had been a Nugget Club spon- sor for decades, passed on January 25th. Help us remember these others as well:

Mike Lawless - Board Member, Bat Maker Wally Droz - Fairbanks City Manager Kathy Rose - Supporter/Cheerleader Ben West - Long Time Box Seat Holder Karl Swenor - Greeter at Alaskaland Sybil (Haly) Ramsey - Wien Publicist Sports Illustrated: “On the summer solstice the natural light 1967: General Manager Don Dennis Moved to Fairbanks never dies out in Fairbanks, 160 miles south of the Arctic Circle, and on this night Camacho, a California-raised righty, 1965, when he left for Pueblo to finish his educa- would never leave the confines of Growden Memorial Park, tion at Southern Colorado State College. where the centerfield backdrop is the eight-starred Alaskan flag and Take Me Out to the Ballgame is forsaken during the While in Grand Junction though, Dennis insti- seventh-inning stretch in favor of the Beat Farmers’ 1985 gated the Eagles now valued relationship with country-punk song Happy Boy. Out with the peanuts and the Goldpanners, when he scheduled the then Cracker Jack, in with lyrics about a dead dog in a drawer, as young Alaska team for a series in the Colorado well as the most guttural refrain ever to blare from a stadium city on their way to Wichita for the national speaker: “Hubba hubba hubba hubba hubba!” tournament in 1963.

With his move to Pueblo, Dennis organized the Pueblo Diablos in 1967, footing many of the “Happy Boy” expenses out of his own pocket. Slightly more By the Beat Farmers than a month after they came into being, the Diablos opened their maiden season against the I was walkin' down the street on a sunny day GOLDPANNERS BUSINESS AFFAIRS national champion Boulder Collegians. Hubba hubba hubba hubba hubba HANDLED BY DENNIS A feeling in my bones that I'll have my way It was following that season, at the prodding of Hubba hubba hubba hubba hubba! Goldpanners manager Red Boucher, that Den- In 1967, the Alaska Goldpanners suffered perhaps nis left Colorado, to take over the reins of the Well I'm a happy boy (happy boy) their greatest financial setback in history, when floods Goldpanners. They couldn’t have been placed Well I'm a happy boy (happy boy) ravaged the city of Fairbanks, and caused much in more capable hands. Oh ain't it good when things are going your way, Hey Hey?! damage to Growden Memorial Park. Thousands of dollars in debt as a result of the tragedy, the Goldpan- - Allan Simpson My little dog spot got hit by a car ners, always under local management, were forced Hubba hubba hubba hubba hubba to go outside the state to obtain the right man to set COMING TO FAIRBANKS Put his guts in a box and put him in a drawer their troubled financial picture back in stride. They Hubba hubba hubba hubba hubba found their man in Don Dennis. Though Red Boucher began lobbying Don Dennis to come up to Fairbanks om 1963, so I forgot all about it for a month and a half General manager of the Pueblo Diablos at the time, he could take over management of the Gold- Hubba hubba hubba hubba hubba Dennis left his duties with that club and came to panners, other opportunties were knocking for I looked in the drawer and started to laugh Fairbanks to take over the business aspects of the Don in the publishing world. It wasn’t until 1967 Hubba hubba hubba hubba hubba! Goldpanners, which were in such a sad state of af- that they had a dramatic shift in their negotia- fairs as a result of the disastrous flood. tions -- and the breakthrough came in the form Well I’m a happy boy (happy boy) 2x Oh ain’t it good when things are going your way? of a flood. In his first eight seasons in Fairbanks, Dennis not only worked the Panners into the black again, but It was in the aftermath of the 1967 flood that his adept recruiting and organizing also resulted in Don was finally pursuaded to come to Fairbanks Alaska Flag Song the club’s winning of back-to-back-to-back national -- for a committment of two years. He has been championships. It is a tribute to his able leadership, here ever since then, operating as the heart Written by Marie Drake; that the Goldpanners have come to be regarded as and soul for both local and state baseball. Composed by Elinor Dusenbury the nation’s foremost semi-pro organization under his direction. Eight stars of gold on a field of blue - Years later, Boucher would describe these suc- Alaska's flag. May it mean to you cessful negotiations in 1967 as “the best thing I The blue of the sea, the evening sky, Dennis originally became acquainted with semi-pro ever did for the Goldpanners.” Certainly, subse- The mountain lakes, and the flow'rs nearby; baseball in the summer in 1961, when he was sports quent events have vindicated the decisions of all The gold of the early sourdough's dreams, editor of the newspaper in Grand Junction, and his three men. Don has built a program that is second The precious gold of the hills and streams; primary assignment was covering the Grand Junction The brilliant stars in the northern sky, to none in the non-professional baseball world. The "Bear" - the "Dipper" - and, shining high, Eagles ball team. The great North Star with its steady light, Through his generation of leadership, Don Over land and sea a beacon bright. The star of the club, and also the manager, was Sam Dennis has led the Goldpanners organization Alaska's flag - to Alaskans dear, Suplizio, with whom Dennis worked, and developed a to unparalled hights -- steering the Alaska Gold- The simple flag of a last frontier. long and lasting friendship. Through his association panners of Fairbanks into its now recognized with Suplizio, Dennis eventually stepped into the role status as the most successful amateur club in of Eagles business manager, a position he held until the history of baseball.