Atlantic City Surf

Independent baseball team
name = Atlantic City Surf
founded = 2005
city = Atlantic City, New Jersey

cap
current league = Can-Am League (2007-present)
current division =
past league = Atlantic League (1998-2006)
uniform =
currentname = Atlantic City Surf (1998-present)
nicknames =
colors = Navy Blue, Aqua, White, Purple
ballpark = Bernie Robbins Stadium
pastparks =
leaguechamps = (1) 1998
divisionchamps =
owner =
manager = Cecil Fielder
gm = Ryan Conley
media = Atlantic City Press
website = http://www.acsurf.com www.acsurf.com

The Atlantic City Surf is a professional baseball team based in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in the United States. The Surf is a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. From the 1998 season to the present, the Surf has played its home games at Bernie Robbins Stadium, formerly known as The Sandcastle.

From 1998 to 2006, the Surf played in the South Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. While in the Atlantic League, The Surf won the first-ever Atlantic League championship in 1998 while also hosting the inaugural Atlantic League All-Star game. The game consisted of the Surf taking on representatives from all other teams in the league. To date, that was their best season in both attendance and on-field performance.

On February 26, 2008, the Atlantic City Surf named former Major Leaguer Cecil Fielder as their manager for the 2008 season. Their 2008 season started May 22, 2008, against the Quebec Capitales.

Early teams

Atlantic City historically has never enjoyed much success as a venue for professional sports teams and baseball has been no exception. The city hosted a few short-lived, unnamed teams in various leagues in the 19th century, then provided a home for the defunct Lancaster Red Roses of the Tri-State League in 1912. The franchise played one more season in Atlantic City in 1913 before disbanding.

Bacharach Giants

In 1916, the Bacharach Giants came to town. Originally known as the Duval Giants of Jacksonville, Florida, the team moved to Atlantic City in 1916, and its name was changed to the Bacharach Giants after the city's mayor, Harry Bacharach. The team was independent from 1916 to 1922. It was a member of the Eastern Colored League from 1923 until the league's folding during the 1928 season, winning the league in 1926 and 1927 with the leadership of Dick Lundy and notable players including Oliver Marcelle, Smokey Joe Williams, John Henry Lloyd (AKA "Pop" Lloyd), and Arthur "Rats" Henderson. The team became affiliated with the American Negro League in 1929, and continued in the Negro National League in 1932, when it folded as a professional team.

Atlantic City Surf

In 1998, sixty-six years after the Bacharach Giants folded, the brand-new Atlantic League of Professional Baseball placed a team in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The new team was called the Surf. Opening their new ballpark called The Sandcastle on May 20, they were defeated by the Somerset Patriots by a score of 8 to 5. Playing host to the first Atlantic League All-Star game on July 15, the Surf defeated the All-Stars 6 to 4 and went on to later win the league's first-ever Championship Series over the Bridgeport Bluefish, winning three games out of four. They made it to the post-season four times in five years (2002 and 2004-06) but were eliminated in the first round each time. Atlantic League Post-Season Results:
*1998: Defeated Bridgeport Bluefish, 3 games to 1, for League Championship
*2002: Lost to Newark Bears, 2 games to 1, in opening round
*2004: Lost to Camden Riversharks, 2 games to 0, in opening round
*2005: Lost to Somerset Patriots, 2 games to 1, in opening round
*2006: Lost to Lancaster Barnstormers, 2 games to 0, in opening round

The Surf reached the playoffs in their first season in the Can-Am League, but again lost in the first round.

Can-Am League Post-Season Results:
*2007: Lost to North Shore Spirit, 3 games to 1, in opening round

Quick facts

:Current uniform colors: White with navy pinstripes for home games and navy for away games. The home jersey has an interlocking "AC" centered on the left and number on the back. The away jersey has the wordmark "Surf" in teal with white and purple outline. Navy blue hats with the interlocking letters "AC" in white with teal outline. :Current logo design: The word "Surf" in script in teal with navy, purple, and white outline. :Current mascot: "Splash" (1998-present).:Current Broadcasts: Play by Play done by Matt Martucci. Broadcasts can be heard by clicking on the teamline link on the team's website. Also available for $5 per game on cellphones. Games can also be heard on WLFR locally.

Current roster

References

External links

* [http://www.acsurf.com Atlantic City Surf]
* [http://www.canamleague.com Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball]
* [http://www.cityofatlanticcity.org Atlantic City, New Jersey]