Amarillo Dillas Year In Review
Published on September 17, 2009 under United League Baseball (ULB)
Amarillo Dillas News Release
The 2008 season ended with a first-ever United League championship for the Dillas but was quickly forgotten when league ownership filed for bankruptcy on Monday, December 29, which overshadowed the excitement and joy of the achievement some five months earlier. For Amarillo and Dillas' fans alike, the off-season would soon become a whirlwind of uncertainty with their beloved baseball team surrounded by the unknown. Would they play in the Continental Baseball League? Would there be a United League? Would there be a team in Amarillo?
All those questions were answered when the bankruptcy court awarded the United League to its current ownership in early April. Now that the uncertainty of existence had been eliminated it was time to move on with preparations for the upcoming season with opening day slated for June 15. "Even with all the unknowns and uncertainty, business never really stopped for us (Dillas)", Amarillo Dillas General Manager Mark Lee said. "I knew deep down there would be baseball in Amarillo this year, we just didn't know what league we were going to play in".
Next on-deck, Opening Day! The first home game for any team is the hectic beginning of yet another fun-filled summer of baseball. Monday, June 15th started out, just like so many other home openers in Amarillo, with the Amarillo National Bank Dilla Villa consumed by activity creating the buzz that makes the baseball enthusiast know that today is the day.
Opening day is to be a celebration of what might and what could be for every professional baseball team in America but in Amarillo, this opening day would take on a different meaning with the passing of Joe Frank Wheeler. To so many, Joe Frank was the definition of baseball in Amarillo and he truly was the Dillas. Wheeler served as the "Voice of the Dillas" during two-stints that included 1994-2003 and 2006-2009. "I've been in this game a long time and losing my friend was the toughest situation I've been through", Lee said. "You would be hard pressed to find a more quality person than Joe Frank (Wheeler), he is missed no doubt but he will never be forgotten". In honor of their late friend, that night the announcer's booth went dark and the game went without sound, hats off to JFW.
At this point, it became glaringly evident that this season wasn't going to be one without challenge and there couldn't have been more proof-in-the-pudding, if you will, than with the Texas Panhandle enduring one of the rainiest summers on record. Rain is a much needed ingredient for farming, green grass, and maintaining water levels but it's the bad egg in the bowl that reaps havoc on a baseball season. The Dillas set more records this year including one for rainouts with a total of six, which is the most the club had experienced in any season, dating back to 2006, which was two and that number tripled in 2009. They say it never rains on a golf course or at a baseball stadium...is that so? Despite the record July rains, the weather would break just long enough on Sunday, July 26 for the Dillas to set a club-record single-game attendance mark with 7,642 fans enjoying the game that night courtesy of Sonic Drive-In.
With most of the hurdles out of the way there would not be a better ending to this story then for the very same team, who battled through adversity off the field all year, to conquer their opponents and bring home another championship. Unlike 2008, the Dillas weren't as talented or as strong on the field this year but just like last year, Dillas Field Manager Brady Bogart assembled a team of twenty-two guys who had enormous heart and tremendous resolve. The Amarillo squad finished the regular season as the number three seed entering post season play which meant they would have to play most of their playoff games on the road. Most wouldn't even take a second to consider what that meant but for those inside the circle, they knew how rough the road traveled this year had been for the Dillas.
The Dillas started the playoffs with the first two games, in the best-of-three series, in Edinburg earning a split and a return to the cozier confines of home, at the Amarillo National Bank Dilla Villa, where losing came far and few. After a rain-delayed eleven inning win in the third game of the series, it was time to bring on the league leading San Angelo Colts for the battle of United League supremacy.
"Winning the championship this year was bitter sweet in so many ways", Dillas Field Manager Brady Bogart said. "It's great for our fans, players, organization and the city but more importantly, we won this one for Joe Frank (Wheeler), without question he was a special person who will be missed".
Because the Dillas had finished the regular season in third place it meant they would host the Colts for the first two games, of the best-of-five series, which given their lack of success on the road couldn't have been a better scenario for the would-be champions. With a split at home, the Dillas hit the road to San Angelo only needing to win one game to bring the trophy back to Amarillo but the Colts would demonstrate that they weren't willing to go down without a fight by winning the next two games, forcing a decisive and final game five.
Now let's go back a few paragraphs where we talked about rain, remember that? Game five of the United League Championship saw the Dillas jump out to a quick lead only to have their momentum interrupted by rain with delays in the third and fifth innings respectively. After play resumed the Dillas worked their way to a 7-3 lead entering the bottom of the ninth and with quick work by starter turned reliever, at least for this game, Richard Jessup and his teammates recorded the final out and the Amarillo Dillas were crowned United League Champions for second consecutive year.
Uncertainty turned to destiny, death turned to celebration of life, rain created challenge, and back-to-back championships. These are the chapters in the book that define the 2009 Amarillo Dillas. You couldn't write a book about this stuff... you'd have to been here to believe it.
The Amarillo Dillas Baseball Club would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who makes baseball what it is in Amarillo. The success we enjoyed this year would not have been possible without continued loyal support from our season ticket holders, corporate partners, media, employees, Potter County, City of Amarillo, and the 130,406 Dillas' fans that came out this year. Because of you we are the Dillas - Thank You!
United League Baseball Stories from September 17, 2009
- Amarillo Dillas Year In Review - Amarillo Dillas
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
