Anchorage Daily News

Wichita, Kan. -- When Blake Gill arrived at the NBC World Series, he grabbed a program.

"The first thing I saw was the date of the championship," he said.

Aug. 11. It was a date Gill had actually been thinking about for some time. It was in the early morning hours of Aug. 12, 2001 that Gill suffered the biggest heartache of his life. His mother, Peggy, died of major organ failure after a lengthy illness.

So he knew that on Aug. 11, it would be tough for his thoughts to be about anything else other than how he spent one last night with his mother one year ago. When he arrived in Wichita, he dreamed that maybe he could be celebrating a title on Aug. 11. Maybe it would be a feeling he could even share with his mom in some way.

Maybe it would help ease the pain of such a terrible anniversary.

He took it one step further. Not only did Gill's Fairbanks Goldpanners win the NBC title, beating the Glacier Pilots 8-3 Sunday, Gill was named the tourney's most valuable player for his late-tournament heroics. As he held the MVP trophy, thoughts of his mother came flooding back.

"That was the worst thing ever," he said, choking back tears as teammates celebrated around him. "To have this a year later is a special feeling because of her. This is for her."

That Gill would ever be holding that trophy is remarkable on so many levels. He spent the summer playing the outfield for the Mat-Su Miners, hitting .336 to rank second in the Alaska Baseball League.

When the Panners came looking for a designated hitter to pick up for the NBC, Gill saw an opportunity to extend his great season.

"We really needed a three-hole hitter, preferably left handed, to bat in front of (Scott) Robinson," Fairbanks coach Ed Cheff said. "It could really elevate our team. We found exactly what we were looking for -- a guy who could really stroke it."

But there was one problem: Gill suddenly lost his swing. He started the tournament 4 for 16, .250.

"The guys were great, telling me that I was still doing a good job, to keep at it," Gill said, "but I was really down on myself. I felt terrible. I thought they might keep me on the bench."

He was benched during Fairbanks' third game, against Prairie Gravel.

Then came an odd turn of events. Shortstop Brendan Ryan was lost for the tournament to a broken bone in the game. He was replacing shortstop Grant Rogers, who started the first two games before breaking a bone. The Panners had already lost one shortstop during the season. So Cheff was forced to look over his bench and see who could play perhaps the most vital defensive position on the field.

Gill stepped up.

"And not only did he fill in, he really played really, really well in the field," Cheff said.

Gill was dropped to the No. 8 hole of the batting order in the next two games. It was from that spot the tournament changed for him and his team.

Facing elimination Friday and a five-run deficit to the undefeated Glacier Pilots, Gill came through. His two-run double capped a four-run inning that turned the momentum. Fairbanks went on to win 8-7.

"All it takes is one big hit to get you going sometimes," Gill said. "I hoped that was the one."

In the semifinal, Gill only had one hit -- though he was robbed of one by a diving catch _ while batting third. But the one hit was a two-run homer that broke a tie and gave the Panners the lead for good.

That got Fairbanks to the title game, a rematch with Anchorage.

Gill went 4 for 4 with two runs scored and three RBIs. Next thing he knew, he was holding the MVP trophy.

"I never thought this would have happened, especially a few days ago," Gill said. "It's incredible. It's the best feeling I've ever had on a baseball field in my life."