Spokane Indians

For the Native American tribe, see Spokane people.

Spokane Indians
Founded in 1890 Spokane, Washington
Team logo Cap insignia
Minor league affiliations
Class	High-A (2021–present)
Previous classes	Class A Short Season (1972, 1983–2020) Triple-A (1958–1971, 1973–1982) Class B (1892, 1902, 1904–1918, 1920, 1937–1942, 1946–1951, 1955–1956) Class A (1952–1954) Class D (1901) Class F (1898)
League	Northwest League (1983–present)
Previous leagues	Pacific Coast League (1973–1982) Northwest League (1972) Pacific Coast League (1958–1971) Northwest League (1955–1956) Western International League (1937–1942, 1946–1954) Pacific Coast International League (1918, 1920) Northwestern League (1905–1917) Pacific National League (1903–1904) Pacific Northwest League (1892, 1898, 1901–1904) Pacific Northwestern League (1891) Pacific Northwest League (1890)
Major league affiliations
Team	Colorado Rockies (2021–present)
Previous teams	Texas Rangers (2003–2020) Kansas City Royals (1995–2002) San Diego Padres (1983–1994) California Angels (1982) Seattle Mariners (1979–1981) Milwaukee Brewers (1976–1978) Texas Rangers (1973–1975) Los Angeles Dodgers (1958–1972) Philadelphia Phillies (1953) Brooklyn Dodgers (1947)
Minor league titles
League titles (14)	1890 1960 1970 1973 1974 1987 1988 1989 1990 1999 2003 2005 2008 2024
Division titles (18)	1963 1967 1968 1970 1973 1974 1982 1987 1988 1989 1990 1998 1999 2003 2005 2008 2010 2018 2019
First-half titles (2)	2019 2024
Second-half titles (1)	2024
Team data
Name	Spokane Indians (1903–1920, 1940–present)
Previous names	Spokane Hawks (1937–1939) Spokane Smoke Eaters (1902) Spokane Blue Stockings (1901) Spokane Bunchgrassers (1892) Spokane Bunch Grassers (1891)
Colors	Red, navy, light blue, beige
Mascots	Otto, Doris the Spokanasaurus, Recycle Man, Ribby the Redband Trout[1]
Ballpark	Avista Stadium (1958–present)
Previous parks	Ferris Field (1936–1956)
Owner(s)/ Operator(s)	Brett Sports & Entertainment
General manager	Kyle Day
Manager	Robinson Cancel
Website	milb.com/spokane

The Spokane Indians are a Minor League Baseball team located in Spokane Valley, the city immediately east of Spokane, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest. The Indians are members of the High-A Northwest League (NWL) as an affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. Spokane plays its home games at Avista Stadium, which opened in 1958 and has a seating capacity of 6,752.

From 1958 through 1982, excluding 1972, the Indians were in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League (PCL). They were members of the Class A Short Season Northwest League from 1955 to 1956, in 1972, and from 1983 to 2020. The NWL operated as the High-A West in 2021 and was elevated to the High-A level. They have won 12 league titles: four in the PCL and nine in the NWL. The Spokane region has over a century of history in Minor League Baseball, dating back to the 1890s.^[2]

History

Before 1958

The 1909 Spokane Indians

Spokane's minor league history dates to 1890, when it fielded a team in the Pacific Northwest League. The Spokane Club won the Northwest League pennant in its first season, overcoming teams from Portland, Seattle, and Tacoma, among others. The nickname Indians dates to 1903, when Spokane joined the Pacific National League, a predecessor to the Pacific Coast League and, at Class A, an elite minor league of the period, equivalent to Triple-A today. The Indians lasted only two seasons at that higher level before dropping to the Class B Northwestern League, which folded during World War I.

In 1937, Spokane became a charter member of the Class B Western International League (WIL),^[3] the predecessor of the Northwest League. They played at Ferris Field from 1937 through 1942 and 1946 until folding during the 1954 season on June 21.^[4][5][6]

Spokane was a charter member of the Northwest League, which debuted in 1955 as a Class B league. These Indians also played at Ferris Field,^[7][8] but folded after just two seasons, and the city went without minor league baseball in 1957.^[9]

The 1946 Spokane bus tragedy

In 1946, the WIL Indians were victims of the worst transit accident in the history of American professional sport. On June 24, the team was on its way west to Bremerton by bus to play the Bluejackets. While crossing the Cascade Mountains on a rain-slickened Snoqualmie Pass Highway (then U.S. Route 10), the bus driver swerved to avoid an oncoming car. The Indians' vehicle veered off the road and down an embankment, then crashed and burst into flames.^[3][10]

Nine men died—six of them instantly—and seven were injured. Many of the injured had burn injuries. The dead were catcher/manager Mel Cole (age 32), pitchers Bob Kinnaman (28) and George Lyden (23), catcher Chris Hartje (31),^[11][12] infielders Fred Martinez (24), Vic Picetti (18) and George Risk (25), and outfielders Bob James (25) and Bob Paterson (23). Despite a severe head wound, infielder Ben Geraghty was able to struggle back up the mountainside to signal for help. Injured survivors also included pitchers Pete Barisoff, Gus Hallbourg and Dick Powers, catcher Irv Konopka, outfielder Levi McCormack, and bus driver Glen Berg.^[13]

One player from the 1946 team, future major league infielder Jack "Lucky" Lohrke, missed the tragedy because his contract was sold to the PCL San Diego Padres on June 24 and he departed the ill-fated bus during a late lunch stop in Ellensburg, not long before the accident, thus helping to earn his nickname.^[14] (Lohrke had previously averted tragedy when he was bumped from a military transport plane which later crashed.) Two Indians' pitchers, Milt Cadinha and Joe Faria, were making the trip to Bremerton by automobile and were not aboard the team bus when it crashed.^[13]

The Indians, relying on players loaned from other teams, managed to finish the season and placed seventh in the league. A special charity, the Spokane Baseball Benefit Association, donated $114,800 to the injured survivors and dependents of the nine players who died.^[13]

Beth Bollinger of Spokane wrote a novel titled Until the End of the Ninth, which is based on the true story of the 1946 bus crash and its aftermath.

Pacific Coast League (1958–1971, 1973–1982)

When the Los Angeles Dodgers moved from Brooklyn to the west coast in 1958, they moved their PCL affiliate, the Los Angeles Angels, north to Spokane. While with the Dodgers for 14 seasons, the Indians won league titles in 1960 and 1970, and were runners-up in 1963, 1967, and 1968.

The 1970 Indians, managed by Tommy Lasorda,^[15] won 94 of 146 games (.644) in the regular season to win the northern division by 26 games,^[16] then swept the Hawaii Islanders in four games in the PCL playoffs.^[17] The team included Bill Buckner, Steve Garvey, Bobby Valentine (PCL MVP), Tom Paciorek, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell, and Doyle Alexander.^[17][18][19]

Following the 1971 season, the club was moved south to New Mexico and became the Albuquerque Dukes. Spokane, which had been in the Northwest League for its first two seasons in 1955 and 1956, returned to the NWL in 1972 as a Dodger affiliate,^[20][21] but only for one season, as a new PCL franchise arrived in 1973 from Portland, becoming the affiliate of the Texas Rangers.^[22] The 1973 team, which included Bill Madlock and Lenny Randle, won the west division by eleven games and swept Tucson in three games in the championship series.^[23] The following year's club successfully defended the title with another three-game sweep, this time over Albuquerque.^[24]

The Indians' second stint in Triple-A lasted ten seasons and included affiliations with the Rangers, which changed to the Milwaukee Brewers in 1976, Seattle Mariners in 1979, and California Angels in 1982. Taking their first division crown since 1974,^[25] the Indians defeated Tacoma in the first round,^[26] but fell to Albuquerque in the championship series in six games.^[27] Soon after that season,^[28][29] the team moved south to Las Vegas and became the Stars. The team's general manager was Larry Koentopp, former head coach and athletic director at Gonzaga.^[30] He was the leader of a local ownership group that purchased the team after the 1978 season.^[31][32] The team was purchased for $259,000 in 1978 and was sold in 1993 for $6.1 million.^[33]

Northwest League (1983–2020)

Season opener at a 2008 Indians game against the Everett AquaSox at Avista Stadium

A new NWL franchise was awarded to Spokane for the 1983 season and the Indians have won eight league titles; the first four were consecutive, from 1987 through 1990.^[34] The Indians won their seventh NWL championship in 2005, despite a 37–39 (.487) record during the regular season. They became only the second team in league history (after the 1982 Salem Angels) to win the championship with a losing regular season record. Spokane won the east division,^[35][36] then beat league-leading Vancouver on the road in games four and five of the championship series to win the title.^[37][38]

In 2008, the Indians captured their eighth league title with a thrilling four-game series victory over the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes. After dropping the first game, Spokane rallied to an 11–10 win in 10 innings to even the series. In game three, the Indians fell behind 10–2 before rallying for nine unanswered runs to win again 11–10. Spokane won the title with a 6–5 victory in 10 innings in the fourth game.

The Indians were featured in the "Spokane Alphabet" reverse glass painting by Washington artist Melinda Curtin. They were the "I" in the alphabet, cementing their place as an important part of the city of Spokane.

Following the 1985 season, the team was bought by the Brett brothers (John, Ken, Bobby, and George).^[39]

High-A West and back to the Northwest League (2021–present)

In conjunction with Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Indians were organized into the High-A West along with five other teams previously of the Northwest League.^[40] They qualified for the playoffs by finishing with a second-place 67–49 record,^[41] but they were defeated by the Eugene Emeralds, 3–1, in the best-of-five championship series.^[42] The franchise was recognized with the Minor League Baseball Organization of the Year Award.^[43]

The High-A West was rebranded back to the Northwest League in March 2022, as MLB moved to revert all of its Minor Leagues to their historical names.^[44]

Playoffs

Otto, one of the many mascots of the Spokane Indians

• 1987: Defeated Everett 2–1 to win championship
• 1988: Defeated Southern Oregon 2–1 to win championship
• 1989: Defeated Southern Oregon 2–1 to win championship
• 1990: Defeated Boise 2–1 to win championship
• 1999: Defeated Portland 3–0 to win championship
• 2003: Defeated Salem-Keizer 3–0 to win championship
• 2005: Defeated Vancouver 3–2 to win championship
• 2008: Defeated Salem-Keizer 3–1 to win championship
• 2010: Defeated Yakima 2–0 in semifinals; lost to Everett 2–1 in finals
• 2018: Defeated Everett 2–1 in semifinals; lost to Eugene 3–0 in finals
• 2019: Lost to Tri-City 2–1 in semifinals
• 2021: Lost to Eugene 3–1 in finals
• 2024: Defeated Vancouver 3-1 to win championship

Logos and uniforms

The team's colors are red, navy blue, light blue, and beige. In the 2006 offseason, the Indians began a process to redesign their logo and uniforms. As per tradition^{[clarification needed]}, they began by avoiding the use of any American Indian imagery; however, early in the process, the Spokane Nation contacted the team about officially supporting the team. In the process, the tribe gave permission to the team to adopt subtle and tasteful imagery, in order to pay homage to the team's history and new connection with the tribe. The cooperation included the creation of a secondary logo written in Salish, the traditional language of the Spokane.^[45]

Roster

Spokane Indians roster

• v
• t
• e

Players				Coaches/Other
Pitchers 35 Luis Amoroso 34 Cade Denton 36 Bryson Hammer 26 Welinton Herrera 45 Yujanyer Herrera 25 Braxton Hyde  6 Victor Juarez 40 Jack Mahoney 47 Alberto Pacheco 27 Davison Palermo 28 Michael Prosecky 41 Felix Ramires 30 Sergio Sanchez 16 Connor Staine 18 Carlos Torres 31 Sam Weatherly		Catchers  7 Bryant Betancourt  4 Cole Carrigg 19 Jose Cordova 46 Cole Messina Infielders 15 Jack Blomgren 11 Dyan Jorge  2 Kyle Karros  3 Skyler Messinger 14 Andy Perez 20 Jean Perez Outfielders 29 EJ Andrews Jr. 44 Jesus Bugarin 12 Charlie Condon  9 GJ Hill  1 Jake Snider		Manager 37 Robinson Cancel Coaches 38 Blaine Beatty (pitching) 23 Joe Mikulik (bench) 21 Tom Sutaris (hitting) 60-day injured list 96 Robby Martin Jr.  3 Jesus Ordonez -- Luke Taggart 7-day injured list * On Colorado Rockies 40-man roster ~ Development list # Rehab assignment ∞ Reserve list ‡ Restricted list § Suspended list † Temporarily inactive list Roster updated September 1, 2024 Transactions → More rosters: MiLB • Northwest League → Colorado Rockies minor league players

Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame alumni

• Tommy Lasorda (1969–1971, manager) inducted 1997
• Duke Snider (1965, manager) inducted 1980
• Don Sutton (1968) inducted 1998
• Hoyt Wilhelm (1971) inducted 1985

Notable alumni

• Sandy Alomar Jr. (1984) 1990 MLB Rookie of the Year; 6-time MLB All Star
• Carlos Beltrán (1996) 1999 AL Rookie of the Year; 9-time MLB All Star
• Bruce Bochy (1989, manager) Manager: 4-time World Series Champion – San Francisco Giants (2010, 2012, 2014), Texas Rangers (2023)
• Bill Buckner (1969–1970) MLB All-Star; 1982 NL batting title
• Dolph Camilli (1948, manager) 2-time MLB All-Star; 1941, NL Most Valuable Player
• Ron Cey (1971) 6-time MLB All-Star
• Gino Cimoli (1965) MLB All-Star
• Matt Clement (1994) MLB All-Star
• Joey Cora (1985) MLB All-Star
• Roger Craig (1959)
• Chris Davis (2006) MLB All-Star; MLB home run leader: 2013, 2015
• Willie Davis (1960) 2 Time MLB All-Star; (1960) Minor League MVP
• Ron Fairly (1960) 2 Time MLB All-Star
• Neftalí Feliz, MLB All-Star
• Steve Garvey (1970) 10-time MLB All-Star; 1974 NL Most Valuable Player
• Zack Greinke (2002) 2009 AL Cy Young Award; 4-time MLB All-Star
• Brad Gulden
• Ian Kinsler (2003) 4-time MLB All Star
• Davey Lopes (1971) 4-time MLB All-Star
• Gary Matthews Jr. (1994) MLB All-Star
• Tony Mullane (1902)
• Jerry Narron, MLB player, coach, and manager
• Don Newcombe (1961) 4-time MLB All-Star; 1949 NL Rookie of the Year; 1956 NL Cy Young Award; 1956 NL Most Valuable Player
• Gorman Thomas (1972) MLB All-Star
• Roy White (1967) 2-time MLB All-Star
• Mitch Williams (1983) MLB All-Star
• Maury Wills (1959) 7-time MLB All-Star; 1962 NL Most Valuable Player
• Ned Yost (1978) manager: 2015 World Series Champion – Kansas City Royals

See also

• Spokane Indians players
• Spokane Hawks players (1937–1940)

References

1. "Spokane Indians, KC The Stratotanker Mascots". Spokane Indians. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
2. Price, Jim (June 21, 2003). "Birth of the Indians". Spokesman-Review. Spokane Valley, Washington. p. H2.
3. Price, Jim (June 21, 2003). "Beginnings and sad endings". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. H4.
4. May, Danny (June 13, 1939). "What the outfielders saw of Spokane's largest crowd at Ferris Field". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. (photo). p. 1.
5. "WI loop to carry on with 8 teams". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. June 22, 1954. p. 19.
6. "Indians return home but not to play tilts". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. June 23, 1954. p. 16.
7. May, Danny (May 1, 1955). "Chiefs nip Tribe in opener, 8–7". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. 1, sports.
8. May, Danny (September 8, 1956). "Tribe drops finale at Ferris Field, 8–5". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. 12.
9. May, Danny (February 16, 1957). "Spokane Indians fold; need $75,000 miracle". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. 8.
10. "8 Spokane baseball players dead in crash of their bus". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. June 25, 1946. p. 1.
11. "Hartje, driver still in danger". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. June 26, 1946. p. 1.
12. "WIL resumes play, Tigers move up". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. June 27, 1946. p. 12.
13. J. G. Taylor Spink, ed., 1947 Baseball Guide and Record Book. St. Louis, Missouri: The Sporting News, 1947, p. 207
14. Colford, Ann M. (September 23, 2006). "Spokane Indians baseball team bus crash kills nine on Snoqualmie Pass on June 24, 1946". HistoryLink.org. Retrieved February 28, 2013.
15. "Playoff-bound Indians dominate All-Star lineup". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. (photo). September 4, 1970. p. 1.
16. "Pacific Coast League: final standings". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. September 4, 1970. p. 17.
17. "Indians return to Spokane after sweep of Islanders". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. September 9, 1970. p. 12.
18. "Bobby Valentine gets Coast MVP". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. September 4, 1970. p. 16.
19. "1970 Spokane Indians". Baseball Reference. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
20. Missildine, Harry (December 13, 1971). "Baseball set for Spokane". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. 1.
21. Lynch, Mike (February 3, 1972). "Ken Merkel heads club". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. 15.
22. "Ex-POW will toss 1st ball tomorrow". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. April 12, 1973. p. 29.
23. "Celebration sedate one for PCL champ Indians". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. September 7, 1973. p. 13.
24. Stewart, Chuck (September 7, 1974). "Spokane captures PCL flag; busy Dunning hurls victory". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. p. 10.
25. Washington (September 2, 1982). "PCL: final standings". Spokane Chronicle. p. 32.
26. Blanchette, John (September 2, 1982). "Tribe ready to put up Dukes". Spokane Chronicle. Washington. p. 17.
27. Blanchette, John (September 13, 1982). "Indians make it difficult, but Dukes win PCL again". Spokane Chronicle. Washington. p. 20.
28. Blanchette, John (September 14, 1982). "Indians gambling on Vegas". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. 23.
29. "Spokane team move okayed". Ellensburg Daily Record. Washington. UPI. September 15, 1982. p. 15.
30. Jordan, Jeff (May 10, 1977). "Koentopp quits Gonzaga baseball position". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. 15.
31. Washington (September 30, 1978). "Tribe purchased by local group". Spokane Daily Chronicle. p. 11.
32. Stewart, Chuck (January 24, 1983). "'Fun' subsided fast". Spokane Chronicle. Washington. p. 18.
33. "Koentopp family hires detective in search of missing woman". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. August 29, 1996. p. C5.
34. Stalwick, Howie (September 8, 1990). "Indians win record fourth straight title". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. B1.
35. Larson, J.D. (September 8, 2005). "Somehow, some way, Indians make playoffs". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. C1.
36. "NWL: final standings". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. September 8, 2005. p. C4.
37. Larson, J.D. (September 12, 2005). "It's only appropriate: Indians win". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. C1.
38. Larson, J.D. (September 13, 2005). "Indians win NWL pennant". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. C1.
39. Stalwick, Howie (November 9, 1985). "It's official: Bretts owners". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. C5.
40. Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021). "MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues". Major League Baseball. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
41. "2021 High-A West". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 9, 2021.
42. Terranova, Rob (September 25, 2021). "Emeralds Claim Third Championship in Five Seasons". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved October 9, 2021.
43. "Spokane Indians Named MiLB Organization of the Year". Minor League Baseball. December 7, 2021. Archived from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
44. Hill, Benjamin (March 16, 2022). "Historical Team Names Return to the Minors". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
45. Caputo, Paul (July 19, 2020). "Authenticity, Collaboration, Respect: The Story Behind the Spokane Indians". SportsLogos.Net News. Retrieved October 23, 2024.

External links

• Official website
• Statistics from Baseball Reference
• Until the End of the Ninth
• The Last Survivor – Interview with Gus Hallbourg about the 1946 bus crash