Cain named Commissioner of new independent baseball league

Salem-Keizer, Oregon

Long-time baseball executive Jack Cain has been named as commissioner of the Mavericks Independent Baseball League.

Cain has spent over four decades in baseball serving as Team Owner, Senior Advisor, General Manager and League President. 1981 marked Cain’s entry in baseball as owner of the Central Oregon Phillies and, prior to the season, renamed the team the Bend Phillies. The team became the Bend Bucks in 1987 and eventually the Bend Rockies in 1992 a name they held until the franchise moved and became the Portland Rockies in 1995.

Cain had phenomenal success in Portland drawing nearly a quarter-million fans in each of his first two seasons in the Rose City and set an all-time attendance record for Class A short season baseball. Success was not limited to the gate as his teams won the Northwest League Championship in 1997 and Division Championship in 1999.

Jack’s success in Portland was the catapult for Triple-A baseball’s return to Portland that ultimately led to ending Cain’s ownership tenure. The Triple-A Portland Beavers were quick to add Cain as their Senior Advisor and Special Assistant and he twice served as the interim General Manager for the Beavers. For his efforts, Jack was named Northwest League Executive of the Year on three different occasions and was elected as Northwest League President, a position he held from 1985-1990.

In addition, Cain won the prestigious Baseball America’s Bob Freitas Award in 1999 for operational excellence and Sporting News’ Executive of the Year honors in 1995.

In 2002, Jack and his wife, Mary, were honored by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Portland Rose Festival for their exemplary dedication and commitment to children, family and community. Jack has always been an active part of the community, having served on the boards of Portland Youth for Christ, Salvation Army, Portland Rotary and on the Executive Board of the Old Timers Baseball Association of Portland.

Many area sports fans know him best for his work on the local gridirons, where he was a high school football official for over 30 years.

“I’ve known Jack since my entry into baseball back in 1989 and a finer gentleman would be hard to find. He has earned the respect of many in the game and his vast network of relationships he has built over the years will help jump start the Mavericks League,” said long-time Salem-Keizer Volcanoes team owner Jerry Walker. “We couldn’t be happier to have Jack as the first Mavericks League Commissioner.”

For information about the Mavericks League: https://www.milb.com/salem-keizer/news/volcanoes-announce-creation-of-new-independent-baseball-league