Portland, Oregon. 1974-1976. Welcome to the Mavericks.
Freedom, poetry, beer and “love of the game”…
In 1974, Bing Russel and his Mavericks finished second in the new West Division with a 50-34 record. Two games behind the Bellingham Dodgers (affiliated with the Los Angeles Dodgers). Bing and his team, dressed in red and black, added another chapter to baseball history. In November of the same year, as mentioned in the first part, he promoted Lanny Moss, 24, the first woman general manager in professional baseball. A phenomenon in 1970s Oregon…
In 1975, the Mavericks posted a 42-35 record, finishing first in the new North Division. The “knuckleballer” Jim Bouton (ex-MLB New York Yankees) and co-author of the famous “Ball Four” pitched five games (4W-1L) with a 2.20 ERA. The Mavericks faced the reigning champions, the Eugene Emeralds (54-25), in a best-of-three championship series. The Emeralds won the first match in Portland, 5-1, with Bouton taking the complete loss for the Mavs.
The next match, the Mavericks lost again 1-0, in front of 5,326 fans at Civic Stadium. Higher division players from the opposing organization were called up to undermine this Portland team that was winning too much and breaking the mold… With a record attendance, a unique philosophy, the Mavericks offered spectators… a show like no other… Watching these characters win games started to feel like a pilgrimage for any baseball fan. Newspapers, TV reports, this “team” that few would have bet on at the start made headlines… Provoked reactions. Backup players roamed the stands during matches for autographs. The raging red bull eventually became known across the country.
In 1976, under new manager Jack Spring, the Mavericks and their style finished first in the North Division with a 40-32 record. They faced the Walla Walla Padres (affiliated with the San Diego Padres) from the South Division in the finals, starting in early September. The first match at Walla Walla’s Borleske Stadium went to the Padres, 9-2. The second match in Portland the following afternoon was a 14-2 victory for the Mavericks, forcing an extra game that evening to decide the winner, which Walla Walla took 7-6. That’s all, folks… The Mavericks never won the championship. Their strength was their originality. Their beauty, their independence. Their asset, their approach to the “game”.
To be continued in the next article! Greetings to all from every point on the diamond!
Vincent Picard
