There are two Linfield connections to the Mavs:
--Catcher Ron Webb, Linfield 1972 grad, lettered in Linfield baseball in 1969 and 1970 playing for Coach Roy Helser. He lettered in 1971 (Linfield's second NAIA World Series championship team) and 1972 as catcher for Coach Ad Rutschman. Interesting to note, Webb was catcher on the Rutschman coached 1968 Hillsboro High School state championship baseball team.
--Third baseman Steve Collette, lettered in Linfield baseball 1966 (Linfield's first NAIA World Series championship) and 1967 teams coached by Roy Helser. Transferred to OCE, now WOU/Western Oregon University and played baseball for the OCE Wolves. He was Mavericks manager/player in 1977, the team's final season. A graduate of North Salem, Ore., High School, he died at age 56 in 2003. He's a member of the WOU Athletic Hall of Fame. His "Hall" bio does not mention Linfield and Mavericks. Link to bio: http://bit.ly/1jD6p2H
==Oregonian – Aug. 2, 1973:
Mavericks ink catcher Webb
The Portland Mavericks dealt close to home Wednesday when they signed catcher Ron Webb of Hillsboro to a contract.
Webb had been playing for Hillsboro's City League semi-professional team.
Two years ago, catching for Linfield College, he led his team to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) championship. He was named All-America and the national tournament's most valuable player.
He batted .400 for the season and .448 in the tournament.
He also was the catcher on Hillsboro high school's 1968 state championship baseball team.
Last year he was assistant diamond coach at Linfield, as the team finished runner-up in the NAIA West Coast Regional Tournament in Los Angeles.
==Bulletin, Ore., Bulletin – Aug. 3, 1973:
Relief helps Mavericks
AP story datelined Portland about Mavs beating a not named opponent, 3-2. In the game's fourth inning, the team's newest member, catcher Ron Webb, drove in two runs with a double.
==Oregonian – Aug. 4, 1973: Governor intervenes for Mavs
Hang in there, Maverick fans. Ron Webb will be around for the series with Walla Walla.
Replying to a game-story "letter" in Friday's Oregonian, Gov. Tom McCall said that he had requested the Oregon National Guard Adjutant General that Webb be allowed to make up his two weeks of summer duty at a later date.
Later Friday, the Mavericks received word that Webb's master sergeant had given him a weekend pass to participate in the weekend series.
Portland and Walla Walla are battling for first place in the Northwest League. The Washington team holds a two-game edge after Friday's first game of a four-game series, the last meetings this season between the teams.
In revealing his request, McCall said he considers the Mavericks, the only independent minor league team in organized baseball, the best thing to happen in Portland baseball in 20 years.
Webb is a catcher who played his high school ball in Hillsboro. He was signed earlier this week by the Mavs.
==Oregonian - June 5, 1974: Story says the Mavericks scheduled an exhibition game with the Portland Lobos of the City League. "The Lobos, national champions the past two years in Casey Stengel semi-pro baseball, supplied the Mavericks last year with catcher Ron Webb."
PHOTOS from Linfield Oak Leaves yearbooks show Ron Webb, Steve Collette and Tom McCall. Photo of McCall shows him as Oregon Secretary of State delivering address at Linfield 1965 Commencement. According to the Oregonian, at that commencement Linfield President Harry Dillin awarded McCall a Linfield honorary doctor of laws degree.
NOTES:
Besides Gov. McCall helping Linfielder Ron Webb and the Portland Mavericks, two more bits of info.
First, some historians consider McCall to have been a maverick in his time as Oregon governor. So, he was an Oregon maverick aiding the Portland Mavericks.
Secondly, there was a possibility that McCall could have been a Linfield president. Following the Linfield presidency of Gordon Bjork, 1968-1974, Cornelius Siemens was interim president, 1974-1975. McCall served two terms, 1967-1975, as Oregon governor. His last date in office, the end of his second term, was Jan. 13, 1975. During the latter part of his second term, Linfield made an effort to have McCall succeed Bjork as president. (But, in reality, he would have succeeded Siemens.) McCall considered the offer to be Linfield president. According to the book Inspired Pragmatism: An Illustrated History of Linfield College, McCall “declined the offer, consenting to election as a (Linfield) trustee” in January 1975. During his trustee tenure, McCall served as Linfield trustee chair.
McCall has a connection to Linfield football. A story in the Nov. 3, 1974, Sunday Oregonian, says Gov. McCall was part of an estimated crowd of 4,500 on Nov. 2, 1974, which “ringed ancient Maxwell Field, and saw small college football at its best” when #3 nationally-ranked Linfield defeated #2 PLU, 15-14.
:::
RON WEBB:
Photo likely by Rusty Rae
Links to Ron Webb info from Portland Tribune:
https://pamplinmedia.com/ht/120-hillsboro-tribune-sports/333602-212837-former-century-ad-ron-webb-named-to-linfield-hall-of-fame-
--About Steve Collette, see "Mavericks: The Battered Bastards of Baseball," by Steve Lundeberg, Albany, Oregon, Democrat-Herald. June 18, 2014:
--About Ron Webb, Linfield Hall of Famer, enshrined 2016:
--About Scott Carnahan, a Linfield grad who went on to become Linfield baseball coach and athletic director, had a connection to the Portland Mavericks, too. Read Rusty Rae's story:
"But out of college, his career turned in a different direction. He had a contract with the Portland Mavericks (at the princely sum of $300 per month) – which didn’t work out – he lasted three weeks."
Jan 30, 1947-Sept 9, 2003
SALEM -Steve Collette, father, friend coach and athlete played his final inning Tue., Sept. 9, 2003.
Although his lost this inning to cancer, his lifetime record is in the "win" column. He will be remembered for the many lives he touched thorugh his dual loves of young people and sports. A time to celebrate his life will be held 2 pm, Sun Sept at the Salem Elks Lodge, 2336 SE Turner Rd. SE in Salem. As a legacy to him, contributions may be made to Steve Collette Athletic Scholarship Fund, WOU Foundation, The Cottage, 345 N. Monmouth Ave., Monmouth OR 97361.
Source: Salem, Ore., Statesman Journal, Sept. 13, 2003
