10/29/6: Not
Lost From History - By Don Dennis "The Alaska League
is a term often referred to as a means of encompassing
baseball as it is known today in the 49th state. However, the words "Alaska League" are a bit of a misnomer. The best it
has ever been -- and that happens to be the era from 1998 to the present --
is a strong association of teams joining together to give the appearance of
a traditional league."
But the only Alaska representative in this year's tournament, Kenai,
finished 2-2 and never made it to the main stage.
Because of budget limitations in the Alaska League, Kenai was the
only team from that league to play in this year's World Series. No
Fairbanks, no Anchorage Glacier Pilots.
Alaska teams have won 16 championships since 1969 and finished second
another 13 times. They have produced a long list of players who went on
to become standouts in the big leagues.
The NBC has to find a way to keep Alaska involved and, hopefully,
with more than one representative.
8/5/6:Mark ThompsonOilers stave off elimination - "Oilers leadoff batter Mark
Thompson, a pre-tournament addition from the Fairbanks
Goldpanners, continued his effective play. After reaching base
in each of his five plate appearances in the opener, Thompson
was on base four more times against Beatrice. That included his
triple to start the game."
6/19/6:
Sports Illustrated: ABL a Major
League Pipeline - "Before he was a New York Yankee, Jason Giambi was
an Alaska Goldpanner in Fairbanks. He batted a team-high .377.
Sixteen years later, the All-Star slugger recalls the annual
Midnight Sun game held each summer solstice. The game begins at 10
p.m. and lasts past midnight, but has never used artificial lighting
in its 100-year history. “It was kind of tough to see for two
innings, but otherwise it was pretty cool to play in a game like
that,’’ said Giambi, then a freshman at Long Beach State."
Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona
and Tim Wallach, who would go on to win three Golden Gloves
with the Montreal Expos, were assigned to run a clinic when
they played for the Goldpanners in 1978. “The second
day we got bored,’’ Francona said. “We went to McDonalds,
and the kids we were supposed to watch got into a rock
fight.’’ Francona, who guided the 2004 Boston Red Sox to
their first World Series title in 86 years, served out the
rest of the season as his star teammate’s chauffeur.
“Wallach was such a good player that my job was to make sure
he got to the ballpark,’’ Francona said. The following year,
Wallach won the Golden Spikes award for best college player
after leading Cal State-Fullerton to its first national
championship."
July 12:
Panners beaten by Pilots - "Anchorage's Lucas Waters clubbed a
two-run homer to cap the rally ad provide the winning margin. Morgan
was tagged with the loss even though Bird game up the game-winning
home run. The Panners managed seven hits in the game, led by Chris
Fox, who went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and one run batted in.
Chu Yuan-Chin was 1-for-2 and drove in a pair of runs."
7/12/6:
2006:
Sean Timmons
(94-98-99-00-01-02-03-04-05-06)
Sean Timmons sets strikeout record in Panners win
"Timmons caught Fire left fielder Steve Shaver looking at a pitch on
the outside part of the plate at Growden Memorial Park to tally his
274th career strikeout, passing Brent Strom on the all-time list.
“Ten years to do it,” said Timmons who first toed the rubber for the
Panners in 1994 and is pitching in his 10th season. “It’s nice. It
wasn’t pretty, but hey I got it done. I don’t gotta worry about it
anymore.”
7/11/6:
July 10, vs AIA:
Mills’ homer propels Goldpanners -
"With the score knotted at zero in the third inning, Mills
stepped up to the plate with bases loaded and sent a 2-1
offering high over the right field wall for the Panners'
first slam of the summer. "Getting four runs up on the
board, I mean, that helps out any team and that's what I'm
here to do," said Mills. The slam was a league leading sixth
home run for Mills, who had two grand slams earlier this
year as a freshman at Fresno State."
Pictures by E. Chilton Hines
Record-Setting Night
7/10/6:
Panner bats too much for Fire
"It’s nice seeing our team come together like it is,” said
Panners designated hitter Beau Mills, who drove in two of
the Panners runs. “It’s nice, you know, going through a
little struggle and seeing the team come together and gel
together.”
7/7/6: Hernandez sharp as Panners top Bucs- Kevin Hernandez’s right arm did most of the work Thursday night at
Growden Memorial Park, but his legs assured the Alaska Goldpanners of a 3-1
victory over the Anchorage Bucs in the Alaska Baseball League game. With two
outs in the top of the ninth inning, Bucs left fielder Chris Raber
grounded Hernandez’s full-count pitch toward Goldpanners first
baseman Geoff Byrns. Hernandez outsprinted Raber to collect Byrns’
toss and tag the bag for the final out, giving Hernandez a 4-0
record after his first complete game of the season. “It kept the
blood flowing,'’ Hernandez said of his sprint to first base."
7/3/6:
Panners facing new challenges - "The Panners staff has given up
only 51 runs on the year, 30 less then their opponents, and had a
team ERA under 2.00 entering this weekend. One reason for that is
starter Kevin Hernandez who is 3-0 in three starts, with an ERA of
2.00. But pitching coach Gus Knickrehm thinks that his staff can be
even better. "It's coming together," Knickrehm said. "There are some
things that we need to work on, like command of pitches, commitment
of each pitch, getting after it, going as hard as you can each
pitch. Once they buy into that, I think this is going to be a pretty
good staff."
6/30/6: MSG: Midnight Games (Sporting News)
- "Fairbanks, Alaska, requires toughness. Living on the 65th
parallel, you don’t exactly spend time thinking about how the
petunias are coming along. The average high temperature in January
is 2-below. Extension cords dangle out of car grills, and most
parking spaces are equipped with electrical outlets. That’s because
if you parked for a few hours during an Alaska winter without
plugging in, your engine would become an Ice Pop."
6/28/6:
Oilers photos from June 27
6/28/6:
June 27 vs. Peninsula Oilers
6/26/6: MSG: 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.'’
6/26/6: Timmons, Mier combine to pace
Goldpanners win - "Sean Timmons, the winningest pitcher in
Goldpanners history, pitched seven solid innings to add another
victory to his laurels and catcher Jessie Mier belted a three-run
homer that snapped a 3-3 tie as the Goldpanners downed the Anchorage
Bucs 10-3 before an appreciative gathering at Growden Memorial Park.
Cheff (Goldpanner manager Ed Cheff) made it a point to say that we
needed to do things differently,” Mier said of the Goldpanners’
offensive turnaround. “He just re-emphasized in a strong way the
things that needed to be done in order for us to have success,” said
Mier, who plays under Cheff’s direction at NAIA champion Lewis-Clark
State in Idaho. “The main thing was that we needed to be more
selective instead of chasing pitches.”
6/24/6:
Georgi's Midnight Sun Game Blog
6/23/6: 2006:
Panners erupt to win ABL opener
- "The Alaska Goldpanners opened league play with a bang,
routing the Athletes in Action Fire, 16-3 Friday night at Growden
Memorial Park. The Panners (1-0 ABL, 6-3 overall) used three big
innings and a solid pitching performance from starter Kevin
Hernandez to spoil the Fire’s (1-3 ABL, 3-5 overall) first game in
Fairbanks this season."
6/23/6:
June 23, 2006
- Alaska Goldpanners vs.
Athletes in Action
6/22/6: 2006:
Panners work extra for Sun win
6/21/6: PANNERS WIN THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY
MIDNIGHT SUN GAME (2-1 in 10th Innings) Chu Yuan Chin
Single - Game Winning RBI
mp3 file/podcast
AccuWeather News Director,
Steve Penstone, speaks with Alaska Goldpanners General Manager
Don Dennis about tonight's 100th Midnight Sun baseball game in
Fairbanks.
Download the mp3 file to listen. (3020k)
6/21/6: 2006:
Midnight Sun Game tonight
By MATIAS SAARI, Staff Writer
"Unless they get serious
about baseball in Scandinavia or some other place near the Arctic
Circle, Fairbanks will continue to have the market on games under
the Midnight Sun just as it has for the past century. “It’s unique.
We’re the only people that have it,” said Don Dennis, the Alaska
Goldpanners’ general manager since 1968. “Nobody else can do it.”
6/19/6: 2006:
Panners salvage split with Birds
- "Mark Thompson made several spectacular plays on grounders
deep in the hole at shortstop and registered six assists. He also
stole two bases, reached base three times and scored a run, while
Chu Yuan-Chin and Jovanny Bramasco had RBI hits in the third inning
as the Goldpanners improved to 4-1."
6/19/6: June 18 -
Alaska Goldpanners vs. California Running Birds 2/2
6/18/6: 2006:
Panners suffer first loss of year
6/18/6: June 17,
2006 vs. California Running Birds
6/17/6:
2006:
Davidson has big night for Panners
"Davidson was recommended to Cheff by former Alaska manager Jim
Dietz, now a high school baseball coach in Oregon. Davidson worked
out late in the season with the Lewis-Clark State College baseball
team in Lewiston, Idaho, which Cheff coaches and recently guided to
its 14th NAIA national championship."
6/17/6:
June 16th vs. Stockton Senators- Scorecast
6/16/6:
2006:
Byrns and Dunn propel Panners -
"the Goldpanners’ 13-5 romp at Growden Memorial Park showed it
was a stroke of genius for him to have Geoff Byrns batting in the
No. 3 spot and Joey Dunn hitting right behind him. The two combined
for six hits, six runs batted in and five runs scored." -- SEAN
TIMMONS WINS! WITHIN SIX STRIKEOUTS OF ALL-TIME RECORD HELD BY BRENT
STROM 6/15/6:
2006:
Panners get off to fast start
against Stars- "With barely half the team having arrived in
Fairbanks, head coach Ed Cheff was hesitant to offer an assessment
of this year’s team. The 2005 squad went 39-12 overall and dominated
the Alaska Baseball League with a 28-6 record. “It’s pretty hard to
make an evaluation for about a week,” said Cheff, last year’s ABL
Coach of the Year, who arrived in Fairbanks on Monday."
6/13/6: 2006: Players from Taiwan ready to join
Panners - Bob Eley "The Panners aren’t changing uniforms and
the coaching staff remains intact, but four of the new players on
this year’s team are from Taiwan and attend college at the Taiwan
National College of Physical Education. Whiile none of the
four speak much English, Dennis said that coach Ed Cheff isn’t
anticipating any communication problems. “Coach Cheff’s plan is for
them to learn English baseball terms and have the rest of the guys
learn to speak Taiwanese for the social aspects,” Dennis said." 6/13/6:
ABLBlog: Palmer and Fairbanks players
added to roster of Mat-Su Miners
6/9/6: Kody Valverde (05) Valverde Has Seen the
Light “(Coach Cheff) worked with
us every day to be mentally tougher,” Valverde said. “I don’t know
if he did something special to us or whether we did it ourselves,
but it was a fun summer. “It’s miraculous,” Alabama coach Jim Wells
said. “He went from a guy who hit .238 or .240, who swung and missed
a lot, and he’s just better all the way around. That had to happen
for us to be successful.” 1/5/6:
H.A. (Red) Boucher
-Continues to recover from stroke 1/31/6:
Dermot Cole Goldpanner Shoutout - "MIGHTY QUINN: Last summer one of the
stars of the Alaska Goldpanners was Quinn Stewart of LSU Tigers. In a recent
article in the Baton Rouge Advocate, Stewart said that summer in Fairbanks was
like the movie "Groundhog Day," in which the same day is repeated over and over
again. "You wake up, go to the field, come home, take a nap, get up, go to the
field, play a game, go hang out, get something to eat, go to sleep, get up and
do the same thing over and over," he said. He said he'd like to visit Fairbanks
in the winter, to see what it's like "when it's dark all the time." 9/12/5: 2005
MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS: Justin Fuller, Position Player ;
Shannon Wirth, Pitcher
9/12/5: FINAL, OFFICIAL 2005
STATISTICS 8/3/5:
Panners' Cheff, Vogel honored - Ed Cheff, Coach of the Year; Matt Vogel, SS; Quinn Stewart, RF; Garet Hill, P - NBC Pickups: Matt Inouye, C; Jerin Harper, OF ; Sung-Wei Tseng, SP ; Josh McLaughlin, RP 8/1/5: Added to
2005 NBC Roster - Josh McLaughlin, RP ; Sung-Wei Tseng, SP ; Matt Inouye, C ; Sheng Wei-Wang, SS ; Jerin Harper, OF 7/23/5:
Panners earn trip to Wichita - "The home team left no doubt about their intentions on Friday night and sent 13 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first inning. AIA starting pitcher Justin Pigott faced nine Panners in the frame and did not record an out on the way to taking the loss." 7/21/5:
Panner pitchers, hitters strong arm Fire 7/21/5:
SEAN TIMMONS (04MVP)
Former AASU pitchers enters Cooperstown 7/20/5:
Dales plans to pitch at Washburn "Dales recently participated in the 100th annual Midnight Sun Game in Fairbanks, Alaska, with the Omaha Strike Zone baseball team, and will elevate his playing level as he moves from Highland (Kan.) Community College to Washburn University next year."
7/10/5:
Two-week trip culminates in midnight game |
Arizona, NJC and the Midnight Sun Game 7/5/5:
SEAN TIMMONS
Timmons finds his place in baseball history at Cooperstown 6/26/5:
Baseball fans are drawn to Fairbanks and Omaha - Wall Street Journal
6/26/5:
Blistering rays of Midnight Sun light way to publicity 6/24/5:
The boys of summer solstice - David Hoeckstra, Chicago Sun Times
"The Goldpanners beat Omaha 3-1 in the 100th Anniversary game. Fairbanks
native Sean Timmons was the winning pitcher. He is now the winningest
pitcher (3-0) in the history of the Midnight Sun game. Immediately after the
game, his No. 33 jersey was shipped to the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
in Cooperstown, N.Y. " 6/23/5:
100 Years of Baseball Fun in Fairbanks 6/23/5:
Thousands Attend Midnight Sun Game - Newsday
6/22/5:
Where baseball shines the most - ESPN.com "Fairbanks is an insane town."
6/22/5:
Fans flock to annual classic - To accommodate the massive crowds, park
officials corralled fans in the deep corners of the outfield. Fairbanksan
Kerry Turnbow, who was among the standing-room-only throng, was in awe of
the sheer numbers in attendance, but not surprised. "I mean it is the 100th
anniversary," he said 6/21/5:
Midnight game turns 100 6/18/5:
Midnight Sun lures national media 6/18/5:
American Bus Association lists Midnight Sun Game in top 100 events
8/16/6:
Lower
Columbia Signees "Hip (Coach Hippi) searches the world over for
pitchers as his reputation extends beyond Washington and Oregon," Smith
said. "Alaska has been a pipeline for us since we got Ryan Shaver a few
years ago, and we like Rosen's size and how he throws nice and easy with
a free arm. Warnock chose us based on reputation, and he's a very
physical kid with some arm strength."
8/14/6: Beau
Mills:
Summer Shuffle - "The other significant transfer of the summer took
place in the Alaska League, as Fresno State's Beau Mills decided to
attend NAIA powerhouse Lewis-Clark (Idaho) State. Mills, who has hit 36
home runs in two seasons for the Bulldogs, was academically ineligible
at the end of the '06 season and missed Fresno State's regional. He
played for the Alaska Goldpanners in Fairbanks this summer under LCSC
coach Ed Cheff, batting .270-7-33 in 152 at-bats."
CHATHAM - Allan
Dykstra (05) of Wake Forest knocked in the go-ahead runs on
a two-run home run in the sixth inning to pace the Athletics over
the visiting Mariners.
6/14/6: Cameron Blair
(04MVP)
Tech has no policy against riding
motorcycles "I never really did
think about it," Hays said. "Cameron (Blair) is the only one (of
his players) that I've known who has done that.. But that would
be par for Cameron." 6/13/6: 2006: Players from Taiwan ready to join
Panners - Bob Eley "The Panners aren’t changing uniforms and
the coaching staff remains intact, but four of the new players on
this year’s team are from Taiwan and attend college at the Taiwan
National College of Physical Education. Whiile none of the
four speak much English, Dennis said that coach Ed Cheff isn’t
anticipating any communication problems. “Coach Cheff’s plan is for
them to learn English baseball terms and have the rest of the guys
learn to speak Taiwanese for the social aspects,” Dennis said."
6/13/6: 2006 Yearbook Bonus Cards Added to Seaver,
Boone, Lee:
6/11/6: Jon McCaslin (03)
Eighty-eight golfers are competing
in first Capitol City Amateur since 1998 "McCaslin, a
22-year-old graduate of North Thurston who played baseball for
Lewis-Clark State College, was considered one of the favorites to
win the tournament, according to McNelly. However, during Saturday’s
opening round of “scrambling golf,” McCaslin shot a 7-over-par 79.
“Golf is a funny game,” McCaslin said after coming off the 18th
hole. “One day you can shoot in the 60s, and the next day you can
shoot an 80.” As a 1-handicap, McCaslin said he needed to stay
mentally prepared and not lose composure. “If I make it in the
money, I will be happy,” McCaslin said. “I’m going home to watch
‘Tin Cup’ tonight.”
6/9/6: Kody Valverde (05) Valverde Has Seen the
Light “(Coach Cheff) worked with
us every day to be mentally tougher,” Valverde said. “I don’t know
if he did something special to us or whether we did it ourselves,
but it was a fun summer. “It’s miraculous,” Alabama coach Jim Wells
said. “He went from a guy who hit .238 or .240, who swung and missed
a lot, and he’s just better all the way around. That had to happen
for us to be successful.”
6/3/6:
Lewis-Clark Wins NAIA National Championship! -
Box Score |
Play-by-Play //
Shannon Wirth (05
MVP) Wins Game, Allen Balmer (04) MVP!
"After
Cumberland scored a run
in the bottom of the sixth to tie the contest at 4-4, neither team
could score until the 11th. That's when Mark Thompson (05-06R) started the rally by being hit a
pitch, one of nine hit batters in the game. Matt Vogel (05) singled Thompson to third and then stole second
base. With first base open,
Cumberland elected to intentionally walk Series MVP
Allen Balmer (04) to load the bases. Jose Castenon (04) then drew a full-count walk to
force in the decisive run."
Shelly and Moku Paiva (89) star in the
premiere of
"Hawaii Love Stories"
5/19/6: Moku Paiva
(89)
The wedding video that everyone gets to see "Former UH baseball pitcher Moku Paiva married fellow Honolulu
Police Department officer Shelly Silva in April and all Hawaii is
invited.. on TV."
5/17/6: Allen Dykstra(05)Leaving ACC Foes in
His Wake"Dykstra is hitting .335 and leads the Atlantic
Coast Conference with 14 homers and 55 RBIs on a team that is 32-17.
He also has 16 doubles and has struck out just 26 times in 233 plate
appearances."
2006 All-NAIA Region I Team: Justin Fuller,
Allen Balmer, Mark Thompson, Jessie Miller and Austin Weilip. Justin
Fuller, a second baseman, was the player of the year.
Wake Forest and Florida State played
the longest game in the 53-year history of the ACC on Saturday, May
6. The previous record in unknown, but the 20-inning affair turned
out to be the 12th in NCAA Division I history to ever reach the 20th
inning and only the third to do so since 1974. Wake Forest first
baseman
Allan Dykstra recorded 26 putouts, not only an ACC record, but
the second most in NCAA Division I history.
The 22nd-ranked Washington baseball
team couldn't overcome an early deficit as the NAIA's top-ranked
team, Lewis-Clark State, handed the Huskies a 9-7 loss Tuesday night
at Husky Ballpark. Lewis-Clark State (39-4), which had a
26-game win streak broken last weekend, used a six-run third inning
to build a 7-1 lead against the Huskies (30-17), who rallied for one
in the seventh and four in the eighth to close the gap.
4/29/6:
Don Sneddon Profile"KCAL 9 aired a
feature on Santa Ana College (SAC) baseball coach Don Sneddon
becoming California community college's all-time winningest baseball
coach on April 15. Sneddon took over the top spot on March 21 when
the Dons beat Riverside Community College (RCC), 2-1, in Orange
Empire Conference baseball action. The feature, hosted by Gary
Miller, will can be viewed by clicking on the link."
4/29/6: Allen Dykstra(05)
Wake Photo Gallery
2/18/6: Ed Romero (05)
Romero Combines For Shutout Win for Fresno State " Eddie Romero
made the longest appearance of a three-year career, staying in
command through 8.0 shutout innings as the Bulldogs won their second
game in as many days 8-0 over Utah Valley State. Romero, throwing
112 pitches, allowed only four hits and struck out seven. "
2/18/6: Matt Lane (05)
Drives in Five runs vs. C-S Northridge
2/17/6: Kody Valverde (05)
Valverde powering
the Tide early "Valverde hit a two-run homer in Saturday's loss
to the Eagles and won the game with a three-run homer on Sunday. The
senior has also accomplished something rare for him: He has walked
five times in Alabama's first four games, matching his walk total
from all of last year. "
Texas second baseman Clay Van Hook (05)
reaches down to tag out UH
center fielder Mark McGonigle on a failed steal attempt in the
fifth inning Friday at Minute Maid Park. BRETT COOMER
1/30/6: Paul Keck (04)
Keck Transfers to Lee from LC "Assistant coach Mark Brew called
Keck "a tremendous catcher with great accolades. He has played in
great programs and is a leader behind the plate," noted Brew. "Paul
is an excellent sign for us this late in the summer. He has a great
arm, good power and above average speed. We are looking forward to
an excellent year from Paul."
1/27/6: Jim Sundberg (71)
Sundberg speaks at First Pitch Luncheon - "What it does,
is just show that we're normal people as well and we love to go out
and encourage them to see some games and watch us on TV," he said.
"If we can help motivate somebody, or help somebody keep going, or
brighten somebody's day, that's kinda what I get out of it."
1/25/6: Alvin Davis (79-80)
Davis helps dedicate Brock Park
Dick Stone and
Milo Griffin
1/20/6:
Milo Griffin (67-68-69)
Griffin's '44' retired in style - "An accomplished tennis
player and golfer, Griffin also played with the Alaska Goldpanners of
Fairbanks baseball team from 1967-68 as an outfielder and first
baseman."
1/17/6: Milo Griffin(67-68-69)
Nanooks retire Griffin's Number 44
1/17/6: Allan
Dykstra (05)
Named to Baseball America's "Fab 50"
1/15/6: Quinn Stewart
(05)
Tigers'
Stewart Seeing the Light - "“I guess I found a love for the game
again,” the senior outfielder said. “I got a chance to get away, go have
fun, get some confidence back and just play. That’s really all it was.
Last year took a toll, struggling as much as I did. "
1/9/6:
Ed Cheff (02-03-04-05-06R)
Inducted into ABCA Hall of Fame "During his tenure, Lewis-Clark
State College has won 13 NAIA national titles. From 1982 through 1992,
Cheff's Warriors played in 11 consecutive NAIA national championship
games and won eight championships and his teams hold a part of more than
25 NAIA World Series records."
11/1/6: The "Alaska
Baseball League" in a Nutshell
10/29/6: Not
Lost From History - By Don Dennis "The Alaska League
is a term often referred to as a means of encompassing
baseball as it is known today in the 49th state. However, the words "Alaska League" are a bit of a misnomer. The best it
has ever been -- and that happens to be the era from 1998 to the present --
is a strong association of teams joining together to give the appearance of
a traditional league."
8/19/6:
Chad Corona (02)
Emergency medical technician in Escondido “He exemplifies all the
values that the Cannons team is about,” Hoang said. “He believes in the
community service aspect of it. As competitive as he is, he’s also a
good mentor to teach life lessons that parallel baseball.”
8/9/6: PannerVision:
Grinding at Growden
- At 2:30 Mark
"When the next big earthquake hits,
John Luther Adams jokes, he’ll be running into the University of Alaska Museum
of the North while everyone else runs out. He won’t be able to resist
hearing music the quake generates in the provocative gallery he designed, The
Place Where You Go to Listen."
6/19/6:
Sports Illustrated: ABL a Major
League Pipeline - "Before he was a New York Yankee, Jason Giambi was
an Alaska Goldpanner in Fairbanks. He batted a team-high .377.
Sixteen years later, the All-Star slugger recalls the annual
Midnight Sun game held each summer solstice. The game begins at 10
p.m. and lasts past midnight, but has never used artificial lighting
in its 100-year history. “It was kind of tough to see for two
innings, but otherwise it was pretty cool to play in a game like
that,’’ said Giambi, then a freshman at Long Beach State."
6/30/6: MSG: Midnight Games (Sporting News)
- "Fairbanks, Alaska, requires toughness. Living on the 65th
parallel, you don’t exactly spend time thinking about how the
petunias are coming along. The average high temperature in January
is 2-below. Extension cords dangle out of car grills, and most
parking spaces are equipped with electrical outlets. That’s because
if you parked for a few hours during an Alaska winter without
plugging in, your engine would become an Ice Pop."
mp3 file/podcast
AccuWeather News Director,
Steve Penstone, speaks with Alaska Goldpanners General Manager
Don Dennis about tonight's 100th Midnight Sun baseball game in
Fairbanks.
Download the mp3 file to listen. (3020k)
6/21/6: 2006:
Midnight Sun Game tonight
By MATIAS SAARI, Staff Writer
"Unless they get serious
about baseball in Scandinavia or some other place near the Arctic
Circle, Fairbanks will continue to have the market on games under
the Midnight Sun just as it has for the past century. “It’s unique.
We’re the only people that have it,” said Don Dennis, the Alaska
Goldpanners’ general manager since 1968. “Nobody else can do it.”
6/16/6: Baseball loaded with family ties
- By Josh Niva, Anchorage Daily News "Dennis might not be a
player, but he credits his success to a coach — his longtime
employer, mentor and father, Goldpanners general manager Don Dennis.
For both Dennises, and thousands of others who play or follow the
game, baseball is as much about family as it is sport."
5/3/6:
DeadSpin
Baseball //
Plane Crash Clip - "We’d never seen this before, but it’s pretty
amazing: During an Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks game, a plane
crashes just beyond the left field fence. We’ve watched this about
four times in the last 20 minutes. The best part has to be the
announcer. You think you’ve prepared for everything. You’ve got your
player notes, and your scoresheet, and your public service
announcements. And then a plane crashes in left field."
"The things I remember best about
playing at USC are that we worked hard, learned a lot and had a
really great time doing it,” Seaver once said. “I learned more in
one year at USC under coach Dedeaux than I would have in two or
three seasons in the low minors. I learned concentration and to stay
in the game mentally."
Round Rock 2B Brooks Conrad
(99-00) led the minors with 79 extra-base hits (40 doubles, 15 triples,
24 homers). He also led the PCL with 100 runs.
9/16/6:
Mike Young -
Figgins'
Cycles; Young Gets 200th Hit (4th Straight Year) in Win - "Young was
particularly relieved to reach the milestone because the Rangers could
finally take down the large banner in the upper deck in right field
counting down his hit total. "Hopefully we can rip that sign down now,"
Young said with a smile. "I didn't want to make everything about me."
Figgins' cycle was the Angels first since
Jeff DaVanon (92-94
Panners) did it on Aug. 25, 2004, against Kansas City."
9/16/6:
Ryan Garko (00) Up to Speed
For Indians - "In 35 games since being recalled from Triple-A
Buffalo, Garko is batting .310 with six homers and 30 RBIs. More
importantly for the Indians, Garko has improved defensively with his
glove as well as his footwork around the bag."
9/15/6:
Ryan Shaver (04) To Start SAL Championship Game /
MILB Page
9/15/6: Reid Hamblet (04)
Class A Delmarva RHF was named winner of the Elrod Hendricks Minor
League Community Service Award, named for the Orioles’ longtime player.
Hamblet went out of
his way to volunteer for numerous appearances, speaking at Dorchester
and Wicomico county libraries as part of the Shorebirds’ “Summer Reading
Program” and taking part in career days, charity golf outings and youth
baseball clincs on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The Orioles’ 5th round pick
in the 2005 First Year Player Draft, Hamblet went 5-12 with one save in
31 games for Delmarva this season. "
If you're a Round Rock Express season ticket-holder
and didn't get a call from Brooks Conrad (99-00 MVP), you probably
weren't at home. The terrific second baseman called 800 of the fans on
his own time. I'm not sure, but I don't remember hearing that Barry
Bonds (83) does the same.
Indians rookie 1B Ryan Garko hit .333 with four
homers and 17 RBIs in his first 18 games after being called up from
Buffalo on Aug. 8.
Aaron Mathews collected five multiple-hit games and drove in
seven runs last week. He'll take the field for Dunedin in
the playoffs. (Jerry Hale/MiLB.com)
9/5/6: Aaron Mathews
(03)
Player of the Week.448 (13-29), 5 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 1 BB, 4
SO, 0 SB, .793 SLG - Mathews ended the season
in spectacular fashion, as he collected five multiple-hit games and
drove in seven runs. On Friday, the 24-year-old went 4-for-5 with two
homers, a double, and three runs scored, but Dunedin lost to Clearwater
by a score of 8-7. On Sunday, Mathews drove in a season-high four runs
as the Blue Jays pounded the Threshers, 15-8.
9/1/6:
Garko’s fast start: Yabba dabba doo! Indians rookie earning team’s respect -- Indians rookie Ryan
Garko’s teammates call him Fred Flintstone. Asked why, veteran Aaron Boone said:
“Have you seen him run and move around? “Looks like him, too.”
8/29/6:
Brendan Ryan (02) promoted to Triple-A Memphis
Springfield
Cardinals shortstop Brendan Ryan was promoted to Triple-A Memphis on
Tuesday after spending only 10 games with the Double-A club.
8/26/6:
Tulsa Wins! -
Marc Kaiser extended his scoreless streak to 18 innings with 6 shutout
frames.
8/24/6:
Ryan Garko (00)
Garko delivers game-winner in wild one "This is a tough game, but a
fun game, for that reason," Garko said. "You can have a tough day and
still have a chance to come up with a big hit." That's what Garko did
when he grounded a single to center to bring in Sizemore with the
go-ahead run. He tried to put the sweet feeling into words. "It's like
you're climbing a mountain," he said, "and you finally get to the top."
8/21/6: Marc Kaiser
(02)
Drillers’ Kaiser tosses first shutout Double-A Tulsa pitcher
MarcKaiser was the Texas League Pitcher of the Week, going 2-0
with a 1.72 ERA in 15 2/3 innings, including a complete-game shutout.
8/16/6:Marc Kaiser
(02)
Kaiser Baffles Hooks again
8/11/6:
Ryan Garko (00) Called up
to Cleveland
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