Bluefish's Gary Burnham On World Cup Qualifier Team
April 18, 2005 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Bridgeport Bluefish News Release
One of the players vying for an infield position on the Bluefish this year is Gary Burnham, who played AAA ball last year for the Memphis Redbirds. Gary comes to spring training in Homestead, FL almost directly form the World Cup Qualifying Tournament which was held from April 9-11 in Bradenton, FL. Gary was on the U.S.A. team that qualified, along with Canada, for the IBAF World Cup, to be played September 2-17 in the Netherlands. Gary started three of four games, and although he was only 2-11, he did have two RBI's, and had an on base percentage of .400 by virtue of drawing a walk and being hit three times. Gary hails from South Windsor, CT.
For the first time since the inception of the Bluefish, we have a new sponsor for our very popular Junior Bluefish program. For the past seven seasons, Fleet Bank sponsored the program whereby a youth team takes the field with the Bluefish at each home game, and stand with our players during the singing of the National Anthem. With Fleet's acquisition by Bank of America, HealthNet will now assume the sponsorship. Frankly, this wasn't a hard spot to re-sell since it is one our most popular sponsorships at the Ballpark at Harbor Yard. We certainly thank the former Fleet Bank for their many years of the Junior Bluefish sponsorship, and we welcome HealthNet, a company this editor certainly knows something about since I spent 22 years of my life with HealthNet's predecessor company (Physicians Health Services) in this region. Bank of America will also still have a substantial presence in the ballpark.
We continue to sell anew and renew many sponsorships in the ballpark as we approach Opening Day. We don't have room to list them all, but here's a sample: Key Hyundai Lincoln Mercury is back in a big way. Teikyo Post University now has a shorter name, Post University, and is again back with us. Runner's Roost will again supply our staff and interns with running shoes, and Work âN Gear will again sponsor the Bluefish Cleaning Crew. Work ân Gear will also provide the shirts for our staff, including our game day ushers and security staff.
Remember that we will the Rock Head, John Rocker, in the house (in the bullpen with the Long Island Ducks) when we open up at home in a four-game series beginning next week, April 28-May 1)! He's in spring training right now with the Ducks and was quoted in Newsday last week as saying, "My goal is to pitch as well as I can and get to the big leagues as soon as I can. I've set a timetable of July 1st to be on a big-league roster." We'll see. He has hair down to his shoulders, and reports are that he can still bring it, but will he be as effective as he was in big league career when he recorded those 88 saves? Time will tell. Also in camp with the Ducks, by the way, is Pete Rose, Jr. who at age 35 has decided to give professional baseball one more shot. If he makes the Ducks squad, maybe we'll even have his famous father here that opening weekend. If so, it will be the second time Pete Rose, Sr. has come to the Ballpark at Harbor Yard.
Our former long-time employee, John Farrell, you may recall, relocated to Lancaster last year with his wife, Jeannie, and young children Hank and Jane. As you might surmise, John is now working with the Lancaster Barnstormers as their Merchandise Manager. If you take in a game there this season, be sure to stop by and say hello to John. Speaking of the Lancaster team, if you go their web site at www.lancasterbarnstormers.com, you can see a live picture of their Clipper Magazine Stadium. Installation of the sod began last Thursday although it's a little difficult to see it in the live stadium cam.
Keeping matters in perspective... we received a great letter from an Army Reservist who is serving our country in Iraq, thanking us for providing his family with tickets to our Opening Day game on April 28 against the Long Island Ducks. We'll respect his privacy and keep his letter confidential, but suffice it to say that he writes of the pride his fellow soldiers feel in providing security for the Iraqi people, and of the optimism they feel that their work will reduce the problems in the Middle East and make America safer. He says that knowing that the troops have our support and prayers makes their jobs easier. Kinda makes it all worthwhile to know that we can help his family even a little bit by having them as our guests at a Bluefish game.
One of the hardest home dates for any professional baseball team is Mother's Day, which this year falls on May 8. We drew the short straw this year and play the Lancaster Barnstormers that day at 1:35 PM at the Ballpark at Harbor Yard. It seems that many families plan activities that day other than an afternoon at the ballpark. The St. Paul Saints, an independent Northern League team known for its wacky promotions, has decided to host the Sioux Falls Canaries that day with a 5:30 am game. That's right, 5:30 am! They are proclaiming that it's the earliest start for a professional baseball game ever, and they are probably right. They are even allowing fans who attend the afternoon game the day before the opportunity to stay overnight in the parking lot and sleep on the field. And, of course, the team is promoting the fact that the early start will allow fans to spend the balance of Mother's Day with their mothers. Editor's note: this may be a unique promotion that will gain the team some notoriety, and even national publicity, but how do you think the players form both teams will react? Will they even go to bed the night before? It certainly is different! We'll let you know how they do. If it's a smashing success, we might even try it next year!
Speaking of promotions, our Atlantic League's own Newark Bears have guaranteed a victory for their fans who attend their Opening Night game next week on Wednesday, April 27 at Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium against the Somerset Patriots. Here's how it works: if the Bears lose, all fans in attendance will receive a free ticket to any other Bears home game against the Somerset Patriots throughout the 2005 season. The Bears will also be displaying that evening their new logo, new color scheme and uniform design. What they won't have is former Bears slugger and former New York Yankee Michael Coleman who is expected to anchor the middle of the Bridgeport Bluefish lineup this year.
That Urban Land Institute report that resulted from the 300-odd interviews with community leaders this past January has now been released to the media. Interestingly, if ULI's recommendations were followed, here is how we might be affected at the ballpark: the ground parking lots across the street would remain parking lots instead of being developed into a commercial tower of some sort. The downtown intermodal transportation center would be finished; the former Mechanic and Farmer Bank on Main Street would be developed into a retail center. Market-rate and even luxury house would spring up at the old CityTrust Building, at excess property near the University of Bridgeport, and at the former Remington Plant on lower Main Street. And Steel Point would become a mix of retail stores, apartments and offices. Pretty ambitious stuff, but we sure have our fingers crossed that this stuff will actually happen.
Get those tickets for our Opening Weekend (April 28-May1)! Good seats still available for all four dates!!!!
Atlantic League Stories from April 18, 2005
- Patriots to host Parade of Patriots Monday, April 25th - Somerset Patriots
- Bluefish's Gary Burnham On World Cup Qualifier Team - Bridgeport Bluefish
- Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson tour coming to Lancaster - Lancaster Stormers
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.
