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1971: Winfield Becomes Every Day Player Minnesota used Dave sparingly as a pitcher; the Panners let him play. Dave Winfield used his prowess in the outfield, and his ferocity at the plate, to drive his career straight into the MLB Hall of Fame. Dave is the second Goldpanner to be inducted into that illustrious fraternity. Allan Simpson, Sports Writer June 28, 1972 The story of how Dave Kingman gave up pitching to become one of baseball's top hitters has now been chronicled. It was the year 1969, as the story goes, that Kingman, then a sophomore pitcher out of the University of Southern California, was recruited by the Alaska Goldpanners to play ball for the summer in Fairbanks. His reputation as a pitcher at the time was such that he was considered one of the top collegiate throwers in the country. However, that summer the Goldpanners, though still respecting his ability as a pitcher, also recognized his unlimited potential as a hitter like no one else had before, and in a bold move they converted the six foot six inch slugger from a pitcher to an outfielder. And since that switch, Kingman has quickly risen to prominence, gaining nationwide acclaim for his slugging exploits with the San Francisco Giants. All this because the Goldpanners took it upon themselves to convert the multi-talented slugger from a pitcher to an everyday ball player. And now that they've seen what's happened to Kingman, could history repeat itself? Could the Goldpanners have another Kingman in their midst? The name this time is Dave Winfield, and the similarities between his career to date and that of Kingman's at a comparable stage are actually quite amazing. Winfield, like Kingman, was originally recruited by the Panners as a pitcher, but his recent batting exploits have been so awesome of late, that the natural question to ask is: could he switch positions and become another Kingman? Tuesday night at Growden Park, Winfield, who like Kingman also towers to a height of 6-6, put on another hitting exhibition which even Kingman would have been proud of, as he cracked a grand slam home run and a run-scoring single to power the Goldpanners to a 5-2 victory over the Grand Junction, Colo., Eagles. Winfield's bases loaded blast, which came with the Panners trailing 2-1 in the fifth, not only personally won the game for the Goldpanners, but it also helped them halt Grand Junction's win streak at 14 games, after the Eagles had taken the opener 7-5 in extra innings. The offensive display by Winfield follows one he put on Saturday when he slammed a double and two home runs—a performance which wasn't even good enough to win his own game. So in only 12 official at-bats this season, Winfield is hitting .500 and has slugged three home runs. That’s ahead of the pace Kingman established in ‘69 when he clubbed seven home runs in a total of 64 times at bat. “We’ve known all along what Winfield’s capable of doing with the bat,” said manager Jim Dietz “and that’s why we’ve tried to work him into the lineup occasionally.” “He’ll play more and more in the outfield as the season progresses, but whether he’ll ever become a full-time outfielder, it’s hard to say at this time.” Dave in a Letter to Don Dennis: “I have probably never adequately thanked you and the entire Goldpanner family for giving me the opportunity to live and play in Fairbanks. Even had I not achieved the level of success I now enjoy in professional baseball, I would still appreciate the opportunity as much.” 18
1976: Andy Messersmith Becomes First True Free Agent Landmark Court Ruling Against MLB Reserve Clause Heralds New Era in Baseball Though the Panner program has graduated a large number of important ballplayers to the big leagues, what is truly amazing is the broad impact that the cream of that crop has had in shaping the state of the game itself. By personally taking on the highest echelons of power in baseball and then defeating them, Andy Messersmith became the most important player since Babe Ruth. Right-hander made history by challenging reserve clause By Gary Caruso / ChopTalk Magazine The Braves don’t open the regular season until the end of March, but college baseball is in full swing. Among a few former Braves coaching in college is Andy Messersmith, the pitcher who in 1976 changed the course of baseball history -- with the assistance of Ted Turner. Messersmith, a product of the University of California at Berkeley, didn’t like how the media portrayed him and his quest to break down the reserve clause. He had little to say to the press then, and little has been heard from him since then. Messersmith, 62, is the head baseball coach at Cabrillo College, a community college in Aptos, Calif., located on the Pacific coast, south of San Francisco, between San Jose and Monterey. He just started the third season of his second stint at the school, where he also coached from 1986-91. Last year, the Seahawks were 18-22 overall, 10-15 (fourth place) in the Coast Conference. Veteran Braves fans are sure to remember Turner signing Messersmith in 1976 -- to baseball’s first free agent contract -- and promptly issuing him uniform No. 17 with the “nickname” Channel on the back to promote his TV station. Messersmith was one of the game’s best pitchers from 1969-75, twice winning 20 games. He started Game 1 of the World Series for the Dodgers in 1974, when he tied Phil Niekro for the league lead in victories. In 1975, Messersmith played without a contract and claimed he thus became a free agent who no longer was subject to the infamous “reserve clause” that basically bound players to their teams for life at that point. Major League Baseball refused to recognize his claim, and the matter went before an arbitration panel set up to handle disputes between players and management. The panel ruled that the reserve clause was no more than a one-year option, thus making Messersmith and Expos pitcher Dave McNally the first free agents. McNally was injured and retired. Messersmith likely would have found himself without a job. If not for Turner, the maverick owner looking to make a splash with his new team and trying to create viewership interest for a major block of programming on his TV station. Turner signed Messersmith for what he called a “lifetime contract” of $1 million. Actually, it was a three-year deal that would be laughed at on today’s market. In 1976, however, it was major news. In fact, more than three decades later, he’s still not interested in talking publicly. ChopTalk made three attempts to interview him, including one through the Cabrillo journalism department and one through a sports writer in his area, and he declined all of them. He does talk to the press in his area, but only about his players and team, possibly making him the most-reticent college coach in the country. Messersmith won 39 games in 1974-75, led the NL in winning percentage in ‘74 (.769) and in starts, complete games and shutouts in ‘75 (40/19/7). He won Gold Gloves both seasons and made the All-Star team both years, giving him three career selections. In the ‘70s and ‘80s, however, few player acquisitions worked well for the Braves, and this signing fit that description. Messersmith, only 30 when Turner signed him, never really was the same pitcher again, though that was due to injuries, not a lack of talent. The right-hander started slowly in ‘76. He missed Spring Training due to contract negotiations and didn’t win a game until his seventh start on May 17. In June, he appeared to be the pitcher the Braves thought they were getting -- going 5-1 and earning his fourth All-Star selection. He injured a hamstring right before the All-Star break, though, and that -- combined with a sore shoulder -- hampered him during the second half and he finished 11-11 with a 3.04 ERA in 29 games (28 starts). Messersmith won just five games in 1977, shutting down after a July 3 elbow injury that required surgery. The Braves sold him to the Yankees, and he pitched briefly and ineffectively for them in ‘78 and for the Dodgers in ‘79 before retiring. His career record is 130-99 in 12 seasons, and his 2.86 lifetime ERA and .212 opponents’ batting average are strong evidence of the quality of pitcher he was when healthy. Ted Simmons: “Curt Flood stood up for us; Jim Hunter showed us what was out there; Andy Messersmith showed us the way. Andy made it happen for us all. It’s what showed a new life.” Andy Messersmith : “I did it for the guys sitting on the bench, the utility men who couldn’t crack the lineup with (the Dodgers) but who could make it elsewhere. These guys should have an opportunity to make a move and go to another club. I didn’t do it necessarily for myself because I’m making a lot of money. I don’t want everyone to think, ‘Well, here’s a guy in involuntary servitude at $115,000 a year. That’s a lot of bull and I know it.” Barry Bonds : “We should make it. We’re the ones doing the entertaining.” Jim Bouton : “For a hundred years the owners screwed the players. For 25 years the players have screwed the owners - they’ve got 75 years to go.” Ted Turner : “Gentlemen, we have the only legal monopoly in the country, and we’ve f------ it up.” Andy in N.Y. Times : “I wasn’t prepared for the pressure that came down [after the Seitz ruling and his Braves deal]. I didn’t know anything about it. I came out as the dirty dog. That was a real hard thing for me. I just wasn’t ready for it.” Andy Messesmith - 1974 National League Wins Champion 2.86 Career ERA (Seaver won in 1975 and had an identical 2.86 career ERA) 19
Page 3 and 4: 111th W.G. & Eddie Stroecker Midnig
Page 5 and 6: JOHN LOHRKE NAMED FOURTH PRESIDENT
Page 7 and 8: 2016: Our 57th Season Return to Ind
Page 9 and 10: Damian Powers has high expectations
Page 11 and 12: BASEBALL USED TO REBUILD FAIRBANKS
Page 13 and 14: 1964: Tom Seaver Auditions for U.S.
Page 15 and 16: Dan Pastorini Home Run Swing Floyd
Page 17 and 18: Chosen During the Team’s 55th Sea
Page 19: 1967: Mike Adamson First Goldpanner
Page 23 and 24: Jason Giambi 21
Page 25 and 26: man” Lee 2008 Midnight Sun Game I
Page 27 and 28: Ryan Aguilar struggled in his first
Page 29 and 30: Rick Monday, 1964 THE GREATEST PLAY

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