Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame 2006
Introducing the Class of 2006, which includes major league legends like Dom DiMaggio & Tommy Lasorda, and men who put their stamp upon the Golden Era of the PCL.
Jim MANDELARO
MLNSportsZone.com
BOCA RATON, FL - 12.09.06 - The Pacific Coast League (PCL) Hall of Fame (HOF) Class of 2006 adds seven members this year, with some lofty credentials, and truly historic achievements. The group was announced this Spring, but owing to the age and health of some of the players, and a few technical difficulties, it has taken us a bit longer to round up all of the interviews and research that we do at MLN to bring you our feature story on the HOF.
The HOF was created in 1936 by the Helms Athletic Foundation in Los Angeles. It ceased operation in 1952, at the height of the league’s prestige and power in the post-WWII era. The PCL was effectively the third major league, dominating the major cities of the West.
The HOF was reinstituted in 2003 as part of the PCL’s Centennial Celebration. MLN has supported the reinstitution of the HOF since then, with an annual in-depth feature that celebrates the rich and long history of one of baseball’s greatest professional leagues.
Named to the HOF were Eddie Basinski, Dominic “Dom” DiMaggio, Bert Ellison, Tommy Lasorda, Dario Lodigiani, Bill Schuster, and Bill Weiss.
Major league fans will of course recognize DiMaggio, Red Sox star, brother of Yankee phenom Joe, and teammate and friend of Ted Williams.
Likewise, anyone living in Albuquerque or Los Angeles from the 1960’s through the 1980’s will never forget one of the Dodgers greatest managers, Tommy Lasorda.
It would be a mistake, though, even for the major league fan stumbling across this article, to not take a moment to celebrate the careers of PCL greats like Basinski, or the San Francisco Seals’ superhero of the twenties Ellison. The league developed some truly great talents, many of whom shined live when Major League Baseball was still newsreels and newspaper reports for most of the nation West of the Mississippi.
| Eddie Basinski | Dominic “Dom” DiMaggio | Bert Ellison |
| Tommy Lasorda |
Dario Lodigiani | Bill Schuster | Bill Weiss |
