In Memoriam: Local Baseball Figures We Lost in 2024

Al “The Bull” Ferrara (1939-2024): A native of Brooklyn, NY, Ferrara was a larger-than-life figure that played piano at Carnegie Hall as a teenager and appeared on episodes of Gilligan’s Island and Batman during his time in Los Angeles. "The Bull" spent four years in Spokane with his best season coming in 1963 (.321/.383/.548, 31 2B, 19 HR, 89 RBI) as the Indians won a franchise-record 98 games. He made his MLB debut that same season, earning a World Series ring as the Dodgers swept the Yankees in four games. Ferrera would go on to an eight-year career in MLB with the Dodgers, Padres, and Red before retiring after the 1971 season to start his own construction company.

Hector Ortiz (1969-2024): A native of Puerto Rico, Héctor Ortiz was a 35th round pick of the Dodgers in 1988 and spent parts of four seasons in the majors with Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers. Following his playing career, Ortiz worked in the Rangers organization as a minor league coach, including three years in the Inland Northwest (2006-08) as Spokane's hitting coach. Ortiz would continue to work at both the MLB and MiLB level with the Rangers - including time as the big league club's first base coach - until his passing from pancreatic cancer in February at the age of 54.

Bill Plummer (1947-2024): A true baseball lifer who spent more than five decades in the game as a player, coach, and manager, Plummer is best remembered as the backup catcher to Johnny Bench on Cincinnati's Big Red Machine. He won a pair of titles with the Reds in 1975-76 before spending his final professional season as a player with the Spokane Indians in 1979, where he hit .255 with 46 RBIs in 116 games. Plummer shifted into managing following his playing career - including one season as Seattle Mariners manager in 1992 - and finished with a career record of 1372-1371 in 21 seasons at the helm in MLB and MiLB.

ABOUT THE SPOKANE INDIANS

The Spokane Indians are the High-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies located in Spokane Valley, Wash., and are the reigning Northwest League Champions. The Indians have played at Avista Stadium—home to the MultiCare Kids Bench Seat and Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs Military & Veteran Ticket—since 1958 and have been a proud member of the Spokane community since 1903. Parking at all Spokane Indians games is FREE. The Spokane Indians Front Office and Team Store are open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.