Big Bluefish promotions coming in next home stand
Published on July 20, 2005 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Bridgeport Bluefish News Release
Some of the best things about Bluefish baseball are all the exciting promotions we have within the Ballpark at Harbor Yard. For our next home stand beginning next Monday evening, for instance, just look at our promotions: Monday and Tuesday nights at 7:05 PM against the Lancaster Barnstormers are Little League Days. Children under 12 who wear their Little League uniforms to the ballpark will receive one free ticket to the game; Wednesday morning we have Camp Day with the game starting against the Barnstormers at 10:35 AM. The first 3,000 kids in the ballpark will receive Matchbox posters and game cards; Thursday night (July 28) is Nurses Night with all nurses and healthcare workers who present a valid ID getting a Buy One, Get One Free ticket for that night's game against the Nashua Pride. Friday night (July 29), of course, is Fireworks, as always, in our second game against the Nashua Pride. For the third game against Nashua on Saturday night (July 30), we have an extra-special treat with the return of the Zooperstars, the large, lovable inflatables that bounce around our ball field and our stands. If you've never seen the Zooperstars, you owe it to yourself to come to this game. You won't be disappointed, especially when Clammy Sosa or Roger Clamens eats one of our batboys... And, finally, the final game of the home stand on Sunday afternoon (July 31) at 1:35 PM, also against the Pride, features, as always our Sundae Fun Day Run Day where kids get to run the bases after the game and receive a free ice cream treat after they have done so. To view a full listing of all the promotions we currently (we're adding more all the time) have booked for the remainder of the season, go to this page on our web site: http://www.bridgeportbluefish.com/promo_shedule.html.
Despite the rather abysmal showing of our ball team recently in league play, we sure "done good" at the Atlantic League All-Star game this past Wednesday evening at the Sandcastle ballpark in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Our five players all made positive contributions in our Northern Division's 9-6 win over the Southern Division. Josh Miller, our right-handed starter, was credited with the win and Dan Krines, our right-handed reliever, gained the save in the contest. First baseman D. J. Boston had a broken-bat single and combined with Krines and Ducks second baseman Carlos Hernandez to make a great defensive play in the ninth inning. Catcher Hector Kuilan had a double and a triple (!!!) in three at bats and outfielder Michael Coleman had two walks and an outfield assist (with Miller) in throwing a runner out at third. It was indeed an impressive showing, and even though we had fewer players selected than most of the other teams, our on-field playing was stellar.
Bluefish trivia: Here's a great piece of trivia we heard last evening on Channel 84 on Cablevision (a telecast of our game in Central Islip against the Long Island Ducks). Ducks announcer Chris King said that there are only seven players who have played in at least part of all eight Atlantic league seasons, and, amazingly, all seven of those players are on our Bluefish squad. Can you name all seven? See below for the answer.
With the mid-year league board meeting at the Trump Plaza, this editor made the trip to the board meeting and to the All-Star game, with my 11- and 12-year old sons in tow. So how do you spend two days in Atlantic City without gambling? Right off the bat, let me say that A.C General Manager Mario Perrucci and his staff did a great job with the All-Star game itself and with all the festivities that preceded and followed the game. The Sandcastle, much like our own Ballpark at Harbor Yard, was built in a hurry back in 1997-1998 in preparation for the league's inaugural season. In fact, these two ballparks were the only new Atlantic League ballparks to be completed that year (Somerset and Newark opened their parks in the 1999 season, the Lehigh Valley ballpark never was completed and was demolished this past spring, and the Nashua team continues to play its games in an older, refurbished Historic Holman Stadium). Because of the "urgent" manner in which our two ballparks were built, the Sandcastle and the Ballpark at Harbor Yard continue to have structural challenges to this day. The good news for both ballparks is that the fans who come to both of these ballparks will, in all likelihood, remain blissfully unaware of these challenges. And that was certainly true of A.C.'s ballpark for the sold-out game. The park was remarkably "spiffy", and certainly served as an outstanding host site for the league's 8th All-Star game.
Speaking of which, the league's board of directors voted earlier that day to award the Atlantic League's 9th All-Star game, to be played on July 12, 2006, to our own Ballpark at Harbor Yard. We last hosted the game back in our 1999 Championship Season, and welcomed the opportunity to host it once again. We are already talking about lining up sponsors for the game and all its festivities, so if you represent a company or organization that would like to be involved in this bigger-and better-than-ever gala event, let us know soon. We have already begun to prepare for it.
Any description of the All-Star break in Atlantic City would not be complete without this editor telling you my biggest thrill by far. Hall of Famer Monte Irwin was an honored guest at the game and he spent some time in a suite where I was able to have a conversation with him and get his autograph. My young boys had no idea who this 86-year old man in a wheelchair was, or why my eyes were misty after I rejoined them after talking to Monte. You see, I know Monte Irwin could have been the first black man to integrate Major league Baseball if Branch Rickey had only been willing to pay more money to Newark Eagles owner Effie Manley for the rights to Irwin's contract in 1946. Three years later, Irwin did become the first black New York Giants player to play in the bigs. Due to color barrier "issues", he only played seven years in the Major Leagues, but he was elected to the Hall of Fame anyway in 1973, a fitting tribute to an extraordinary athlete. Go to http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/I/Irvin_Monte.stm to read a brief history of Monte's life.
Trivia answer: the seven Bluefish players who played in at least part of all eight Atlantic League seasons are as follows: pitcher Tim Cain (the all-time wins leader in the league); outfielders Rolo Avila and Will Pennyfeather; first baseman D. J. Boston, second baseman Angel Espada; shortstop Tony Rodriguez and pitcher Angel Miranda. Moreover, we just missed an eighth player with returning veteran pitcher Brad Cornett who has played in the league since 1999. In 1998, Cornett played with three AAA teams in Tucson, El Paso and Louisville.
Atlantic League Stories from July 20, 2005
- Big Bluefish promotions coming in next home stand - Bridgeport Bluefish
- Riversharks rally for 6-4 win - Camden Riversharks
- Ducks' top three account for nine of 12 hits - Long Island Ducks
- Bears sell Bobby M. Jones' contract to White Sox - Newark Bears
- Rios pens deal with Long Island - Long Island Ducks
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