▁operations ▁mid way ▁through ▁the ▁season ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 . ▁ ▁One ▁of ▁two ▁west ▁coast ▁power house ▁teams , ▁the ▁Gold dig gers ▁started ▁as ▁the ▁San ▁Francisco / San ▁Jose ▁Gold dig gers ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 , ▁becoming ▁the ▁San ▁Jose ▁Gold dig gers ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁team ▁having ▁the ▁largest ▁season ▁ticket ▁holder ▁base ▁and ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁they ▁were ▁the ▁attend ance ▁leaders ▁for ▁ML V . ▁ ▁The ▁general ▁manager ▁of ▁the ▁team ▁was ▁Rose ann ▁K ury la ▁and ▁the ▁director ▁of ▁market ing ▁and ▁sales ▁was ▁Jim ▁D ug oni . ▁ ▁During ▁years ▁one ▁and ▁two , ▁all ▁of ▁the ▁teams ▁were ▁owned ▁by ▁Major ▁League ▁Vol ley ball ▁and ▁its ▁share hold ers ▁led ▁by ▁Robert ▁Bat in ov ich ▁of ▁G le borough ▁Cor p . ▁ ▁During ▁year ▁three , ▁the ▁Gold dig gers ▁were ▁owned ▁by ▁local ▁Los ▁Alt os , ▁California , ▁business men ▁Gary ▁D . ▁Schw ing ▁and ▁Michael ▁C ots worth . ▁▁ ▁R ules ▁for ▁vol ley ball ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁were ▁different ▁from ▁today . ▁The ▁ball ▁could ▁not ▁touch ▁the ▁net ▁on ▁a ▁serve , ▁games ▁were ▁to ▁ 1 5 , ▁and ▁points ▁could ▁only ▁be ▁scored ▁on ▁serves ▁( no ▁r ally ▁scoring ). ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁the ▁league ▁changed ▁the ▁rules ▁so ▁that ▁game ▁five ▁would ▁move ▁to ▁r