A trip back to 1985...

Part 2:


Part 3


This is the actual play by play call of the end of the Stars' SL Championship victory over the Charlotte Orioles. Rick Davis was the announcer for WFIX Huntsville and WFMH Cullman.

1985 Huntsville Stars 78 - 66
SOUTHERN LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

Southern League baseball came to Huntsville in 1985 with the Stars winning the league championship in their first season. The team had several stars, the first of which was Southern League MVP Jose Canseco. "Jose Parkway" hit .318 with 25 homers and 80 RBI's in just 58 games before being called up to Tacoma and then Oakland. 1B Rob Nelson led the team with 32 homers, still a franchise single season record, and 98 RBI. Stan Javier stole 61 bases and scored 105 runs, Luis Polonia hit 18 triples and scored 82 runs, and Terry Steinbach hit .272 and had 72 RBI.

The pitching staff included Tim Belcher (led the team with 11 wins), Todd Burns, who only made 4 starts but was 3 - 1 with a 1.19 era, Wayne Giddings (49 games, 12 saves), Pete Kendrick (6-4 but with 5 complete games and 2.45 era), Eric Plunk (8-2), Greg Cadaret, and Bill Mooneyham (2-1, 1.98).

But it was Rocky Coyle (.282-5-25) who won the hearts of all Stars fans with his charisma and hustling style of play, and it was Rocky Coyle who hit a solo home run in the 9th inning of the 5th and deciding game of the Southern League championship series, giving the franchise it's first league title.

Roster:
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/roster...

Statistics:
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/statis...

Team page on Baseballcube.com:
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/statis...

I have been a Stars fan since their inception in 1985. My Dad and I hoped Huntsville would get a minor league team throughout my childhood years. When it finally happened, Dad bought us season tickets the first few summers.

The Stars have quite a history, all of which is documented on the excellent "Baseball Cube" website. Anything you want to know about the Stars' history can be found there.