Walla Walla Bears Featured In Bygone Walla Walla Blog

In 1969,  Walla Walla got it's own Northwest League franchise.  It would be a Single A affiliate of  the Philadelphia Phillies.  For the first season only, it was known as the Walla Walla Bears.  For the second season, I believe, it would be known as the Walla Walla Phillies.   

It was real exciting to have a pro baseball team in little Walla Walla.  There were "lucky number" contests throughout the game. I never got the lucky number, but that's a different story. There were many promotional nights, including fireworks on the 4th Of July. 

Incidentally,  I remember the GM of the team was Gene Langley, whose daughter had recently been crowned Miss Oregon and had been a runner up in the Miss America Pageant. 

The team would eventually be known as the Walla Walla Islanders for one season and then it would begin a long running affiliation with the San Diego Padres and be known as the Walla Walla Padres.

Joe Drazan has a feature in his Bygone Walla Walla blog.  Click here