1988 Alaska Goldpanners
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Alaska Goldpanners Issue Two Regional Sets

By Ed Kobak Jr.
December 9, 1988

The Alaska Goldpanners of the Alaska Baseball League have issued two regional card sets for 1988.  This is the first season of issue for both sets.

The team was founded  in 1960 by H.A. (Red) Boucher.  The club was first known the as the Pan Alaska Goldpanners of the North of the Range League.

The 'Panners operate out of Fairbanks, the land of the midnight sun, 160 miles south of the Arctic Circle.  The club boasts of being the northernmost baseball club on the face of the earth and celebrate the longest day of the year by staging the Midnight Sun Game.

The game starts at 10:30p.m. and continues until 2a.m., and is stopped at midnight for ceremony.  Never once has artificial lighting been used in the game's history.

The Goldpanners have graduated 105 players to the major leagues, the first being Dave Dowling in 1964.  The roster of former players includes such names as Tom Seaver, Dave Winfield, Dave Kingman, Graig Nettles, Bob Boone, Rick Monday, Tim Wallach, Oddibe McDowell and Kevin McReynolds.

The Goldpanners have won a record five NBC National Championship titles, the 1988 U.S. Open and seven Alaska League titles.

In 28 years, the 'Panners have posted 1,117 wins and have never had a losing season.

The Cards

The 1960s All-Stars features 12 Goldpanner stars who made the majors.  Both sets feature dark blue borders with the red, blue and gold Goldpanner in the lower left corner.  The set measure 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches.

The photos of the All-Star set are in black-and-white Sepia tone and have glossy fronts.  The set is numbered, as the 1989 set which will include 12 to 18 players from the '70s.  The 1990 set will include 12 to 18 players from the '80s, also to be consecutively numbered.  All players are featured in Fairbanks or Alaska Goldpanners uniforms.

The 1988 team set features 20 cards that are done in full-color glossy with dark blue borders.  This set measures 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches and is not numbered.

The backs of the cards include in-depth biographies and records.  In this set look for Bret Boone, son of catcher Bob Boone, who appears in the All-Star set.   Also watch for sure-fire future major leaguer Erik Schullstrom, says team GM Don Dennis.

The set is the brainchild of Dennis' two sons, who run the baseball card concession stand, "Scratch 'n Spit," at Growden Park.

An interesting sidelight for rookie card collectors is the 1988 team set now becomes these players' rookie card set, instead of being part of the traditional major or minor league sets (Bret Boone, Dan Naulty, Jason Giambi).

The All-Star set also shows the earliest photos of these major leaguers in organized baseball.

The sets are produced by The Lens Unlimited, and unlike the mass produced minor league sets, are in limited supply and can only be ordered directly from the Goldpanners.

The All-Star set is available for $7.50 and the 1988 team set for $5 (both for $12).  Add $1 for postage.

The team also published a 1988 yearbook that features all former Goldpanner major leaguers on full-color Topps, Fleer and Donruss cards (available for $3 postpaid).

Other souvenirs include a hat pin ($3), t-shirts (M-XL$15.00) and programs ($5, specify by year and add $1 postage for every two programs ordered).  One dollar (plus one legal-sized 50-cent SASE) gets you 10 Goldpanner '88 pocket schedules.

Card sets, the yearbook and all souvenirs ordered should be directed to Alaska Goldpanners, P.O. Box 71154, Fairbanks AK 99707.  Attn: Don Dennis.

Please be sure to include adequate postage.  All proceeds go to the operation of the Goldpanners.

Collectors, please remember this is a grass-roots organization.  Also, to save inquiring, no uncut sheets were produced.

Ed Kobak is a SCD columnist ("Around the Globe") and is the author of the Comprehensive Directory of Sports Addresses.  He can be reached at 717 11th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90402.

December 9, 1988  Sports Collectors Digest