History
Residents of Long Island anticipated the arrival of professional baseball for many years, until the Ducks' inaugural 2000 season. The New York Mets and the New York Yankees own the territorial rights to keep an affiliated team, Major or Minor League, from moving within 75 miles of their respective ballparks. The last attempt by any team to move to Long Island was made by the Albany-Colonie Yankees. The Albany-Colonie team hoped to reestablish themselves in Suffolk County, home to the Ducks, but the Mets prevented the move. The Yankees later moved to Norwich, Connecticut, becoming the Norwich Navigators and, later, the Connecticut Defenders (now the Richmond Flying Squirrels). Baseball fans on Long Island enthusiastically support the Ducks and have led the Atlantic League's attendance since its beginning. In 2007, team owner Frank Boulton expressed his contentment with the Ducks to Baseball America saying, "The Long Island Ducks are the best thing I've ever done in baseball." Despite their success at the gate, the Ducks did not field a championship team until the 2004 season, when they defeated the Camden Riversharks in a three-game sweep to capture the Atlantic League Championship Series.
In 2005, a controversial former MLB player John Rocker signed with the Ducks in an attempt to revive his career. He asked New Yorkers to "bury the hatchet," claiming his willingness to play on Long Island proved he had matured since his controversial comments. Rocker was poorly received by the fans and ended up pitching with an 0-2 record and an ERA of 6.50.
On August 14, 2007, the Ducks appeared in national headlines in the United States after former Major League player José Offerman assaulted opposing players of the Bridgeport Bluefish. In his second at-bat with Bluefish pitcher, Matt Beech, Offerman was hit by a pitch. He retaliated by hitting Beech's hands with a bat, as well as striking catcher John Nathans in the head. Nathans was taken out of the stadium on a stretcher, and Offerman was arrested and taken into custody.
On Monday November 10, the Ducks announced that Gary Carter would be the new manager for the 2009 season.
Read more about this topic: Long Island Ducks
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