BOUCHER FULFILLS PROMISE TO BRING “BEST NON-PRO BASEBALL” TO ALASKA IN 1964

“The best non-pro baseball in the nation.”

This was the promise made by “Red” Boucher, manager of the Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks, to the people of Fairbanks in the spring of 1964. The promise came when the Goldpanners were in the final stages of lining up their 1964 schedule and the college baseball players that would make up the Goldpanner team.

Not only did the Goldpanners fulfill the promise of Manager Boucher, they also provided “the best in non-pro baseball” to other areas of the country. The best in 1964, as provided by the National Baseball Congress tournament, were the Wichita (Kas.) Service Auto Glassmen, the Goldpanners, the Bellingham (Wash.) Bells-Giants, and the Eureka (Calif.) Humboldt-Crabs.

These four teams, along with the Grand Junction (Colo.) Eagles, were, in a sense, joined in a five team, five-state “league” with all five teams playing in Fairbanks, Alaska, and Bellingham, Wash. Excepts for Bellingham, all teams also played in Grand Junction, Colo.

The “league” was actually an unexpected aftermath of the Goldpanner scheduling.  After the Goldpanner schedules were drawn up, the various teams sought ways to cover some of their expenses to Seattle, at which point the Goldpanners picked up the bill. This resulted in Bellingham scheduling the teams either en route to, or on their return from, Alaska.

As the results of the games were passed between the newspapers covering each team, it became evident that there was enough competition between the teams to consider the group as a “league.” Thus the Goldpanners were the influence behind the “best in non-pro baseball” being played in Bellingham and Grand Junction as well as in Interior Alaska. “ (Stan Caufield, 1965 NBC Program)

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5/21: UAS to graduate 179 "H.A. (Red) Boucher, president of Alaska Wireless Inc., will give the commencement address and receive an honorary doctor of letters degree. Boucher, 82, "represents the first wave of the new pioneers of Alaska, whose leadership has created the infrastructure to help better govern the state," the university said.  Boucher founded the Alaska Goldpanner college-level baseball team, and about 170 of its players went on to play Major League baseball. He was mayor of Fairbanks, lieutenant governor of Alaska under Gov. William Egan, and a state representative from Anchorage."

Goldpanners Statistics 1960-1969

Boucher & Olsen

(Coach and Johnny)

Johnny Boucher, Skip Hancock, Joe Austin, Gary Sutherland