Daily News-Miner, Fairbanks, Alaska, Wednesday, Angus! 75,1976- A-15 Fanners beat Pilots for national title WICHITA, Kan. —The "can-do kids" from Fairbanks so hard (or the city of Fairbanks and people there and went out and did it last night. didn't figure in the scoring as it was a sharp single to right tainly didn't help any and I have lo accept the respon- people just don't realize how much we sacrifice sometimes. field by pinehhittcr Jeff Doyle who was thrown out on a sibility." The Goldpanncrs upset the Anchorage Glacier Pilots 2-0 There wasn't one day on this road trip we didn't practice perfect throw trying to stretch it into a double. behind the two-hit pitching of Greg Harris to win the once or twice a day...I'm in tears and I'm emotionally worn "Will I be back in Anchorage next year?" Garrido said, National Baseball Congress tournament here. The tour- out. What can I say? I'm so proud of these kids 1 can't Harris only had four strikeouts but his breaking balls confirming a reporter's question. "No, 1 can't say for sure." nament crown represents the championship in the nation's believe it. This is the sixth time in a row I've been in this were low and usually hit into the ground. The first hit came "It would be premature of me to say yes or no. That summer amateur baseball program. game (the championship) but this game tonight meant oft him in the fifth inning when Bando singled up the middle. decision would nol be mine—it would be the decision of The Fanners exploded with a six-hit attack in (he 10th more to me than any other lime I've been in a final game in Harris only gave up three walks during the contest. He was (Pilot General Manager)Jack Brusherl and the board of this tournament." mobbed by teammates when he got George Hahn to ground directors. They haven't offered me a new contract or said inning to score the two runs after being stymied unlil then out to him to end the game. by nine innings of two-hit pitching by Dan Boone. Harris, savoring the victory, said, "We've been waiting to anything about next year...I know that." When Ihe Fanner bats were finally silenced after two get Anchorage nil year and we finally got them when it The first Fairbanks hits came in the fourth inning when Someone asked Garrido if he would fly home to Newport relief pitchers came in during the 10th inning, Harris iced counted." !Ie was also generous with praise for his leam- Stokke and Mark Naehring hit back-to-back singles. But Beach. Calif. the championship by putting the Pilots down in order. mates'defensive efforts. Dave Baker struck out and Wagner hit into a force play to The Goldpanners, who had finished second behind An- end the inning. "1 don't know where I'll go," he said. "I may leave or 1 Other Panners were equally ecstatic. may stay, maybe right here in this town, this hotel room. I chorage in both the Alaska League and regional tour- A wierd doubleplay got the Fanners out of early trouble in nament, won their fourth national crown in the past five Chick Valley, who played on last year's team, said, "This the second inning. Bob Pate walked then went to third as a don't know what I'll do. Right now. I could care less." years with last night's victory. Last year was the only break is unbelievable. We were second lasl year. I didn't realize The Glacier Pilots haven't won the national championship the difference between second and first." pickoff attempt by Harris was wild. Greg Cypret walked. in the streak as the Panners were beaten by Boulder, Colo. Then Tom Soto hit a high bounder to Stokke at shortstop and since 1971 and they were seeded No. 1 in this year's tour- "This certainly has to be (he most satisfying of them all," Larry Reynolds, who scored the Panners' second run, he threw to second to force Cypret. Pate then made a nament and considered the heavy favorites considering that said Goldpanner General Manager Don Dennis after the said, "This is the greatest thing in my life. This is super.'' delayed effort to lake home and was thrown out on a good they manhandled Fairbanks in 14 of the Iti games played game. "This bunch of guys probably physically has less It was a substitute outfielder who got things rolling for Ihe throw by Armstrong and a firm tag by Panner catcher Jeff before Wichita. The only other time Anchorage won the going for them than any Goldpanner learn we've had since Panners in the 10th inning. Hemm who showed a linebacker's attitude toward guarding national title was in 19(>9. I've been in Fairbanks (nine years). They just hung Dartt,Wagner, who hadn't played at all during the tour- home plate during the tournament. The Goldpanners wound up with a tournament record of (i- together as individuals and got down here and put it all nament but who was inserted into Ihe lineup because Boonc That play was haunting Anchorage manager Augie 1 on their way to the crown. They defeated Nashville. Tenn. together as a team. Ofcourse, Greg Harris was just is lefthanded and Wagner is rightianded, smacked a double Garrido last night after the game. T)-2, Tallahassee, Fla. !!-(>. Anchorage 6-5 in a third-round awesome." Ibal just missed being a home run. Dan Cowgill pinclihit foo Sitting in his hotel room with his uniform on, Garrido game. Boulder, Colo, (i-5, CJarinda, Iowa 3-0, last (o An- And lhat he was, Harris won four games during the Bobby Mitchell and singled to right field advancing Wagner looked to one reporter as if he wanted to cry but didn't. chorage 7-6 when a four-run ninth inning rally fell short tournament to be named the Most Valuable Player. His to third base. Jeff Hcmm then bunted down the third base Concerning the whole game, he said, "I haven't much Monday night and (hen won last night's game 2-0. tournament victories brought his season record to 15-3 to tie line but first baseman Chris Bando was playing in and was feeling al this point. I have no feelings, really...only bitter The Anchorage victory on Monday night forced last former Fanner Tom House who set the record in 1966. House out of position to take the throw and Hemm slid around him. disappointment, I never anticipated losing...never." is now with the Boston Red Sox. night's game since the 16-leam tournament was a double- Wagner remained on third during that play. Then Gary Talking about the play at home, Garrido said, "Pate eliminalion affair and both Alaska teams went into the Dictz said after the game: Armstrong smacked a sharp single to center scoring should have mde it in a Cakewalk. Pate did not react to the game with only one loss. I f the Panners had won on Monday, "This is probably the biggest win I've every had here. A Wagner. Boone was pulled from the game at this point and ball....He should have charged as soon as the ball was hit. the tournament would have ended then. < lot of people had given up on us. A lot of people back in Curt Lewis came on in relief. "Had he not hesitated, he wouldn't have been thrown out. Most of the Panners head for their homes today but a Fairbanks ami other places had given up on the kids a little Lewis got Ron Roenicke to pop out but then Chick Valley He should have run immediately—the situation called for bit because we hadn't been able to beat Anchorage earlier nucleus of about a half dozen will lead a group of younger lashed a single to center scoring Larry Reynolds who had aggressive base running." players into action this weekend at Vancouver. B.C. for in the year. I just kept trying to plead that (his was a young come in to run for Cowgill. Rick Foley replaced Lewis on Garrido, who was coaching third, blamed himself. "I team and if they would just keep behind us that when we three games and then on to a tournament al Kamloops, B.C. the mound and got Doug Slokke to ground out with the bases yelled go, but Pale was stopped dead in his tracks. Telling The younger players traditionally are those the Panners really needed it, it was there. loaded. someone to do something in that situation—when ho is dead "I'm telling you, it's just a sensational team...We played are considering inviting to try out for the team next year. All told, Fairbanks had six hits in the inning. The first hit in his tracks—does no good. It only confused him. It cer- The Panners are defending champions at Kamloops. Craig Smith Victory is sweet There is an out of date sign in town and maybe someone will go up with a paint brush today and make an important addition. The sign is on the press box at Growden Field and it proclaims that the Goldpanners were national champions in 1972, '73 and '74. As of the 6: 30 p.m.