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IL1 International League

Triple-A Baseball National Championship To be Televised Live on ESPN2

August 26, 2009 - International League (IL1) News Release


Triple-A Baseball (International and Pacific Coast Leagues) announced today that the 2009 Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game will be televised live across the ESPN2 network on Tuesday, September 22 at 7:00 p.m. ET. Triple-A Baseball and ESPN2 have enjoyed a 15-year partnership involving the annual Triple-A All-Star Game, the Las Vegas Triple-A World Series from 1998-2000, and since 2006, the Triple-A Baseball National Championship. Launched in October of 1993, ESPN2 is now available in approximately 97 million homes.

Triple-A Baseball, Minor League Baseball's highest classification, is comprised of 30 teams throughout America which develop talent for Major League affiliates while providing affordable entertainment for fans of all ages. The 2009 campaign is the 106th season of operation for the Pacific Coast League and the 126th season for the International League.

The 2009 Triple-A Baseball National Championship will determine the overall champion of the classification. On September 22, the International League's Governors' Cup Champion and the Pacific Coast League Champion will meet in Oklahoma City's AT&T Bricktown Ballpark (home of the Oklahoma City RedHawks) in a winner-take-all showdown. The International League club will be considered the home team for this year's game, thanks to the IL's 6-5 win over the PCL All-Stars in July.

Round Rock Express broadcaster Mike Capps will serve as the play-by-play voice of the Triple-A National Championship Game, to be joined in the booth by Chris Chambliss, former Major League All-Star and current manager of the Charlotte Knights. For the fourth consecutive year, Oklahoma City RedHawks broadcaster Jim Byers will serve as the field reporter.

Commentator Bios Play-by-play duties for the National Championship Game will rest with veteran broadcaster Mike Capps. Capps is in his tenth year as the voice of the PCL's Round Rock Express (Houston Astros). An author, reporter, and television anchor, Capps has over 27 years of experience in broadcasting, including past work for Major League Baseball games on ESPN Radio. In addition to his time with WFAA-TV in Dallas, KPRC-TV in Houston, ABC News in St. Louis, and CNN, Capps has also authored a book with legendary scout Red Murff entitled "The Scout: Searching for the Best in Baseball". Alongside Capps will be the manager of the IL's Charlotte Knights (Chicago White Sox), Chris Chambliss. Chambliss was the first pick of the 1970 draft, one year before being named American League Rookie of the Year. His 17-year career included an All-Star appearance, a Gold Glove, and two World Series Championships. He is perhaps best remembered for sending the Yankees to the World Series with a walk-off home run in the 1976 ALCS. Chambliss has managed in both the International and Pacific Coast Leagues, including this year with the Knights.

The field reporter will be Jim Byers, who is wrapping up his 10th season as voice of the PCL's Oklahoma City RedHawks (Texas Rangers). A veteran of many sports, Byers joined the RedHawks in 1999 and has been their broadcaster every year since except 2003, when he hosted a local sports talk show. Byers' experience includes 15 years as a horse racing announcer and seven seasons of hockey play-by-play. He currently serves as play-by-play voice of the Oklahoma City Blazers of the Central Hockey League in addition to his duties with the RedHawks.

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