Klamath Falls Gems (collegiate wood bat baseball)

The Klamath Falls Gems were a collegiate wood bat baseball team based in Klamath Falls, Oregon. They began as an expansion team in the West Coast League in 2011 and played their home games at Kiger Stadium, which is also the home of the Oregon Tech Owls. They were named after the former Class-D Far West League affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies that played from 1948 to 1951. They previously played in the Golden State Collegiate Baseball League from 2016 to 2017 and were members of the Great West League, having joined that league in October 2017 and played during the 2018 season.[1] They were without a league as the GWL suspended operations on October 4, 2018, and have eventually ceased operations themselves without notice. The owner Joe O'Connor was being given until December 31, 2018, to renew the lease or the team will be considered defunct.[2] There was no response and the franchise was officially considered defunct.

Klamath Falls Gems
Information
LocationKlamath Falls, Oregon
BallparkKiger Stadium
Year founded2011
Year folded2018
League championships0
Division championships0
Former name(s)
  • None
Former league(s)
ColorsBlack, Dark Green, Old Gold and White
       
MascotTater
OwnershipJoe O'Connor
ManagerNick Gauna (head coach)
MediaKLAD-AM (radio, internet)
Herald and News (newspaper)
Websitehttp://www.kfallsgems.com

History

The Gems were founded in 2011 by a group of local sports personalities including longtime Oregon Tech Owls men's basketball coach and athletic director Danny Miles, Howard Morris, Don Gresdel and Eric Baker. [3] They named Chuck Heeman as the team's inaugural general manager. [4] They were named for the original Klamath Falls Gems that played in the original Far West League from 1948 to 1951. [5]

Front office staff
  • Joe O'Connor - Owner
  • Nick Winstead - Assistant General Manager
  • DJ Harryman - Marketing Intern

Broadcasting

All games, home and away, were broadcast live on KLAD-AM 960 & FM 99.3 ESPN Radio and streamed live at the station's website.

Year-by-year records

West Coast League
YearLeagueAffiliationRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs
2011West Coast Leaguenone19-354th, WestN/Amissed playoffs
2012West Coast Leaguenone26-284th, WestN/Amissed playoffs
2013West Coast Leaguenone25-293rd, SouthMitch Karrakermissed playoffs
2014West Coast Leaguenone15-395th, SouthMitch Karrakermissed playoffs
2015West Coast Leaguenone15-415th, WestN/Amissed playoffs

Golden State Collegiate Baseball League
YearLeagueAffiliationRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs
2016Golden State Collegiate Baseball Leaguenone17-275thN/Amissed playoffs
2017Golden State Collegiate Baseball Leaguenone24-205thDaulton Hanksmissed playoffs

Great West League
YearLeagueAffiliationRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs
2018Great West Leaguenone20-345thNick Gaunamissed playoffs

References
  1. GWL WELCOMES KLAMATH FALLS GEMS, GWL website, October 17, 2017
  2. Will the Gems play in Klamath Falls again?, Brian Schnee, KTVL.com, December 14, 2018
  3. Local Ownership of the Klamath Falls Gems, Gems website at Wayback Machine, Retrieved September 3, 2021
  4. Front Office, Gems website at Wayback Machine, Retrieved September 3, 2021
  5. History, Gems website at Wayback Machine, Retrieved September 3, 2021
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