2013 HALL OF FAME CLASS

The Mid-West Baseball League is honored to announce that George Skiles of the Sacramento Capitals has been elected to the MWBL Hall of Fame.

George Skiles – Sacramento Capitals / Los Angeles Riots (1510 – 920 – .621%)
George joined the Mid-West Baseball League in the Fall of 1998 with the Los Angeles Riots and, after 10 years, relocated the franchise to Sacramento, CA, as the Capitals.  In both cities, George enjoyed success and suffered the agony of defeat—often at the same time.  As manager, his two best seasons—Los Angeles, in 2004, winning 122 games and Sacramento, in 2010, winning 121 games—resulted in 4-1 NLCS losses to Tempe and Iron City, respectively.  Ultimately, success would come in 2011 and 2012, in which Sacramento achieved back-to-back World Series Championships, becoming the fourth franchise to win more than one World Series in MWBL history (Tempe with seven—geez—and Severn, Kentucky, and Sacramento with two).

In 15 years with the MWBL, George holds a 1510-920 record, an average of 101 wins per season and the third most wins in MWBL history behind Chicago and Tempe.  During his tenure as manager, George has been named manager of the year 6 times, tied with Stray for the most since MWBL’s inception. He has been a very active MWBL member, both on the trade front and by drafting young talent, helping him successfully field contending teams season after season.  As a result, he’s won the NL West division in 10 of 15 seasons, and made the playoffs in 11 of 15 seasons.  Of course, he has had the benefit of acquiring some of the best talent in the game; in 15 seasons, the Capitals have brought home 8 Most Valuable Player, 4 Rookie of the Year, 3 Cy Young, 2 Rolaids Relief, and 14 Gold Glove awards—all the while seeing 33 players voted-in as All Star Game starters.
Without doubt, though, George has found the best part of the MWBL to be the friendship, competition, and enjoyment of the game. It’s been a blast playing head-to-head against old friends and new.  George has enjoyed the rivalries built over the years … with Northridge, Tempe, Camarillo (the old “West Coast Connection”), Iron City and West Coast, and the now defunct Kentucky, among others over the years.  Most have defeated the Riots/Capitals in convincing fashion in key playoff series.  Nonetheless, it’s always a blast.