ALASKA BASEBALL ALUMNI HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2023
Day Ten Inductee
ALASKA BASEBALL ALUMNI HALL OF FAME
2022 saw the first class of the AKGPA Hall of Fame inducted during the month of April. The inaugural group were drawn from players, executives, mascots, and personnel directly involved with baseball in Fairbanks, Alaska. Listed below is the first class in its entirety:
THE ’22 TWENTY: Dan Pastorini, Bill Lee, Dave Kingman, Morganna the Kissing Bandit, Tom Seaver, Dave Winfield, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Jason Giambi, Bowie Kuhn, Andy Messersmith, Alvin Davis, Bob Boone, Sean Timmons, Allan Simpson, Bruce Robinson, Rod Dedeaux, H.A. (Red) Boucher, Hap Dumont, and Don Dennis.
2023 will see the induction of a new member into our Ball Hall every day during the month of April until the class is complete on the 20th.
Join us during the month of April for our second countdown of the Alaska Goldpanners Alumni Association Hall of Fame – Class of 2023.
’23 TWENTY HALL OF FAME, DAY TEN INDUCTEE:
MICHAEL YOUNG
Michael Brian Young (born October 19, 1976) is an American former professional baseball infielder who played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Since 2014, Young has worked in the Rangers’ front office as a Special Assistant to the General Manager. Originally a second baseman, the versatile Young was a five-time All-Star at shortstop, once at third base, and once as a combination designated hitter / utility infielder. He was the 2005 American League (AL) batting champion.
“In college you play three or four times a week and that was my first time to play every day,” Young said. “When I signed [with the Toronto Blue Jays] the following summer I had a bit of a head start, I think. I knew what it took to play every day. It’s a little bit different when you do it for the first time.” (Baseball: A Summer to Remember Kottman Denton Record-Chronicle)
1996 MICHAEL YOUNG MVP STATISTICS
| AVG | G | R | H | RBI | 2B | HR | BB | SB |
| .335 | 51 | 40 | 72 | 33 | 10 | 5 | 30 | 10 |
| CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
7× All-Star (2004–2009, 2011) |
MLB PLAYING CAREER:
Texas Rangers (2000–2012) |
NEWS CLIPPINGS:
– Wikipedia: Michael Young(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Young_(baseball))
– BaseballReference: Michael Young (https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/y/youngmi02.shtml)
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS:
TOUCHING THE GAME: ALASKA
“I was all in. I knew heading into my junior year I wanted to play in a good league where I could play against other good competition and the Alaskan League afforded me that opportunity. I had a great time.
The first week or so I did the whole “foil on the windows” thing to let myself sleep at night. After a while, I got used to it… It became totally normal.”
- Amazon: Touching The Game: Alaska
Check back tomorrow as we unveil the latest ’23 TWENTY inductee.