Goldpanners Celebrate 30th Anniversary of Three-Consecutive National Championship Run
BY TODD DENNIS
Tuesday, April 30, 2002
The Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks will celebrate the team's 43rd summer season in 2002 and, as usual, Fairbanks fans anticipate a winning team filled with future baseball standouts. This year the city of Fairbanks and the Goldpanners will be recognizing the 1972 NBC national championship club, which included 2001 baseball hall of fame inductee Dave Winfield.
The Panners have posted 40 winning seasons and no less than 178 of their players have made it to the pinnacle of baseball in the major leagues. Hundreds of others have progressed through the minor league system. The number of graduates to the majors-178-is far and away the best track record of a single amateur team ever - and a mark that is not likely to be overtaken in the foreseeable future.
The 2002 Panner team is presenting an entirely new coaching staff and several new players, as well as a few from the 2001 contingent which was named co-champion of the annual Wood Bat Invitational Tournament.
Ed Cheff, head coach of perennial NAIA champion Lewis and Clark State, joins the Goldpanners organization for his first season at the helm of the team. Coaches Rob Hippi and Dan Barrett will be joining him on the field as team coaches. Rob will be handling the pitchers, while Dan will instruct the hitters.
Outfielder/Pitcher Tony Perez, MVP of the 2001 Wood Bat Invitational, heads the list of returning players. Other returning players are pitchers Zakk Basch and Sean Timmons, a six-time Panner. Scott Robinson and Chad Redfern will also be returning. Scott is the son of 1972 Championship team member Bruce Robinson. Chad played for the 2000 Goldpanners, but sat out the 2001 summer season due to a severe forearm injury during the collegiate season at San Diego State.
The incoming outfield is sure to create a lot of excitement. Joining the veteran Perez in the field will be Sophomore outfielder Anthony Gwynn from San Diego State University. Anthony is the son of the former San Diego Padres' outfield star, and current SDSU coach, Tony Gwynn, a future baseball hall of famer.
This year's incoming pitching staff includes two impressive newcomers. J.P. Gagne, from Notre Dame, was starting pitcher in the 2001 NBC Championship game for the Hays, Kansas, Larks. Ryan Schroyer of ASU dominated all spring for the Sun Devils with his outstanding relief pitching.
Catching and infield positions will feature all new players with one of the most exciting being infielder Jeremy West from Arizona State. Jeremy was named PAC-10 Conference Player of the Week in April. Also in the Goldpanners infield will be Ryan Haag, named Mountain West Conference Player of the Week in early April.
The Alaska Baseball League schedule is sure to be entertaining this season, due in part to the number of Goldpanners seeking a measure of redemption. Starting phenom J.P. Gagne has a score to settle with the Anchorage Glacier Pilots, who defeated him in last year's National Championship Game. 2001 Mat-Su Miners Mike Hofius and Todd Jennings will surely battle hard for the Panners against their old team. Head Coach Cheff has extra motivation to do well against the Anchorage Bucs ballclub, for which he coached two seasons in the mid-90s.
The additional motivation extends to the NBC: In 2001, the Anchorage Glacier Pilots became only the second club in the long and storied history of the NBC to win five national championships -- tying the Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks for most all-time. The battle for the NBC is on!
The Growden Memorial Park schedule features 44 games, including those of local ABL rival AIA ALASKA. Outside foes are the Oceanside Waves of Oceanside, CA, and the Victory Dons of Ukiah, CA, who are competing against the Goldpanners in the Midnight Sun Game (Friday, June 21, 10:30PM) for the very first time.
Catch up with all the action at www.goldpanners.com. In addition to game pictures and live play-by-play statistics, the Goldpanners are again broadcasting video of all games live over the Internet! Join craftsman Gero Von Dehn ("The G-Man") and Producer/Announcer Todd Dennis at home and on the road for live action all summer long. Join the Booster Club!
GOLDPANNERS' HOME SCHEDULE
