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2008 Midnight Sun Game Early Entry Pass
Baseball at midnight? Only in Alaska
(Miami Herald) - It was weird,' said Brad Arnsberg, a former Marlins
pitching coach, of the Midnight Sun experience. You had to have foil on your
bedroom windows just to keep the light from jumping in when you were trying to
sleep. I remember, unfortunately, walking out of a couple of bars at three or
four in the morning and it was broad daylight. It was kind of an odd feeling.'
CLICK FOR Midnight Sun Game
| Goldpanners return to town for home opener
The Ginleys, Kevin and Terry and their three kids, are hosting a Panner for the 12th straight season. They will share their home this summer with third baseman Chad Corona, who just finished his sophomore season at San Diego State. "I work with Shirley Stewart and she talked us into hosting 12 years ago," Kevin Ginley said. Stewart has been finding host families for Goldpanners since 1986. "Every year we kind of waffle and she's like 'We only have two more to place, please,'" Terry Ginley said with a smile. "And, of course, we're not going to leave them without a place to stay." The Panners play their first home game today at 7 p.m. against the Fairbanks Adult Amateur All Stars, then begin a four-game set against the Oceanside, Calif., Waves on Saturday. "I think it will be a fun time this summer," Corona said. "It's a bit of a climate change for me. I usually spend most of my time surfing. I had a brother up here two years ago and he did some fishing and told me it was really good up here. I haven't fished in about six years, but I'm looking forward to it." Corona played in a league in Washinton last year, but his college coach Jim Dietz, a former Panners manager who was coaching his final collegiate season, told him he should head north. Corona said it was a short conversation. "We didn't really talk about it. What he says pretty much goes," Corona said. Hawaii University sophomore Tim Montgomery, who played summer ball in Kansas last year, met up with his hosts, Cole and Janet Hollister, then quickly dug in to the dinner provided by the Panners. "It's a little different every time," said outfielder Tim Montgomery. "I've never been here before, but this is someplace I wanted to go, plus they play some pretty good baseball up here." Many of the Panners were ready to get some rest after playing games in Palmer on Tuesday and Wednesday and then riding the bus to Fairbanks on Thursday, with a short stopover in Denali. "I'm not too tired. I slept pretty well on the bus," Montgomery said. "But with the Midnight Sun up here my sleep clock is kind of off a bit." The vast majority of this year's Panners are new to the club. "I think Zak (Basch) and I are the only two returners," said Tony Perez, who is staying with Darrel and Gwen Borland this year. "They brought in a whole bunch of new guys. I'm just glad to be back. I'm pumped. We're expecting really big things from ourselves this year." AIA wins again Athletes in Action won its third straight game on Thursday, outslugging the Monterey Wolfpack 11-8. Robby Deevers continued his blistering start to the season with a home run and Tim Marks was 3 for 3 to lead AIA at the plate. Eric Rodland stretched his hitting streak to seven games for AIA, which improved to 5-2 on the year. "Obviously, we're off to a better start than we had last year," AIA general manager Chris Beck said. "We're playing a lot better." AIA finishes its California trip with a game against the Salinas Packers today. The team plays its first game in Alaska on Sunday against the Anchorage Glacier Pilots and doesn't make its debut in Fairbanks until a June 22 contest against the Goldpanners. Staff writer Richard Larson can be reached at rlarson@newsminer.com or at 459-7583. July 14, 2002, Daily News-Miner |
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