June 22, 2021

Midnight Sun Game

By Larry (Baron) Shenk

There’s a ball game played on June 21 in Fairbanks, Alaska, annually on the summer solstice. This ever so rare phenomenon begins at 10 p.m. and is played using only the light from the sun. Never once has artificial lighting been used.

On the longest day of each year (with a full 24 hours of daylight in the vast Tanana Valley), Fairbanksans celebrate the coming of summer with the playing of this traditional game - which continues through the midnight hour. With Fairbanks a mere 150 miles south of the Arctic Circle, the sun is just beginning to set in the North as the game gets under way and, at its conclusion some three hours later, the sun begins to rise again - also in the North.

As part of the annual celebration, the game is stopped at the half-inning closest to midnight for the singing of the Alaska Flag Song.

For Fairbanksans, the game is a way to reflect on the passing of another year, and the survival of another long winter.

The Midnight Sun Game tradition dates back to the earliest days of Fairbanks. During the winter of 1905-06, two local pubs bet bragging rights for the entire winter (plus a few incidentals) on the outcome of the game. From there, the novelty of the event led to outsiders being imported to take on the Fairbanks team.

The Alaska Goldpanners club is a collegiate summer team founded by World War II veteran H.A. (Red) Boucher, who adopted the Midnight Sun Game in their first year of competition (1960). Boucher led the Goldpanners to a 11-0 victory over the Fairbanks Pioneers. The Goldpanners have hosted the tradition every year since then.

Over 1,100 players selected in the amateur drafts have played for the Goldpanners.

Among Phillies Alumni are Dick Selma (1963), Gary Sutherland (1964), Bob Boone (1966-67-68), Terry Francona (1978), Dan Plesac (1981), Dennis Cook (1983), Mark Davis (1983-84), Travis Lee (1993-94) and Greg Dobbs (2000).

Hall of Famers who once wore the Goldpanners uniform include Tom Seaver, Dave Winfield and Barry Bonds.

Oddity

Bill “Spaceman” Lee, a 14-year major league left-handed pitcher, pitched in the game in the 1960s. At age 62, he returned to pitch for the Goldpanners in the 2008 game against the Taiwanese national team and was the winning pitcher.

Strange Ending

A recap of last night’s game which couldn’t be completed because of too many clouds.