The 2020 W.G. & Eddie Stroecker Midnight Sun Baseball Game was the first solstice contest since 1959 to be staffed entirely by local Fairbanksans. In honor of the continuing tradition three “all-time” midnight sun game teams were released.
ALL-TIME MIDNIGHT SUN GAME TEAM:
OPPOSITION
In an attempt to frame the previous 114 seasons of midnight sun baseball as clearly as possible, three divisions have been employed to categorize all players who saw game time in the classic contest’s history:
- All-Time Team: Panners
- All-Time Team: Opposition
- All-Time Team: Fairbanksans
In addition to these releases, the 2020 edition of the W.G. & Eddie Stroecker Midnight Sun Baseball Game will be covered in detail, including links to all known live broadcasts.
STATISTICAL ORGANIZATION
The first 2020 Midnight Sun Game All-Time Team (Panners) is much more conventional than the second all-time team presented here. Instead of a range of 60 years, our field of vision now increases to include all 114 years of midnight games.
As insufficient as surviving statistical data is in providing even the names of Fairbanksans, the darkness only intensifies for those from Outside. Throughout much of the 20s and 30s, almost zero such information can be found. In the 40s, despite the increasing wealth of information provided, due to the many military bases publishing sports pages, player names are rarely to be found in relation to sports, and are hard to pinpoint without a great deal of research in military history. There are, no doubt, many important military people who have played in the game over the years. Our next all-time team will include some.
As a result of the absolute impossibility of the endeavor, this all-time team is organized not as a statistical look at the best opponents, but as player narratives. One of the narratives found during research is that East Asia seems to own the middle infield. Two second basemen are listed because Furuta simply had to be listed for a large number of reasons, but Sheng had to, as well. Many shortstops could have been presented from the national and international contests, but these stories seem more fun.
As for oddities, this “team” doesn’t include a third basemen, either. Instead of forcing Rocky Krsnich into the slot, we meet the much more pleasurable Gil Carter. Also, instead of a left-handed pitcher, we see the first (and only) woman to have ever competed in the 114 year history of the W.G. & Eddie Stroecker Midnight Sun Game.
ALL-TIME MSG TEAM: OPPOSITION
The information below is being organized as a “study archive” for the midnight sun game. The all-time team will be considered, player by player, with links to relevant data (under construction through 2020). The method of investigation will begin with left field, working across the page and then down. All position information is accurate according to the archives.
LF: JASON BAY
Jason Bay, a Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame member, appeared in the 1998 midnight game for the visiting Kelowna, B.C., Canada, Grizzlies (now Falcons). During the rollicking 14-13 Panner win, Jason went 3-for-5 with a pair of two-run homers, a double and five RBI. Bay later compiled a strong 11-year MLB career with stops in San Diego, Pittsburgh, Boston, New York and Seattle. In 2004, Jason was named the National League Rookie of the Year award, the only Canadian to earn the honor. He also won the Silver Slugger Award in 2009. Bay was named to the Major League All-Star game three times in his career, twice with the Pirates and once with the Boston Red Sox.
CF: SAM SUPLIZIO
Sam Suplizio was a player/manager for the Grand Junction Eagles in the 1964 midnight game. The Eagles, who earlier in the week played in the first stadium-lit sporting event in the history of Alaska, defeated the Panners on the strength of a complete game by pitcher Barry Lersch. In 1956, Suplizio had been on the verge of joining the New York Yankees when he suffered a compound fracture to his right wrist that didn’t completely heal. After his playing career ended, Suplizio coached for the Angels, Brewers, Cardinals and Mariners. He also helped bring the Alpine Bank Junior College World Series to Grand Junction in 1959 and served as chairman of the event for 33 years, in addition to his 17 years as the manager of the Eagles. Sam was a member of the Colorado Baseball Commission which founded the MLB Rockies.
RF: SCOTT SANDERSON
Scott Sanderson played in the outfield for the Vanderbilt Commodores during the summer of 1975 when not pitching. In the 70th midnight game, Sanderson started in right field, going 0-4 at the plate. Scott did pitch the following night, only to run up against Chick Valley’s perfect game, the first in Goldpanners club history and the first no-hitter since Bingham and House combined to beat Hawaii SUBPAC in 1970. Sanderson joined the Panners in 1976, pitching four complete games in 11 appearances. He later pitched in Major League Baseball for the Montreal Expos, Chicago Cubs, Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, California Angels, San Francisco Giants, and Chicago White Sox, being named an American League All-Star in 1991. Following his retirement from playing professional baseball he worked as a sports agent and radio broadcaster.
2B: MASAYUKI FURUTA
Masayuki Furuta was a second-baseman at Rikkyo University, from where he and the Japanese Kumagaigumi baseball club visited Fairbanks for the 1967 midnight game. Despite his club defeating the Panners and shaky starter Bill Lee in a 10-3 romp, he went 0-for-5 at the plate. In 1968, Furuta hosted the Goldpanners during a Fairbanks goodwill tour of Japan. Masayuki played for Kumagaigumi from 1956 to 1968, appearing the 13 consecutive Inter-City Baseball Championship Tournaments. During this stretch, the Kumagaigumi won three titles. He continued to decline many offers from pro baseball and from 1977 he devoted himself entirely to the development of amateur baseball, particularly the ICBCI, by filling various important posts with the Japan Shakaijin Baseball Association (now Japan Amateur Baseball Association). He was entered into his nation’s Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010.
2B: WEN-SHENG LIU
Wen-Sheng Liu (呂文生) was the starting second baseman in the 1984 midnight game for the visiting Taiwan Olympic Team. Liu is often called one of the best second basemen in Chinese history. Following the Fairbanks series, his Taiwanese club won the bronze medal in the Los Angeles Olympic Games. Sheng also appeared for the Taiwan National Team in the 1983 Asian Championship, 1983 Intercontinental Cup and the 1984 Amateur World Series, hitting .300/.391/.550. He also played in the 1985 Asian Championship, 1985 Intercontinental Cup, 1986 Amateur World Series, 1987 Asian Championship and 1987 Intercontinental Cup. He was a coach in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. He won three Taiwan Series championships as a player and has won four as a manager. He is currently the manager of Uni-President Lions.
OF: GIL CARTER
When the Wichita Rapid Transit Dreamliners came to Fairbanks the summer after defeating the Panners in the NBC World Series championship game, they brought with them the spirit of 1950s semi-pro baseball. Many grizzled veterans of the pro game filled their midnight sun game lineup, including Gil Carter – known as the man who hit the longest home run in organized baseball, at a record 733 feet. Carter was signed by Buck O’Neil and would spend three seasons playing for the Cubs organization. NBCBaseball.com wrote, “His defining moment came August 11, 1959, when Carter was playing for the Carlsbad Potashers. He crushed a pitch in the ninth inning that caught everyone’s attention. The historic home run would be a moment that baseball would not soon forget. In the three years Carter spent in the minors, he had a .264 batting average, hit 72 home runs and had 266 RBIs. Carter led the league in home runs in 1959, and was named to the Northern League All-Star Team in 1960. After his time in the minors Carter moved back to Kansas and became the starting left fielder for the Wichita Rapid Transit Dreamliners. Carter would help lead the Dreamliners to NBC World Series Championships in 1962 and 1963. During the 1962 World Series he batted .484 with six home runs and earned himself a spot on the National Baseball Congress All-American Team.” In the midnight game, Gil went 2-for-4, with a decisive RBI double, in the face of Panner Dave Dowling’s 17 strikeouts.
1B: MARK LUCICH
Mark Lucich, one of the most gifted athletes of the 20th century, played at first base for the Stanford University Indians in the 1971 midnight game. He went 1-for-3 in the game, with a double and one run scored in a 12-3 loss to the home team. Mark joined the Panners for their 1972 and 1973 seasons, compiling a .343 career batting average with 17 home runs and 101 RBI is 446 at bats. Additionally, the Panners were national champions both seasons. Lucich was a prep star in football, basketball, and especially baseball. He went on to set the home run record at Stanford University and in his senior year was named team MVP. Following his amateur career, Mark played four seasons of professional baseball in the Giants organization. In 2000, Lucich was named the North Coast (California) Player of the Century.
C: DANNY GOODWIN
Danny Goodwin, starting catcher at Southern University from 1972 to 1975, traveled with the Ponchatoula (LA) Athletics to take part in the 1972 sun game. During the contest, which resulted in a stunning 5-4 victory for the visitors, Danny went 1-for-4 at the plate. Goodwin was a three-time All-American and was the 1975 College Player of the Year. That season, he had a .394 career batting average and clouted 20 home runs along with a haul of 166 RBI. Goodwin has the distinction of being the only player to twice be the overall No. 1 pick in the Major League Baseball draft. Following his amateur days, Danny put together a solid seven-year MLB career with California, Minnesota, and Oakland.
RHP: GHAZALEH “OZZIE” SAILORS
Ozzie, as an activist, reminds me of Bill Lee. It seems like their philosophy squares around the idea that, “The point is always the point, and no matter what you represent do it with style and class.” In 2013, she became the first biological female to play in the midnight sun game’s, then, 108-year history. Sailors entered the game to pitch in the fifth inning and promptly retired the side in order.
RHP: BURT HOOTEN
Panner GM Don Dennis wrote the game story, explaining that “Burt Hooten, a flashy freshman All-American from the University of Texas, pitched the Collegians to the triumph.” The listed umpires in the game are Chuck Clutts, Merrill Frank, and baseball legend Bill Fanning. Burt’s Line:
IP-H-R-ER-BB-SO
9 8 2 1 2 5
Burt later won 151 games over a 15-year MLB career, mostly with the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers.
RP: BLAS MINOR
In the 80th solstice contest, the Moraga (CA) Marauders stunned the Panners in 11 innings. Blas Minor was named the winning pitcher for the visitors, and Dave Brundage absorbed the loss for the home team under what was described as “the lightest sky in ten years.” During his MLB career, Blas pitched for the Pirates (1992-1994), Mets (1995-1996), Mariners (1996), and Astros (1997). Minor is now a battalion chief with the Chandler, Arizona Fire Department.
MGR: ROD DEDEAUX
Rod Dedeaux was always a good friend of Panners founder Red Boucher. The two deserve to be linked together (with Tom Seaver) in history. In addition to sending many phenomenal players to Fairbanks over the years, Rod also brought his entire team in 1965. He was the head coach at the University of Southern California for 45 seasons, and continued his relationship with Red until after his 80th birthday. His teams won 11 national titles, including a record five straight (1970–1974), and 28 conference championships. Dedeaux was named Coach of the Year six times by the Collegiate Baseball Coaches Association and was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 1970. He was named “Coach of the Century” by Collegiate Baseball magazine, and was one of the ten initial inductees to the College Baseball Hall of Fame.