Midnight Sun Game

A photograph taken at midnight during the 2005 game, June 21, 2005.

The Midnight Sun Game is a baseball game played every summer solstice at Growden Memorial Park in Fairbanks, Alaska, United States. Because the sun is out for almost 24 hours a day, the game starts at about 10:30 at night and completes around 1:30 the next morning. Famous players who have appeared in the game include Tom Seaver, Dave Winfield, Terry Francona, Harold Reynolds, and Jason Giambi.

The first game was in 1906. Artificial light has never been used. The sun does dip below the horizon for about an hour. Since 1960, the game has been hosted by the Alaska Baseball League's Fairbanks-based Alaska Goldpanners.

Starting the game in 2008 was Bill "Spaceman" Lee. He last pitched in the game in 1967, and avenged a loss to the Japanese national champions that year by beating the Southern California Running Birds, 10-6.

Baseball America declared the game one of the "10 Must-See Baseball Events."[citation needed] In 2005, ESPN spotlighted the game during "50 States in 50 Days."[citation needed] ESPN The Magazine called the event the "#8 Ultimate Baseball Experience."[citation needed] The Sporting News declared that on the 21st of June, "Fairbanks is the Baseball Capitol of America".[citation needed] In 2012, Yankees Magazine declared the game "Baseball's Most Natural Promotion".

Game results

Through 1959, the Midnight Sun Game featured various teams from the Fairbanks area. In 1960, the game became exclusively hosted by the Alaska Goldpanners.[1]

The Goldpanners have a record of 41 wins, 11 losses in the Midnight Sun Games they have hosted. Although the Midnight Sun Game has been played since 1906, only games hosted by the Goldpanners are listed.[1]

Date Winning team Losing team Notes
 June 21, 1960  Pan-Alaska Goldpanners  11  Fairbanks Pioneers 0
June 21, 1961 Pan-Alaska Goldpanners 10 North of the Range Military All-Stars 4
June 22, 1962 Pan-Alaska Goldpanners 8 North of the Range Military All-Stars 3
June 21, 1963 Wichita Rapid Transit Dreamliners 3 Alaska Goldpanners 1
June 21, 1964 Grand Junction Eagles 10 Alaska Goldpanners 5
June 21, 1965 Alaska Goldpanners 4 USC Trojans 3
June 21, 1966 Alaska Goldpanners 8 Oregon State Beavers 3
June 21, 1967 Kumagai Gumi 10 Alaska Goldpanners 3
June 22, 1968 Alaska Goldpanners 7 Santa Clara Broncos 0
June 21, 1969 Boulder Baseline Collegians 5 Alaska Goldpanners 2
June 20, 1970 Arizona Wildcats 4 Alaska Goldpanners 3
June 21, 1971 Alaska Goldpanners 12 Stanford Indians 3
June 21, 1972 Ponchatoula Athletics 5 Alaska Goldpanners 4
June 21, 1973 BYU Cougars 8 Alaska Goldpanners 5
June 21, 1974 Alaska Goldpanners 5 Washington State Cougars 6
June 21, 1975 Alaska Goldpanners 4 Vanderbilt Commodores 3
June 20, 1976 Alaska Goldpanners 6 Westwood Bruins 4
June 21, 1977 Alaska Goldpanners 12 Red Deer M&K Generals 11
June 21, 1978 Wichita El Dorado Coors 10 Alaska Goldpanners 1
June 21, 1979 Alaska Goldpanners 8 North Carolina Tar Heels 2
June 20, 1980 Alaska Goldpanners 16 Wisconsin Badgers 5
June 20, 1981 Alaska Goldpanners 11 Intermountain Badgers 4
June 20, 1982 Alaska Goldpanners 9 San Francisco Senators 3
June 19, 1983 Alaska Goldpanners 7 Anchorage Bucs 2
June 21, 1984 Alaska Goldpanners 9 Chinese Taipei 0 Forfeit.
June 22, 1985 Moraga Marauders 12 Alaska Goldpanners 11 11 innings.
June 20, 1986 Alaska Goldpanners 8 San Francisco Senators 1
June 20, 1987 Mat-Su Miners 2 Alaska Goldpanners 1
June 21, 1988 Alaska Goldpanners 6 Hawaii Island Movers 5
June 20, 1989 Alaska Goldpanners 7 San Diego SeaWorld Killer Whales 3
June 21, 1990 Alaska Goldpanners 12 San Bernardino Tribe 3
June 22, 1991 Alaska Goldpanners 9 South Lake Tahoe Stars 8
June 21, 1992 Victor Valley Mets 2 Alaska Goldpanners 1
June 21, 1993 Alaska Goldpanners 10 South Lake Tahoe Stars 4
June 21, 1994 Alaska Goldpanners 15 San Diego Stars 6
June 21, 1995 Alaska Goldpanners 10 San Francisco Seals 4
June 21, 1996 Alaska Goldpanners 5 Anchorage Bucs 3
June 20, 1997 Alaska Goldpanners 12 Kelowna Grizzlies 0
June 20, 1998 Alaska Goldpanners 14 Kelowna Grizzlies 7
June 21, 1999 Alaska Goldpanners 7 Oceanside Waves 1
June 21, 2000 Alaska Goldpanners 3 Santa Barbara Foresters 2
June 21, 2001 Alaska Goldpanners 2 Oceanside Waves 1
June 21, 2002 Alaska Goldpanners 2 California Dons 1
June 21, 2003 Alaska Goldpanners 3 California Dons 1
June 21, 2004 Alaska Goldpanners 9 Peninsula Oilers 1
June 21, 2005 Alaska Goldpanners 3 Omaha Strike Zone 1
June 21, 2006 Alaska Goldpanners 2 Beatrice Bruins 1
June 21, 2007 Oceanside Waves 5 Alaska Goldpanners 1
June 21, 2008 Alaska Goldpanners 10 Southern California Running Birds 6
June 21, 2009 Alaska Goldpanners 6 Lake Erie Monarchs 3
June 21, 2010 Alaska Goldpanners 4 Heroes of the Diamond 3 15 innings.
June 21, 2011 Alaska Goldpanners 2 Oceanside Waves 1
June 21, 2012 Alaska Goldpanners 7 Everett, WA, Merchants 5
June 21, 2013 Alaska Goldpanners 4 San Francisco, CA Seals 1

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "All Time Midnight Sun Baseball Game Results". Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks. Retrieved September 9, 2011.

External links

Coordinates: 64°50′27″N 147°45′32″W / 64.84083°N 147.75889°W