NL Gary SouthShore Railcats

Champs

Published on September 27, 2005 under Northern League (NL)
Gary SouthShore Railcats News Release


It was like something out of a Hollywood script, a team with no stars that rallied around the collective talents of all 22 men to outduel one Northern League giant after another until the championship trophy was held high. This was the amazing story of the 2005 Gary SouthShore RailCats, champions of the Northern League of Professional Baseball.

The season began on May 20th with little attention from outside sources. After all, the RailCats had never earned a playoff berth and had never enjoyed a winning season. But 2005 would be different under new manager Greg Tagert, who molded together a collection of individuals into a sum greater than the individual parts.

Perhaps the Northern League began to take note of the RailCats during the second week of July, when the posted back-to-back comeback wins over Kansas City to pull to within one game of first place with one game to go in the first half race. While the first title went to St. Paul, the RailCats set the stage for an exciting second half Southern Division title run that earned them a spot in the playoffs.

Their first round opponent was St. Paul, the defending league champions. After falling behind two-games-to-one in the best-of-five series, the RailCats needed wins on September 10th and 11th. In front of an enthusiastic crowd at the Steel Yard, the RailCats won both games to advance to the Northern League Championship Series.

Their opponent in the final round was a formidable one. The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks had not only established a Northern League record for wins in a season, but they had finished the second half with an incredible 40-7 mark. When the RedHawks opened the series by winning games one and two in Fargo, few would have given the RailCats any chance at all of winning three straight over a club that they had never beaten in nine meetings in Gary.

But win they did. The RailCats topped the RedHawks on September 16th to stay alive, then beat them again the next night to even the series and set up a winner take all finale on September 18th. Final score before an energetic crowd was Gary 2, Fargo-Moorhead 1. The RailCats were the champions. It was a season to remember.

RailCats Championship T-Shirts Available Now

You can purchase Official RailCats 2005 Northern League Championship T-Shirts through the SouthShore Depot in person, by phone, or on-line. These are the same style t-shirts that were worn by the players on the field during the post-game celebration on September 18th.

The RailCats Gift Shop is located at U. S. Steel Yard and is open Monday-Friday from 9:00 AM-5:00 PM. You can charge by phone to Mastercard or Visa by calling (219) 882-BALL (2255). Or order on-line at www.railcatsbaseball.com.

Championship T-shirts are $16.00 each (add $1 for sizes XXL-XXXL). The t-shirts are white with the championship logo and come in adult sizes. For more information call (219) 882-2255 and talk with Janine Kurpiel.

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Northern League Stories from September 27, 2005

  • Champs - Gary SouthShore Railcats

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