As the Santa Maria Indians’ 65th season draws to a close, we would like to thank all of the Tribes’ supporters from around the county for your continued support.
The Indians, as many know, are the longest-running semi-pro baseball team in California, and one of only two teams from the Golden State to win the prestigious National Baseball Congress (NBC) Tournament in Wichita, Kansas.
Over the last seven decades, numerous future major leaguers, such as Jackie Jensen, Jim Lonborg, Mike Aldrete, Robin Ventura, and Ozzie Smith, have worn a Santa Maria Indians uniform.
For 47 of the Tribes’ 65 years, the team was guided by Clarence “Scoop” Nunes until he passed away in November of 2003. At that time, the future of the club was uncertain at best. Thankfully, in the five seasons since Scoop’s death, the community has rallied behind the Big Red and we’ve made quite a comeback, both in the community and on a national level. It is our hope that in the not-too-distant future, the Santa Maria Indians will be able to deliver yet another national championship to California’s Central Coast. It is our goal, sometime soon, to deliver the best affordable family entertainment in the area while having a positive economic impact on the city of Santa Maria.
To keep abreast of how the club is doing, and how both individuals and businesses can assist in keeping these dreams in the Indians alive, I would encourage fans to visit our Web site at www.santamariaindians.com.
This article appears in Aug 7-14, 2008.