Atlantic City Surf… Bridgeport Bluefish… Camden Riversharks… Lancaster Barnstormers… Long Island Ducks… Nashua Pride… Newark Bears… Somerset Patriots

Atlanta League Champions:

2004 - Long Island Ducks… 2003 – Somerset Patriots… 2002 – Newark Bears… 2001 - Somerset Patriots… 2000 – Nashua Pride… 1999 - Bridgeport Bluefish… 1998 - Atlantic City Surf

The ALPB Long Island Ducks set an independent minor league single season attendance in 2001 with 443,142 fans. Businessman Frank Boulton as well as former Mets shortstop Bud Harrelson are the principal owners.

For more: www.liducks.com or www.atlanticleague.com

The Long Island Ducks will be starting their fifth season in The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, a well attended minor league consisting of eight East Coast teams.

Last season, 2004, the Long Island Ducks captured the ALPB Crown, helped by the fact that the team’s leading batters terrorized opponents pitching staffs. First baseman Doug Jennings .359 BA, with 31 doubles, 17 Hrs and 84 RBIs… outfielder Kimera Bartee .319, 22 DS, 9 Ts, 27 Hrs, 88 RBIs and 30 stolen bases… outfielder Wendell Magee .294, 29 Ds 13 Hrs 86 RBIs… DH Pat Lennon .323, 36 DS, 14 Hrs and 88 RBIs.

The Ducks duo of relievers were a pleasant surprise to owner Frank Boulton. Closer Bill Simas posted a 2-4 record, 1.95 ERA in 44 games with a whooping 17 saves and setup reliever Joe Cotton wove a 5-1 w/l mark with a 1.95 ERA in 40 games, 2 saves. Long Island starter Bill Pulsipher went 9-5, 3.67 ERA in 17 starts… Note all of the above statistics are thru 9/19/04… baseballhistorian.com and the migalareport.com

Lancaster PA

Former major league second baseman Tommy Herr was recently named as the first manager of the inaugural season, 2005, of the Lancaster Barnstormers. Keystone Baseball president Jon Danos was all smiles at a press conference introducing the 48-year old Tom Herr in November 2004.

Rick Wise was named Lancaster’s pitching coach in January 2005. . Wise pitched 18 seasons in the majors and rang up a 188-181 win/loss record. ‘We were looking for somebody with experience who is a quality person and Rick fits both,’ said Keith Lupton, Lancaster’s Executive VP.

Herr played on three pennant winning Cardinal teams, 1982, 1985 and 1987, including their World Championship – 1982.

A lifelong resident of Lancaster PA, after he retired from playing, Tom Herr became an assistance baseball coach at his high school alma mater, Hempfield High in Landisville PA, where he coached his two sons. In 2004 Herr was signed to managed the minor league team of the Lancaster Barnstormers for their inaugural year (2005).

Tom Herr career: .271 BA, 254 DS, 41Ts, 28 Hrs, 676 Runs, 574 RBIs, 188 stolen bases, 1450 hits in 5349 at bats.

note: this page has moved to: http://www.baseballhistorian.com/fans_favorites.cfm?hero=1172

One the major leagues workhorses, Rick Wise posted a 15-13 w/l record with a 3.23 ERA in 1969, then a 13-14 mark, 4.17 ERA in ’70 and a 17-14 record with a 2.88 ERA in 1971, Wise was traded in a blockbuster deal straight up to the Cardinals for future Hall of Famer Steve Carlton prior to the opening of the 1972 season. Carlton had just rang up a 20-9 record, 3.56 earned run average, and Carlton responded by going 27-10 with a miserly 1.97, completed 30-of-41 games with 8 shutouts. Meanwhile, Wise went 16-16 and 16-12 for St Louis before being traded to the 1974 Red Sox.

Pitching for the Phillies on June 23 1971 Wise hurled a no-hitter and hit two (2) homers during a game against Cincinnati – and is the only pitcher to toss a no-hitter and homer in the same game.

Pitching for the 1975 Boston Red Sox Rick Wise was 19-12 for the season and helped the team win the AL pennant by pitching and winning the final game of the 1975 ALCS over Oakland allowing 2 runs thru 7.1 innings.

After retiring from the pitching mound Wise has coached in the minors for the past 20 years and just signed a pact to be the new Lancaster Barnstormers pitching coach.

Rick Wise career stats: 188-181 record, 3.69 ERA, 506 Games, 455 GS, 138 GC, 3227 hits in 3127 innings, 1647 Ks, 804 Walks