Spokane Indians 2005 NWL Champs!

by Mike McBride on Sep 14, 2005 12:26 AM EDT

I just wanted to let everyone know, and congratulate my home town Spokane Indians for winning the 2005 NWL Championship. With the 4th rated offense, and the 6th rated pitching, Spokane some how pulled it out. Greg Riddoch managed the club in what will be his final year as a manager. The Rangers single A short season team won it's 2nd NWL crown in 3 years under Texas. With big names like John Mayberry Jr. Taylor Teagarden and K.C. Herren, the Indians were able to beat Oakland affiliate Vancouver Canadians in 5 games. Way to go Indians... now only 9 months until next season!

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Congratulations! :-)

Hello Mike,

Congratulations on your Spokane Indians' win. It's always nice to win championships, no matter what level it's at! :-)

Take care and have a great day! :-)

by indiansfan on Sep 14, 2005 1:07 AM EDT reply actions

That;'s great

I was on the 1988 NWL champs, but the Indians were a Padres organization back then and we beat the Medford A's.

Most bizarre ending to a post season ever. We won the title with a walk-off clean steal of home by Mike Humphries. LHP Tony Ariola never checked him and Humphries took off and made it with a hard pop-up slide. I still have the radio casette call of this play and it brings chills. Rich Waltz now of the Marlins was our radio guy and made the tapes for all the players.

by So Cal Bob on Sep 14, 2005 1:13 PM EDT reply actions

That's an amazing way to end a game!

Hello everyone,

So Cal Bob - First, I never knew you played affiliate ball (sorry, I'm behind the "8-Ball" sometimes - others may have known, but I didn't. :-) That's a great accomplishment in its own right.

Second, that's an amazing way to end the game - you rarely see a straight steal of home, and especially to win a game, and a championship game to end it, no less. Could you imagine a World Series ending like that?

Indians' Radio Broadcaster Tom Hamilton (who I personally believe has one of the best, if not the best, radio voice in the country because he gets excited and shows it in his voice, but admittedly, I am biased,) would probably make that play so exciting, he would probably lose his voice for most of the offseason. :-)

I bet that radio cassette call does give you chills. :-) It would give me chills and I didn't even play in the game. I still get chills when I listen to a replay of Cleveland's comeback victory over Seattle back in 2001 when we were down 14-2 in the 7th inning, and came back to win 15-14 in 11 Innings.

Just listening to that call sends shivers up my back (and yes, Tom Hamilton made it so exciting. In fact, he got so excited, he thought that Omar Vizquel's triple down the right-field line that tied the game at 14-14 actually won the game for us. He had to apologize after realizing his mistake.)

So, I can see where a play like that can give you chills. And, I'm just a fan. I can't even imagine being a player on the field witnessing that play and the ballpark going "nuts" over it. I bet that had to be a real thrill for you. :-)

Thanks for sharing the story with us - it was exciting just talking about it.

Take care and have a great day! :-)

by indiansfan on Sep 14, 2005 5:22 PM EDT reply actions

you are welcome

it was amazing as I have never heard or seen a play like that to end a game or series clinching win. It was an absolutely amazing play and no one, not even our manager Steve Lubratich, knew Humphries was going to do it.

Rich screamed, and I mean screamed 8 times consecutively, "Humphries Steals Home!"

I still hold onto that nice piece of jewelry and show it proudly. :-D

Your game was just as ridiculous and I can see how those broadcasts stay with us forever.

by So Cal Bob on Sep 14, 2005 5:38 PM EDT reply actions