1990 Gate City Pioneers player profiles, co-op team

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Keiji Abe 1990 Gate City Pioneers card

Features on each member of the 1990 Pocatello-based Gate City Pioneers, an independent team in the rookie Pioneer League. Players featured were included in that year's team set.

Interviews (2)
1 - Kelly Frederiksen, Hard Work
Kelly Frederiksen used experience in Nicaragua to prepare himself for the minors.
2 - Tyrone Horne, Always Treasured
Tyrone Horne went ahead and played. He then hit for the home run cycle.

1990 Gate City Pioneers (28)
 1 - Keiji Abe believed importance of learning US baseball
2 - Gary Adams played three pro seasons, made single-A
3 - Itsuki Asai played in minors, had long career in Japan
4 - Buck Atwater saw perfect high school record, 3 seasons
5 - Eddie Bonine was baseball guy, went into HS athletics
6 - David Carter saw 2 seasons as pro, coached in college
7 - Keith Casey played in a single season, seven pro games
8 - Akihiko Chiyomaru saw U.S. minors, 4 seasons in Japan
9 - Ed Creech spent decades in pro baseball, felt blessed
10 - Chris Emerick, All Around
Chris Emerick was a good all-around athlete in high school. He played baseball as a pro.
11 - Carlos Espinoza, Ended Up
Carlos Espinoza started his career in Mexico, and that's where he ended up. He never made the majors.
1990 Gate City Pioneers checklist card
12 - Mike Fier, Back Out
Mike Fier got back on the field with an amateur senior league, after two seasons as a pro.
13 - Kelly Frederiksen, To Perfection
Kelly Frederiksen executed a pickoff fake to third to perfection. He played just a single season as a pro.
14 - Jim Heilgeist, Came Together
Jim Heilgeist had success on the football field in high school, then turned pro on the baseball field. He played two seasons.
15 - Tyrone Horne, Homer Cycle
Tyrone Horne hit for the home run cycle in 1998. No one had ever done it before and no one has done it since.
16 - Paul Hutto impressed, saw 2 seasons
17 - Hector Ortega, Knows What
Hector Ortega had confidence in the Cubs' Carlos Zambrano. He spoke as a scout and former player.
18 - Takashi Maema, Got There
It took Takashi Maema into his eighth pro season, but he finally made Nippon Professional Baseball.
19 - Tony Marabella played, had health scare
20 - William Martinez, Held Them
William Martinez came into a 1990 game, then held them enough for a win. He played four seasons, never got above single-A.
21 - Hideki Mizusawa, Did Play
Hideki Mizusawa never made it into a Nippon Professional Baseball game, but did play a season in the U.S.
22 - Doug Noce, College Success
Doug Noce helped his college team win the Division 2 World Series. He later played two seasons as a pro.
23 - Hector Rivera, Own Piece (Outfielder)
Hector Rivera the outfielder had a brief career, brief enough to miss one of his only shots at his own baseball card.
24 - Hector Rivera, Slowed By (Pitcher)
Hector Rivera pitched well at West Palm Beach, but, slowed by injuries, he couldn't keep it up at AA.
25 - Perry Sanchez, Two and Out
Perry Sanchez helped his college to its first College World Series. He played two seasons as a pro.
26 - Angelo Santiago, Triple Crown
Angelo Santiago held the South Jersey high school home run title. Until a guy named Mike Trout came along.
27 - Hiroyuki Satoh, Stopped Him
Hiroyuki Satoh robbed the batter of a hit in a 1990 game at Gate City. He then saw time in seven seasons in Japan.
28 - Trey Wilburn, Treated Rudely
Trey Wilburn was greeted rudely in an April 1990 game. He played just three seasons as a pro.

The 1990 Rookie Pioneer League
-Billings Mustangs (29)
-Butte Copper Kings (30)
-Gate City Pioneers (27)

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