Alaska Baseball League
Encyclopedia
The Alaska Baseball League (ABL) is an amateur
collegiate summer baseball league, with six teams located in four Alaskan cities. Players in the league must have attended one year of college and must have one year of NCAA
eligibility remaining.
The Midnight Sun Game
, held at Growden Memorial Park
in Fairbanks
on the longest day of each year, is one of the highlights of the Alaska Baseball League season.
In the past, the ABL has sent its top teams to compete at the National Baseball Congress
(NBC) World Series, where the league
s representatives have won multiple championships. Anchorage has won in 1969, 1971, 1986, 1991, and 2001, Fairbanks in 1972, 1973, 1974, and 1976, Kenai in 1977, 1993, and 1994, and Matsu in 1987 and 1997. League teams have also finished second in several years.
Amateur baseball in the United States
Amateur baseball is a form of baseball in which the players either are not paid for playing, or receive only a modest stipend or employment arranged by the team's boosters...
collegiate summer baseball league, with six teams located in four Alaskan cities. Players in the league must have attended one year of college and must have one year of NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
eligibility remaining.
The Midnight Sun Game
Midnight Sun Game
The Midnight Sun Game is a baseball game played every summer solstice at Growden Memorial Park in Fairbanks, Alaska, United States. Because the sun is out for almost 24 hours a day, the game starts at about 10:30 at night and completes around 1:30 the next morning...
, held at Growden Memorial Park
Growden Memorial Park
Growden Memorial Park is an outdoor baseball park in Fairbanks, Alaska, United States. It is used for summer collegiate and high school baseball, and has been the home field for the Alaska Baseball League's Alaska Goldpanners since 1960. It's also home to the Athletes in Action Fire. It was also...
in Fairbanks
Fairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks is a home rule city in and the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska.Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska, and second largest in the state behind Anchorage...
on the longest day of each year, is one of the highlights of the Alaska Baseball League season.
In the past, the ABL has sent its top teams to compete at the National Baseball Congress
National Baseball Congress
The National Baseball Congress of Wichita, Kansas is an organization of 15 amateur and semi-professional baseball leagues operating in the United States and Canada...
(NBC) World Series, where the league
s representatives have won multiple championships. Anchorage has won in 1969, 1971, 1986, 1991, and 2001, Fairbanks in 1972, 1973, 1974, and 1976, Kenai in 1977, 1993, and 1994, and Matsu in 1987 and 1997. League teams have also finished second in several years.
Teams
- Anchorage Bucs – Mulcahy StadiumMulcahy StadiumMulcahy Stadium is a 3,500-capacity baseball park in Anchorage, Alaska. Built in 1964, it is home to two teams of the Alaska Baseball League: the Anchorage Glacier Pilots and Anchorage Bucs. In addition to the Glacier Pilots and Bucs, high school and American Legion games are played at Mulcahy. The...
, AnchorageAnchorage, AlaskaAnchorage is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States... - Anchorage Glacier PilotsAnchorage Glacier PilotsThe Anchorage Glacier Pilots are a college summer baseball team in Anchorage, Alaska. They are part of the Alaska Baseball League, and a member of the National Baseball Congress....
– Mulcahy StadiumMulcahy StadiumMulcahy Stadium is a 3,500-capacity baseball park in Anchorage, Alaska. Built in 1964, it is home to two teams of the Alaska Baseball League: the Anchorage Glacier Pilots and Anchorage Bucs. In addition to the Glacier Pilots and Bucs, high school and American Legion games are played at Mulcahy. The...
, AnchorageAnchorage, AlaskaAnchorage is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States... - Alaska Goldpanners of FairbanksAlaska Goldpanners of FairbanksThe Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks are a collegiate summer baseball team which was founded in 1960 as an independent barnstorming team. The Pan-Alaska Goldpanners were charter members of the Alaska Baseball League at the league's inception in 1974. The Goldpanners play their home games at Growden...
– Growden Memorial ParkGrowden Memorial ParkGrowden Memorial Park is an outdoor baseball park in Fairbanks, Alaska, United States. It is used for summer collegiate and high school baseball, and has been the home field for the Alaska Baseball League's Alaska Goldpanners since 1960. It's also home to the Athletes in Action Fire. It was also...
, FairbanksFairbanks, AlaskaFairbanks is a home rule city in and the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska.Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska, and second largest in the state behind Anchorage... - Fairbanks Athletes in Action Fire – Growden Memorial ParkGrowden Memorial ParkGrowden Memorial Park is an outdoor baseball park in Fairbanks, Alaska, United States. It is used for summer collegiate and high school baseball, and has been the home field for the Alaska Baseball League's Alaska Goldpanners since 1960. It's also home to the Athletes in Action Fire. It was also...
, FairbanksFairbanks, AlaskaFairbanks is a home rule city in and the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska.Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska, and second largest in the state behind Anchorage... - Mat-Su MinersMat-Su MinersThe Mat-Su Miners are a college summer baseball club in the Alaska Baseball League . The Miners are based in Palmer, Alaska, and their name refers to the Matanuska-Susitna Borough where Palmer is located...
– Hermon Brothers Field, PalmerPalmer, AlaskaPalmer is the borough seat of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough in the state of Alaska, USA. It is part of the Anchorage Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city is 5,937.... - Peninsula OilersPeninsula OilersThe Peninsula Oilers are a college summer baseball club in the Alaska Baseball League. The Oilers are based in Kenai, Alaska, and their name refers to the Kenai Peninsula region...
– Coral Seymour BallparkCoral Seymour BallparkCoral Seymour Park is a 1,300-seat baseball park in Kenai in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is home to the Peninsula Oilers of the Alaska Baseball League. It was constructed in 1976, and remodeled in 1998. It was formerly known as Oiler Park. It is surrounded by spruce trees...
, KenaiKenai, AlaskaKenai is a city in Kenai Peninsula Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 7,464...
Notable alumni
- Bruce BochteBruce BochteNot to be confused with Bruce Bochy, a former Major League Baseball player and current manager of the San Francisco Giants.Bruce Anton Bochte is a former utility baseball player with a 12 year career from -, -. He played for the California Angels, Cleveland Indians, Seattle Mariners and Oakland...
- Barry BondsBarry BondsBarry Lamar Bonds is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds...
- Chris ChamblissChris ChamblissCarroll Christopher Chambliss is a former Major League Baseball player who played from to for the Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves...
- Jeff FrancisJeff FrancisJeffrey William Francis is a Canadian professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent.-Early life:...
- Jason GiambiJason GiambiJason Gilbert Giambi is an American professional baseball first baseman with the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball.He was the American League MVP in 2000 while with the Oakland Athletics, and is a five-time All-Star who has led the American League in walks four times, in on base percentage...
- Luis Gonzalez
- Mark Grace
- Brian HorwitzBrian HorwitzBrian Jeffery Horwitz, nicknamed "The Rabbi," is an American baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. He has won two minor league batting titles, and made his major league debut in 2008....
- Eric Karros
- Mark McGwireMark McGwireMark David McGwire , nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball player who played his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently the hitting coach for the St...
- John OlerudJohn OlerudJohn Garrett Olerud , is a former American first baseman in Major League Baseball. Olerud played with the Toronto Blue Jays , New York Mets , Seattle Mariners , New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox ....
- Dave StiebDave StiebDavid Andrew Stieb [STEEB] is a former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays.-Playing career:Born in Santa Ana, California, Stieb played varsity baseball at Southern Illinois University as an outfielder...
- Frank ViolaFrank ViolaFrank John Viola, Jr. is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Minnesota Twins , New York Mets , Boston Red Sox , Cincinnati Reds and Toronto Blue Jays . A three-time All-Star, he was named World Series MVP with the Twins in 1987 and won the AL Cy Young Award in 1988...
- Dave WinfieldDave WinfieldDavid Mark Winfield is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is currently Executive Vice President/Senior Advisor of the San Diego Padres and an analyst for the ESPN program Baseball Tonight...
- Brendan RyanBrendan RyanBrendan Ryan is an Irish politician and former member of Seanad Éireann for the National University of Ireland constituency...
- JT Snow
- JD Drew
- Doug MientkiewiczDoug MientkiewiczDouglas Andrew Mientkiewicz is a first baseman who last appeared in the majors in with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He bats left-handed and throws right-handed...
- Jeff KentJeff KentJeffrey Franklin Kent is a retired Major League Baseball second baseman. Kent won the National League Most Valuable Player award in 2000 with the San Francisco Giants, and is the all-time leader in home runs among second basemen...
- CJ Wilson