Tombstone
Born: 1985 – The dormant Lodi Crushers relocate to Ventura, CA
Moved: September 1986 (San Bernardino Spirit)
First Game: April 11, 1986 (W 3-2 vs. Reno Padres)
Last Game: August 31, 1986 (W 12-7, L 8-3 @ Palm Springs Angels)
California League Championships: None
Stadium
Ownership & Affiliation
Owners: Ken McMullen, Jim Colborn & Jim Biby
Major League Affiliation: Toronto Blue Jays
Attendance
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Background
After fielding 10 clubs in 1984, the California League of Minor League Basball made due with 9 members in 1985 after the Lodi Crushers withdrew from the league. In early 1985, Ventura County natives and former Major League ballplayers Ken McMullen and Jim Colborn, along with an erstwhile mortician named Jim Biby, acquired an option to purchase and relocate the dormant Crushers franchise for the 1986 season. Their plan was to build a 3,000-seat econo park in Camarillo, an hour north of Los Angeles.
McMullen and Co. ended up getting the Crushers for $125,0001Crowe, Jerry. “Camarillo Team Must Look For Alternate Field.” The Los Angeles Times. October 24, 1985 but the ballpark project fell through. They were forced to seek temporary accomodations at Ventura College’s baseball stadium, which had no lights and prohibited the sale of alcohol.
All 72 Ventura County Gulls home games were afternoon matinees. With no beer.
On The Field
The Gulls were more fortunate on the field.
At the Baseball Winter Meetings in December 1985, the team landed a Player Development Contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. The Blue Jays stocked Ventura with 14 future Major Leaguers in 1986, an outstanding output for a Class A farm club. Those headed up the ladder included future Major League All-Star pitchers Jose Mesa and David Wells.
The Gulls finished 75-67 and missed the playoffs.
Sold! … To The Sexiest Man Alive
By July 1986, team founders Ken McMullen and Jim Colborn had publicly given up on the Gulls and Ventura County. The stands were empty. The stadium situation in Ventura was unacceptable. No other city in the county was willing to help construct a ballpark, but plenty of small California cities with existing parks were interested in Minor League Baseball.
Shortly after the season wrapped at the end of August, an investor group that included Hollywood actor Mark Harmon (St. Elsewhere, Summer School) purchased the Gulls for a reported $250,000.2Jones, Brad. “Fans Keep Gulls’ Spirit Alive.” The Los Angeles Times. June 13, 1987Nine months earlier People Magazine had tabbed Harmon as its “Sexiest Man Alive” for 1986.
Though Harmon was the headline in media reports at the time, the more important name (over time) in industry circles was partner Hank Stickney, a healthcare executive. This was Stickney’s first Minor League Baseball investment. He would go on to become one of Minor League Baseball’s most respected investors and has been credited with revitalizing the California League during the 1990’s and 2000’s.
The Stickney/Harmon group immediately moved the Gulls to San Bernardino, California. Dubbed the San Bernardino Spirit, the new club led the California League in attendance for the next four years straight.
Pro baseball has never returned to the city of Ventura since the Gulls’ departure in 1986.
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Thank you to Russ Havens at TicketStubCollection.com for sending in the program (above) for this entry.
Ventura County Gulls Shop
Links
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