Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks

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Alaska Goldpanners

Nicknames	'Panners
Founded	1960
League	Alaska Baseball League
Based in	Fairbanks, Alaska
Ballpark	Growden Memorial Park
Colors	Blue, Gold, Red
Owner	Alaska Goldpanner Baseball, Inc (non-profit)
President	Abram Siddall
General manager	John Lohrke
Championships	NBC (1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1980, 2002) Alaska (1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1991, 1994, 1995, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2013, 2014)
Broadcasters	Gero von Dehn
Website	http://www.goldpanners.com

The Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks are a collegiate summer baseball team which was founded in 1960 as an independent barnstorming team. The Goldpanners were charter members of the Alaska Baseball League at the league's inception in 1974. The Goldpanners play their home games at Growden Memorial Park in Fairbanks, Alaska, United States. They also host the annual Midnight Sun Game at their home venue.

Like other amateur collegiate summer baseball teams, the Goldpanners operate in a similar manner to professional minor league organizations: playing a nightly schedule, using wooden bats, and with lengthy road trips facing advanced competition. Facing a unique challenge due to Fairbanks' isolated location, the Goldpanners often play teams from the rest of Alaska and the West Coast of the Lower 48.

History[]

Founded by H. A. Boucher in 1960, Fairbanks' baseball team first made national news when the Pan-Alaska Gold Panners appeared in the 1962 NBC national championship game. Following a business re-organization led by W.G. Stroecker in 1963, the team changed was renamed the Alaska Goldpanners.

In 2008, former Goldpanner Bill "Spaceman" Lee returned to Fairbanks as an alumnus of the Midnight Sun Game. During his time with the club, which included a win for Lee in the Midnight Sun Game, Bill declared that the Goldpanners were "the number one amateur baseball organization in history."^{[citation needed]}

League and Tournament Wins[]

Notable alumni[]

Midnight Sun game[]

The players line up before the first pitch of the 2011 Midnight Sun Game.

First held in 1906, the annual Midnight Sun Game is held yearly in Fairbanks, hosted by the Goldpanners. The game, which begins at 10:30 PM on the night of the summer solstice, has gained the attention of international media.

Baseball America declared the game one of the "10 Must-See Baseball Events."^{[citation needed]} In 2005, ESPN spotlighted the game during "50 States in 50 Days."^{[citation needed]} ESPN The Magazine called the event the "#8 Ultimate Baseball Experience."^{[citation needed]} The Sporting News declared that on the 21st of June, "Fairbanks is the Baseball Capitol of America".^{[citation needed]} In 2012, Yankees Magazine declared the game "Baseball's Most Natural Promotion".

Quotes[]

"I've been lucky enough to attend many World Series, All-Star Games and Opening Days but the Midnight Sun Game is in a league of its own." – Greg S. Harris, National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

"Everybody should have an opportunity to come to Alaska and see the Midnight Sun Game." – Bobby Doerr, Boston Red Sox alumnus and Major League Baseball Hall of Famer

2021 Roster[]

External links[]

• Official website
• Alaska Baseball League