Photo courtesy of AnchorageBucs.com
As you may know by now, Anchorage Bucs founder and long-time General Manager Dennis Mattingly passed away a week ago. A celebration of his life is planned for today, from 11a.m. until 4p.m., at Tudor Road Bingo. It will be a potluck-style get together.
I’ve already said my piece on Dennis but I’d just like to take one more opportunity to give my respects. I know that he was a scrappy and tough, but at the same time very generous man. Through what would be the last season of his life he was at the park, doing whatever needed to be done. A blue-collar guy who wasn’t above doing any job, even though he was “the boss”. I have a tremendous amount of respect for that, and I think he set an example that baseball needs sorely right now. Nearly 800 players graced the field under his tutelage, including some great ones like current superstar CJ Wilson and, one of my favorites, Jeff Kent.
But that’s enough out of me. If you would like to read more about the life of Dennis Mattingly, please check out some of the links I’ve collected below.
Alaska Sports with John Thompson: Video
Jesse Jack is a life-long Alaskan (except for a stint in Montana) who studies Civil Engineering at the University of Alaska Anchorage from August through May, and lives at the ballpark during June and July. 
