The last time I had a taste of champagne was September 13, 1993. It wasn’t at a wedding or a birthday, it was in the Tucson Toros clubhouse at Hi Corbett Field. And I didn’t sip it from a glass.
It was poured on my head by James Mouton, the Toros’ second baseman.
In 1993, Mouton probably had the single greatest season in the history of Tucson professional baseball, from 1940-2013. Judged by baseball scouts to be a bit too small for the big leagues — a man with no position — Mouton hit .315 with 16 home runs and 92 RBI for the Toros that summer. More impressively, he hit 42 doubles, 12 triples and stole 40 bases. He was a runaway choice as the Pacific Coast League Most Valuable Player.
Those are Mike Trout numbers.
When the Toros beat the Portland Beavers for the Pacific Coast League championship that night at Hi Corbett Field, Mouton raced to the small clubhouse and joined high-profile teammates like Phil Nevin and Shane Reynolds, spraying champagne on everyone in sight — including a few visiting sportswriters.
A year later, Mouton was the opening day starting right fielder for the Houston Astros. That was probably a better feeling than any champagne party.
Mouton never won another title. His seven MLB seasons with the Astros, Padres, Expos and Brewers failed to produce a World Series championship.
By comparison, the Tucson Toros of the early 1990s became familiar with the taste of champagne, winning the PCL in 1991 and 1993, both triggering raucous celebrations at Hi Corbett Field.
The ‘93 Toros had good timing. The ‘90s were the golden years of Triple-A baseball in Tucson. The Toros broke attendance records, surpassing 4,000 fans per game in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1995. In the ‘80s, Tucson failed to average more than 2,624 per game.
But a productive Astros’ farm system and the arrival of Hall of Fame-level general manager Mike Feder, who had learned the business of minor-league baseball from the ground floor at Single-A Davenport, Iowa and Daytona Beach, Florida, and at Double-A Jackson, Mississippi.
Ironically, when the Toros and Portland began the best-of-seven PCL championship series, there was no time for Feder to create one of his many promotions that would put 5,000 in the seats. After splitting the first two games in Portland, the Toros returned to Tucson for Game 3, which was delayed 90 minutes by a monsoon storm. Only 2,893 fans attended. Game 4 was played opposite Arizona’s “Desert Swarm” football home opener, and the Toros drew just 2,390.
And on Game 5, a Monday, only 1,859 attended.
But the Toros rolled anyway, winning the final three games.
The ‘93 Toros went 83-60 in the regular season. Mouton was the keystone player, but manager Rick Sweet had no shortage of players enjoying life in Triple-A baseball. First baseman Jim Lindeman, a former No. 1 draft pick of the St. Louis Cardinals, hit 362 with 88 RBI. Shortstop Orlando Miller, also headed to the Houston lineup in future years, hit .304 with 16 homers and 16 triples.
The pitching staff was unexpectedly good for a Triple-A club in the hitter-friendly light air of the PCL. Future Astros standout Shane Reynolds went 10-6, and eight-year big-league pitcher Jeff Juden went 11-6.
The Toros roster and staff included some notables familiar to Tucson baseball. The pitching coach was Brent Strom, who went on to become one of baseball’s top names while helping the Houston Astros to the 2017 World Series championship. Ex-Arizona Wildcats Jack Daugherty , who hit .390 in 42 games, second baseman Tommy Barrett, and utilityman Casey Candaele, all contributed to the 1993 championship.
Former Toros standout James Mouton returned to Tucson in 2002 as a member of the Sidewinders.
To overcome Portland in the playoffs, the Toros had to beat the Beavers’ No. 1 pitcher, Pat Mahomes, in Game 1 and Game 4. Mahomes, who pitched 11 years in the big leagues, is the father of Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes.
In the ‘93 title-clinching, champagne-spraying victory, the deciding hit was a sacrifice fly by career minor-league outfielder Joe Mikuluk, who had driven in the winning run in the Toros’ 1991 walk-off PCL championship victory.
“I knew from the start, there was no doubt in my mind that Joe would be involved somehow in us winning,” said Sweet, the manager. “He knows it. We know it. We can feel it.”
Said Mikulik: “All I’ve ever wanted was to get a chance to play and to someday have great stories to tell my kids.”
