Humboldt Crabs

Humboldt Crabs
Information
League Independent (Northern California)
Location Arcata, California
Ballpark Arcata Ball Park
Year founded 1945 (1945)
Former league(s) Far West League, Tri State League, Horizon Air League
Former ballparks Albee Stadium
Colors Blue, Red and White
Mascot Dungenous Crab
Ownership Community Organization
Management Board of Directors
Manager Robin Guiver

The Humboldt Crabs are a collegiate summer baseball team located in Arcata, California. Playing in every season since they were founded in 1945 by Lou Bonomini, later joined by Ned Barsuglia, the Crabs are the oldest continually-operated summer collegiate baseball team in American baseball.[1][2]

Brief background

In the 70-year history of the Humboldt Crabs, over 300 players have continued on to play professional baseball, with over 60 former Crabs going all the way to the Major Leagues.[3] A few examples are Garth Iorg, Dane Iorg, and Wally Scott.[4][5] John Oldham, a Crabs pitcher in 1952-53, was the first to make it all the way, playing for the Cincinnati Reds in 1956.[6] More recently, Leo Rosales, who pitched for the 2002 Crabs,[7] was called up to the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2008.[8] 2003 Crabs infielder Brett Pill was called up to the San Francisco Giants in 2011, and was on the team's 2012 roster as a 1st baseman.[9][10]

Their best season, record-wise, was 1985 when the team won 46 consecutive games to start the season. Future Major Leaguers Mike Harkey, Eric Gunderson, Steve Olin, and Scott Chiamparino led a dominant pitching staff.

The Crabs play the majority of their games at home at the Arcata Ball Park,[11] owned by the City of Arcata.[12] The team is made up of college players from different NCAA programs throughout the U.S. The Humboldt Crabs are a non-profit baseball organization operated by a 14-member all-volunteer Board of Directors. Major rivals include the Redding Colt .45s, the Fontanetti's Athletics, and the Seattle Studs.[13]

In 2007, the team's 63rd consecutive season, the Crabs overall season record was 42 - 12;[14] in 2008, the Crabs drew an average of 874 fans to the ball park and went 35 - 13 for the season;[15] in 2009 the Crabs record was 48-11;[16] in their 66th season, 2010, the Crabs went 43 - 9.[17] Their 67th consecutive season began with the Annual Season Opening Dinner on June 3, 2011 (always the first Friday in June).[18] Regular-season play ended July 31, with post-season Tournament play August 5–7, 2011.

The Humboldt Crabs are a non-profit, community-oriented organization. Its mission is four-fold:

To promote family entertainment by providing high-quality summer collegiate baseball games to the public at a reasonable price; To provide talented collegiate-level baseball players with a positive summer baseball experience; To support youth sports programs (with an emphasis on baseball or softball) in the Humboldt County area with contributions of funding and/or equipment as funds permit in addition to annual baseball skills camps and clinics operated by Humboldt Crabs players and coaches; To preserve and build the tradition of Humboldt Crabs Baseball.

2015 player awards

Organization

Humboldt Crabs Fan Appreciation Day 2010

Humboldt Crabs Baseball, Inc is a 501(c)(4) community-owned organization. A volunteer board of directors rely on the support of community members & sponsors to keep the Humboldt Crabs Baseball operation functioning.

President

Vikki Rossi

Coaching staff

Trainers: Nate Kees[19]

2016 team roster

2015 Humboldt Crabs Roster
Name Position School
Jason Alexander RHP Menlo College
Logan Busch OF North Dakota State
Kevin Calderhead RHP Washington State
Mason Cerrillo OF Washington State
Ronny "Junior" Davis RHP University of Antelope Valley
Logan Denholm C, 3B UC Davis
Jacob Gomez RHP Sierra College
David Hamilton SS, 2B, 3B University of Texas
Matthew Hernandez RHP San Francisco State
Aaron Herr RHP Sierra College
Newt Johnson 3B, 1B South Dakota State
Jayson Newman 1B, OF CSU Northridge
James Outman OF Sacramento State
Merrick Patito RHP CSU Los Angeles
Michael Perri IF University of San Francisco
Reed Pfannenstein RHP North Dakota State
Brian Pozos SS, 2B, 3B University of Portland
Austin Ragsdale RHP Sacramento State
Ryan Ralston RHP University of Kansas
Ryan Reynolds 2B, 1B University of Texas
Ryan Smith RHP Sacramento State
Zach Stone RHP UC Davis
Ryan Sullivan RHP Fresno State
Riley Sweeney RHP University of Nebraska Omaha
Mason Telander OF Lassen College
Jacob Thurber 1B, C Washington State
Nick Warren C Fresno State
Justin Watland RHP Feather River College
Austin White OF Fresno State

[20]

2015 team roster

Allen Smoot, Bobby Schuman, Beau Bozett, Dillon Kelley, Jesse Medrano, Ryan Dobson, Brad Pluschkell, Ben Peterson, Blake Edmondson, Lucas Halstead, Tyler Keil, Dan Deely, Cooper Brunner, Nick Spini, Donald Robinson, Tyler Bennett, Scott Parker, Justin Mullins, Drew Weston, Grant Kukuk, Jeremiah Moore, Dillon Houser, Austin Root, Andy Burschinger, Mack Boone, Conor Ridley

Board of director

Note: The Board of Directors change from year to year. Vikki Rossi, Matt Filar, Ellen Barthman, Erik Fraser, Roger Lorenzetti, Tracy Mack, Carl Pellatz, Larry Zerlang, Bill Ruff, John Burke, Michelle Briggss[21]

Far West League

The Crabs joined the Far West League (FWL), which had ten teams participating in the 2011 season. The five-team FWL North Division included the Humboldt Crabs, Nor Cal Pirates, Redding Colt .45s, Nevada Bullets (formerly Reno Aces), and Southern Oregon RiverDawgs. The five-team FWL South Division included the Atwater Aviators, Fontanetti's Athletics, Neptune Beach Pearl, California Glory, and Fresno Cardinals. The Crabs were part of the West Coast League/Tri-State[22] (which was associated with the West Coast League in the Pacific Northwest) then merged with the Pacific West Baseball League to form the FWL. (The California Seals were originally an eleventh team in the FWL but are on hiatus for the 2011 season.)

2011 league champions

This inaugural year of the Far West League culminated with the top five League teams competing in a double-elimination Tournament, hosted by the Humboldt Crabs and played in the Arcata Ball Park, August 5–7. The Humboldt Crabs (21 - 6), with the best record in regular season league play, were the top-seeded team, but lost their first game to fourth-seed Fontanetti's Athletics, 1-0,[23] on August 5. To avoid being eliminated, the Crabs had to win four games in a row. On August 6, the Crabs shut out the Atwater Aviators, 2-0,[24] in an elimination game. On August 7 the Crabs won three games in one day, starting with Fontanetti's Athletics, 7-2,[25] (who had beaten the Crabs 2 of 3 games in regular-season play); then facing the Neptune Beach Pearl who had won 8 of their previous 9 games, and who were as yet undefeated in the Tournament. By winning four in a row, including 6-3[26] and 5-1[27] wins over the Pearl, the Crabs avoided elimination and won the tournament and the championship.[28]

The Humboldt Crabs finished the 2011 season with records of 40-13 overall, 25-7 in League/Conference play.[29]

The Humboldt Crabs rank #22 from among over 220 summer collegiate league teams in the nation for the week of August 9, 2011, by Perfect Game USA.[30]

The Far West League has since disbanded, but the Crabs were league champions all three years in its inception.

Year by year records

Season Manager Record
1945 Lou Bonomini 11-5
1946 Lou Bonomini 35-12
1947 Lou Bonomini 35-9
1948 Lou Bonomini 24-11
1949 Lou Bonomini 35-13
1950 Lou Bonomini 32-9
1951 Lou Bonomini 33-8
1952 Lou Bonomini 35-12
1953 Lou Bonomini 29-11
1954 Lou Bonomini 29-17
1955 Lou Bonomini 26-19
1956 Lou Bonomini 27-10
1957 Lou Bonomini 24-8
1958 Lou Bonomini 17-11
1959 Lou Bonomini 19-7
1960 Lou Bonomini 16-7
1961 Lou Bonomini 21-4
1962 Lou Bonomini 21-6
1963 Lou Bonomini 27-7
1964 Lou Bonomini 27-11
1965 Lou Bonomini 29-11
1966 Lou Bonomini 33-9
1967 Lou Bonomini 28-12
1968 Lou Bonomini 43-11
1969 Lou Bonomini 29-13
1970 Lou Bonomini 24-14
1971 Lou Bonomini 31-10
1972 Lou Bonomini 29-12
1973 Lou Bonomini 28-19
1974 Lou Bonomini 27-12
1975 Lou Bonomini 38-7
1976 Lou Bonomini 37-11
1977 Lou Bonomini 35-5
1978 Lou Bonomini 40-10
1979 Lou Bonomini 37-16
1980 Lou Bonomini 45-10
1981 Lou Bonomini 43-10
1982 Lou Bonomini 30-18
1983 Lou Bonomini 39-7
1984 Lou Bonomini 38-10
1985 Lou Bonomini 51-3
1986 Lou Bonomini 51-8
1987 Tom Giacomini 26-11
1988 Tom Giacomini 34-12
1989 Tom Giacomini 38-5
1990 Tom Giacomini 44-6
1991 Tom Giacomini 36-8
1992 Steve Neel 32-9
1993 Vince Maiocco 31-6
1994 Vince Maiocco 32-9
1995 Vince Miaocco
1996 Ken “Shorty” Ames
1997 Ken “Shorty” Ames
1998 Ken “Shorty” Ames
1999 Ken “Shorty” Ames 45-3
2000 Ken “Shorty” Ames
2001 Ken “Shorty” Ames
2002 Ken “Shorty” Ames
2003 Ken “Shorty” Ames 43-5
2004 Ken “Shorty” Ames 40-9
2005 Ken “Shorty” Ames 37-11
2006 Matt Nutter
2007 Matt Nutter 42-12
2008 Matt Nutter 35-13
2009 Matt Nutter 48-11
2010 Matt Nutter 42-9 or 42-10
2011 Matt Nutter 40-13
2012 Matt Nutter 37-9
2013 Matt Nutter 42-14
2014 Tyson Fisher 34-15
2015 Tyson Fisher 41-9
2016 Tyson Fisher 35-15
2017 Robin Guiver 7-1
Seasons Manager Total Record
1945-1986 Lou Bonomini 1307-435
1987-1991 Tom Giacomini 178-42
1992 Steve Neel 32-9
1993-1995 Vince Miaocco 63-15 (missing 1995)
1996-2005 Ken "Shorty" Ames 386-91
2006-2013 Matt Nutter 328-94
2014-2016 Tyson Fisher 110-39
2017- Robin Guiver 7-1

Crabs in MLB

Over 60 former Crabs have played in the Major Leagues including Bradley Zimmer, Vinnie Pestano, Brett Pill, Leo Rosales, Greg Shanahan, Dane Iorg, Mike Harkey, Steve Olin, Scott Chiamparino, Sandy Vance, Randy Niemann, Craig Lefferts, Mike Redmond, Ken Crosby, Rick Miller, Gary Wilson, John Oldham, Rich Nye, Rich Bordi, Rod Booker, Jim Wilson, Shane Turner, Lute Barnes, Chuck Nieson, Danny Frisella, Jose Mota, Dennis Springer, Mike Thurman, Mike Paul, Bruce Bochte, Rich Dauer, Mike Kinkade, and many more.

Famous Crabs

Ron Mingo, Pat Casey, Mark Marquess, Augie Garrido, Kerwin Danley

Crabs Hall of Fame

Class of 2012: Ned Barsuglia, Bob Bonomini, Lou Bonomini, Adam Carr, Steve Fish, Mike Harkey, Dane Iorg, Rico Pastori, Greg Shanahan, Don Terbush, 1985 Tream (51 Wins, 3 Losses)

Class of 2013:Eddie Oliveira, Don Carter, Sandy Vance, Mark Marquess, Randy Niemann, Craig Lefferts, Steve Olin, Tom Giacomini, Mike Redmond, Brian Blauser, 1968 Team (42 Wins, 11 Losses)

Class of 2014: Eldridge “Red” Hunt, Carl Del Grande, Dennis Pontoni, Augie Garrido, Rich Nye, Rich Bordi, Rod Booker, Steve Neel, Gary Wilson, Jeff Giacomini, 1981 Team (43 Wins, 10 Losses)

Class of 2015: Fred Papini, Douglas Clayton, Billy Olsen, Lute Barnes, Paul Ziegler, Shane Turner, Scott Eskra, Joe Gerber, Nick Giacone, 2003 Team (43 Wins, 5 Losses)

Class of 2016: Mark Pirrucello, John Oldham, Bruce Benedict, Jim Wilson, Burt Nordstrom, Chris DeBoo, Richard Cates, Jerry Nutter, Elvira Bonomini,1999 Team (45 Wins, 3 Losses)

Class of 2017: TBA

References

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