PROMOTION DATE: JULY 18, 2000
There have been many defining moments in the history of the Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks...
There was the sweet cinderella run in the 1962 NBC Tournament, which championship was ultimately lost after a disputed call at the plate in the bottom of the 9th inning.
There were the 10 gut wrenching years of near misses at the NBC Tournament, and the complete elation after the 1972 championship victory. This was such a significant moment for the program and the town of Fairbanks that Dave Winfield, cognizant as always, flew back to Fairbanks with the championship trophy!
For me personally, the bitterness of the 1983 NBC championship game defeat is the most striking memory. We shared a hotel with the victors (Grand Rapids), and they were gracious enough to invite us to their victory party, which probably made the sting all that much worse.
The transformation that takes place as our athletes raise the level of their physical and mental "game" is a sight to behold. Collectively flowering, certain teams have seen competitive heights reached that are unmatched even in the major leagues. The team maturity displayed during our three consecutive championship seasons ('72,'73,'74) is likely unparalleled in amateur baseball. The 172 (and counting) former players to rise to the pinnacle of baseball at the major leagues is a testament to the uplifting regime of our many brilliant field managers.
After all is written, one item still strikes me : the Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks began humbly as a idea in the mind of H.A. 'Red' Boucher. Years of hard work by him and all those who followed (notably Don Dennis, Bill Stroecker, and Jim Dietz, among many, many others) allowed the program to develop its own identity.
Thankfully, it survived all the downs and ups, turning into an amazing fraternity of athletes and management personnel.
The 40 amazing years of Boucher's baby will be celebrated on the evening of July 18 this season. We will bring back many memories, and many of the old stories, players, fans and personnel. Hopefully, we can convince Red to take some more time out of his busy schedule to visit Growden a second time this summer.
The ballgame will steal the show this evening, most likely. Opening their final homestand, the Goldpanners will be facing the Anchorage Bucs in the first game of a vital league series. Oftentimes, the league championship is at stake in this series.
