Sports stats



A Sort of Homecoming for Six Baltimore Mariners

June 30, 2009 - American Indoor Football Association (AIFA)
Baltimore Mariners News Release


Baltimore, Maryland (June 30, 2009) - Reading, Pennsylvania, a town of roughly 80,000 residents, sits along the Schuylkill River, about 60 miles from Philadelphia and major league sports. Its fans, however, have fully embraced their minor league teams. Baltimore, and its population of over 600,000, has long been a bustling commerce center along the Chesapeake Bay and the home of major league sports. For six Baltimore Mariners, who have seen the bright lights of minor league sports in Reading and played in the shadows of major league teams in Baltimore, this week's playoff game will amount to a sort of homecoming.

Four players, Offensive Lineman Greg Justice (also the Mariners General Manager and Offensive Line Coach), Defensive Back Armar Watson, Running Back Isaiah Grier, and Defensive Back Anthony Jackson started and starred for the Express in 2006 and 2007. In those two seasons they racked up an impressive 26-4 regular season record, won two division titles, a conference championship, and advanced to AIFA Bowl I. Mariners Quarterback E.J. Nemeth, who was 2-0 as a starter against the Express in 2009, was Reading's backup quarterback in 2007 and Baltimore Defensive Coordinator Steve Gaunt held the same position in Reading in 2007 and was their defensive line coach in 2006. Justice noted, "For the six of us from the 2007 squad, this is a bit of a homecoming and still feels like home field for us. We look forward to the familiarity and the hard hitting game that lies ahead of us."

Unlike Baltimore, where the words "minor league sports" are often uttered as fondly as a profanity, Reading has embraced its minor league sports scene. Five minor league teams, including the Express of the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) call Reading home. They include the Reading Phillies of the Eastern League, the Reading Royals of the East Coast Hockey League, the Reading Railers of the Premier Basketball League, and the Reading Rage of the USL Premier Development League. The Sovereign Center, which the Express, Railers, and Royals call home, was just named the third best minor league professional sports venue in North America in a poll conducted by Minor League News.

For the Baltimore Mariners, getting local fans to embrace a "minor league team" in a "major league town" has been an uphill battle, but the team's playoff run has given birth to a wide range of coverage on sports blogs, the occasional mention on local news shows, and game capsules in The Sun. While Baltimore's attachment to the Mariners is still in its infancy stage, Reading's population has fully embraced the Express. Justice commented on the passion of the Reading fans, but views the Mariners knowledge of Reading as a positive, "Heading into Reading, one thing we know is that it will be crowded and loud. However, we have gone there earlier this year and managed a comeback to take the victory in a very hostile environment."

Six Mariners are hopeful they can bring the same postseason success to Baltimore that they brought to Reading, and with that, foster the same coverage and passion they experienced in a "minor league town" in a major league city like Baltimore.

• Discuss this story on the American Indoor Football Association message board...

American Indoor Football Association Stories from June 30, 2009


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Baltimore Mariners Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central