Klamath Falls Gems (collegiate wood bat baseball)

Baseball team in Klamath Falls, Oregon

Klamath Falls Gems

Information
Location| Klamath Falls, Oregon
Ballpark| Kiger Stadium
Founded| 2011
Folded| 2018
League championships| 0
Division championships| 0
Former name(s)|

* None

Former league(s)|

* West Coast League (2011-2015)
* Golden State Collegiate Baseball League (2016-2017)
* Great West League (2017–2018)

Colors| Black, Dark Green, Old Gold and White

Mascot| Tater
Ownership| Joe O'Connor
Manager| Nick Gauna (head coach)
Media| KLAD-AM (radio, internet)
Herald and News (newspaper)
Website| http://www.kfallsgems.com

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][needs update] There was no response and the franchise was officially considered defunct.

## History

[edit]

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

[edit]

* Joe O'Connor \- Owner
* Nick Winstead \- Assistant General Manager
* DJ Harryman \- Marketing Intern

## Broadcasting

[edit]

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

[edit]

### West Coast League

[edit]

Year | League | Affiliation | Record | Finish | Manager | Playoffs

|
|
|
|
|
|

2011 | West Coast League | none | 19-35 | 4th, West | N/A | missed playoffs
2012 | West Coast League | none | 26-28 | 4th, West | N/A | missed playoffs
2013 | West Coast League | none | 25-29 | 3rd, South | Mitch Karraker | missed playoffs
2014 | West Coast League | none | 15-39 | 5th, South | Mitch Karraker | missed playoffs
2015 | West Coast League | none | 15-41 | 5th, West | N/A | missed playoffs

### Golden State Collegiate Baseball League

[edit]

Year | League | Affiliation | Record | Finish | Manager | Playoffs

|
|
|
|
|
|

2016 | Golden State Collegiate Baseball League | none | 17-27 | 5th | N/A | missed playoffs
2017 | Golden State Collegiate Baseball League | none | 24-20 | 5th | Daulton Hanks | missed playoffs

### Great West League

[edit]

Year | League | Affiliation | Record | Finish | Manager | Playoffs

|
|
|
|
|
|

2018 | Great West League | none | 20-34 | 5th | Nick Gauna | missed playoffs

## References

[edit]

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

## External links

[edit]

* Klamath Falls Gems official website
* Great West League official website

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Sports teams based in Oregon

Baseball|

Eugene Emeralds
Hillsboro Hops
MIBL
Campesinos de Salem-Keizer
Portland Mavericks
Salem Senators
Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
GWL
Medford Rogues
Klamath Falls Gems
WCL
Bend Elks
Corvallis Knights
Portland Pickles
Springfield Drifters
WWWL
Gresham GreyWolves
Portland Gherkins
Portland Rosebuds
Willamette Wild Bills

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Portland WNBA team (2026)
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Salem Sabres

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WPSL
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Football|

AFL
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Hockey|

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Ind.
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Roller derby|

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MRDA
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University athletics
(Division I)|

* Oregon Ducks
* Oregon State Beavers
* Portland Pilots
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Great West League

Teams|

* Chico Heat
* Lincoln Potters
* Klamath Falls Gems
* Medford Rogues
* San Francisco Seals
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