The Klamath Falls Gems were a collegiate wood bat baseball team based in Klamath Falls, Oregon. They began as an expansion team in the West Coast League in 2011 and played their home games at Kiger Stadium, which is also the home of the Oregon Tech Owls. They were named after the former Class-D Far West League affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies that played from 1948 to 1951. They previously played in the Golden State Collegiate Baseball League from 2016 to 2017 and were members of the Great West League, having joined that league in October 2017 and played during the 2018 season.GWL WELCOMES KLAMATH FALLS GEMS, GWL website, October 17, 2017 They were without a league as the GWL suspended operations on October 4, 2018, and have eventually ceased operations themselves without notice. The owner Joe O'Connor was being given until December 31, 2018, to renew the lease or the team will be considered defunct.Will the Gems play in Klamath Falls again?, Brian Schnee, KTVL.com, December 14, 2018 There was no response and the franchise was officially folded as of 2019.
History The Gems were founded in 2011 by a group of local sports personalities including longtime Oregon Tech Owls men's basketball coach and athletic director Danny Miles, Howard Morris, Don Gresdel and Eric Baker. Local Ownership of the Klamath Falls Gems, Gems website at Wayback Machine, Retrieved September 3, 2021 They named Chuck Heeman as the team's inaugural general manager. Front Office, Gems website at Wayback Machine, Retrieved September 3, 2021 They were named for the original Klamath Falls Gems that played in the original Far West League from 1948 to 1951. History, Gems website at Wayback Machine, Retrieved September 3, 2021
Front office staff Joe O'Connor - Owner Nick Winstead - Assistant General Manager
Broadcasting All games, home and away, were broadcast live on KLAD-AM 960 & FM 99.3 ESPN Radio and streamed live at the station's website.
Year-by-year records West Coast League
Year League Affiliation Record Finish Manager Playoffs 2011 West Coast League none 19-35 4th, West N/A missed playoffs 2012 West Coast League none 26-28 4th, West N/A missed playoffs 2013 West Coast League none 25-29 3rd, South Mitch Karraker missed playoffs 2014 West Coast League none 15-39 5th, South Mitch Karraker missed playoffs 2015 West Coast League none 15-41 5th, West N/A missed playoffs
Golden State Collegiate Baseball League
Year League Affiliation Record Finish Manager Playoffs 2016 Golden State Collegiate Baseball League none 17-27 5th N/A missed playoffs 2017 Golden State Collegiate Baseball League none 24-20 5th Daulton Hanks missed playoffs
Great West League
Year League Affiliation Record Finish Manager Playoffs 2018 Great West League none 20-34 5th Nick Gauna missed playoffs
References
External links Klamath Falls Gems official website Great West League official website