Everett baseball highlights

CALENDAR

1983

Oct. 6: Bob and Margaret Bavasi, a husband-wife team of San Diego attorneys, buy the Walla Walla Blue Mountain Bears and move the team to Everett.

1984

June 19: Before an overflow crowd of 3,457, the Everett Giants lose to Bellingham 10-5 in their first home game.

1985

June 19: Joe Strain manages the first game in a six-season tenure with Everett. Strain's eventual 202 managerial wins are the most in franchise history.

Sept. 21: The Everett Giants win the Northwest League championship.

1986

June 22: Shortstop Matt Williams has six runs batted in, including a grand slam, as the Giants beat Spokane 18-13.

Aug. 25: Giants right fielder David Nash is named the league's Most Valuable Player.

1987

June 17: In his second professional game, 17-year-old Ken Griffey Jr. collects his first hit: an opposite-field home run.

Aug. 22: Everett erupts for a franchise high in runs, blasting the Hawks 23-6 in Boise.

Aug. 30: Everett clinches the league's West Division title.

1989

July 21: Everett pitcher Maximo Aleys throws the only no-hitter in franchise history against Bend, Ore.

Aug. 24: The Everett Giants and Eugene Emeralds resume a suspended game at Civic Stadium in Eugene. The Emeralds score an unearned run in the top of the 25th inning to win 6-5 in the longest game in league history — seven hours, 13 minutes.

1991

Sept. 1: The 500,000th fan to attend an Everett Giants game walks through the gates.

1994

Sept. 13: The Bavasis begin a franchise affiliation with the Seattle Mariners.

Nov. 15: The team officially changes its name from the Giants to the AquaSox and unveils a tree-frog mascot.

1995

June 15: The AquaSox open the season behind manager Orlando Gomez and pitching coach Bryan Price.

1996

Aug. 3: Randy Johnson makes a rehab appearance for the AquaSox against the Yakima Bears, throwing 29 pitches in two perfect innings.

1997

Sept. 6: The AquaSox finish the season with a record of 29-47. Their .382 winning percentage is the lowest in franchise history.

1998

June 16: The team opens the season in newly renovated Everett Memorial Stadium.

Oct. 1: The Bavasis announce they have reached an agreement to sell their interest in the Everett franchise to businessman Mark Sperandio, a native of Rochester, N.Y.

1999

July 21: AquaSox player Chris Snelling, 17, from Australia, becomes the youngest player to hit for the cycle in league history.

2000

Aug. 20: AquaSox center fielder Jamal Strong is named the league's co-MVP.

2001

Aug. 19: The largest home crowd to date in club history — 4,741 — watches Jay Buhner in a rehab assignment with the AquaSox.

2002

Aug. 22: AquaSox second baseman Ismael Castro is named league MVP.

Aug. 24, 2002: The largest home crowd in AquaSox history, 4,817, watches Everett play Salem- Keizer.

Sept. 3, 2002: Everett clinches its third division title in franchise history with a 2-0 shutout win over the Eugene Emeralds.

2003

Jan. 20: Pedro Grifol is named AquaSox manager for 2003.