From scrap heap to top of Class A baseball in just 3 years From the scrap heap to atop the pile, the Quad-City Angels have come a long way in a short while. Friday's 3-2 win over defending Midwest League champion South Bend capped a franchise rise from near baseball death three years ago to the top of the Midwest League. Not to mention to one of the top Class A franchises in America. owner Holtzman and general The organization itself, headed boy manager Mike Tatoian, have done well in bringing the Quad-Cities a quality night out : featuring professional baseball. Solid promotions and a renovated facility are two of the reasons the Angels set a franchise record in attendance for the second-straight season and passed 200,000 in attendance for the first time. But anyone who has ever made a trek along Davenport's River Drive knows success hasn't always been the case. When Holtzman purchased the club in the fall in 1987, the Angels were fresh from a season where a paltry 44,000 fans passed through the turnstiles of a rundown John O'Donnell Stadium. But the Chicago-based real-estate developer, with help of the city of Davenport, pushed the renovation of the scenic park nestled on the banks of the Mississippi and turned a 5-year fix-it plan into 2. Result: Success in a hurry. In 1988, the club was marketed u property for the first time since the mid-1970s and attendance rose to 117,000. But in 1989, the franchise began to explode, drawing a record 191,000-plus fans, which spilled into 204,000-plus at the gates in '90. As the stands were beginning to fill each night, the play on the field began to improve steadily. During the second half of the 1989 season under Manager Eddie Rodriguez, the Angels made a run at the Southern Division title, but came 1½ games short. Still, the club was competitive for the first time in many years. "I used to have heated discussions with Bill Bavasi, California's minor league director, over what players were being sent here," said Holtzman. "I still do have that particular conversation with him, but I'm happy to say the California commitment to winning at the minorleague level has improved. "I realize development is the key John Marx and the Angels are like most zations trying to do that, but ning is contagious and is the mate goal. I think they still their standards and methods, but emphasis on winning has grown.' And having a manager on to show that winning: as a unit is only way there will be success. 1990 Quad-City Angels had that Manager Don Long. A person who is game-tough, sensitive to his players' needs, molded a raw group into league's best. "I saw a group of young kids together under Don Long," Tatoian said of the team. "They had tough times, but never once as anything but a group. There injuries all over the place, but fought through them all." No matter how good or bad might have been this season, was forever preaching one thing - togetherness. "Everyone knew their role Donnie made you feel as though were just as important as the guy," said catcher Larry Gonzales, returnee from the '89 squad. taught togetherness. 'No one is greater than a team' was his vorite saying. He had us all believing that." Gonzales said this group how managed to stay together entire season. "Everyone actually got along organiwin- ultihave an board the The in yet Long the grow some played were they things Long and you next a It didn't take long after they clinched the Midwest League title Friday night for the Quad-City Angels to break out their T-shirts that boasted of it. From left "He (Photo by Kevin Virobik-Adams) player faery day," he said. "There's nothing phony about it; each guy liked some- next guy and would do anything the help him out. I've played on a lot teams and I've never seen ev- many guys get along like bunch." Tatoian added that the club's championship makes it easier to sell the organization. "The perception of this organiza- EST L LIONS MIDWEST LEAGUE CHAMPIONS are the to of this this tion has grown in the past couple of years," he said. "The public associates us with a good, solid night of fun and now they associate us with champions. It's a nice feeling." And one a long time in coming.
