After being one of the most successful minor league teams, the Islanders faltered and ultimately moved to the mainland as the Colorado Springs Sky Sox in 1988.

In 1970, the Islanders, then an affiliate of the California Angels and managed by Chuck Tanner, won 98 games and drew over 400,000 fans to lead the minors as a whole.

The Islanders then signed players on their own to fill most of the roster spots, and were free to trade, sell or release them without approval from San Diego.

Additionally, the lease with the state government, which owned the stadium, didn't allow the Islanders to earn any proceeds from concessions or advertising, severely limiting the team's income.

The 1976 pennant winners almost didn't finish the season when the IRS padlocked the team office and the PCL briefly canceled their franchise.

When the Tacoma Twins complied with a parent-club directive to wear their metal spikes, stadium management turned off the center field lights.

However, the PCL sided with the Twins, citing longstanding rules holding the home team responsible for providing acceptable playing conditions.

After winning the opener on Wednesday night,[9] the Islanders lost the next two games,[10] but won the final two to repeat as league champions.

By this time, the team's financial problems were becoming more acute, in part due to what the Honolulu Star-Bulletin called the worst lease in the PCL.

[1] Prior to the 1988 season, citing years of dwindling attendance, the team moved to Colorado Springs and became the Sky Sox.

The main character played by Tom Selleck was a fan of the Islanders and often wore a Detroit Tigers ball cap.