Newark Bears

This article is about the Newark Bears of the Can-Am League. For other Newark Bears teams, see Newark Bears (disambiguation).

Newark Bears
Founded in 1998 Newark, New Jersey
Team logo	Cap insignia
League affiliations
Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
Name
Newark Bears (1999-present)
Other nicknames
Brick City Bruins
Team Colors
Navy blue, white
Ballpark
Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium
Championships
League titles: (2) 2002, 2007 Division titles: (2) 2001, 2007 (First Half Champs)
Owner(s)/Operated By: Danielle Dronet and Douglas Spiel
General Manager: Matt Smith
Manager: Tim Raines
Media: The Star-Ledger
Website: www.newarkbears.com

The Newark Bears are an American professional baseball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are a member of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 1999 season, the Bears have played their home games at Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium. They were originally a member of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.

History of Newark baseball

Further information: Newark Bears (1926-1949)

Newark was the home of several former minor league baseball teams, from the formation of the Newark Indians in 1902, and the addition of the Newark Eagles of the Negro National League in 1936. A Federal League team, the Newark Pepper also played in 1915.

The original Newark Bears were a team in the International League from 1926 to 1949. They played their home games at the former Ruppert Stadium in what is now known as the Ironbound section of Newark.

The Bears of the Atlantic League

The Newark Bears are named for the former Newark Bears team of the International League. The team was formed in 1998 by former New York Yankees catcher Rick Cerone, a Newark native. However, the Bears played their "home" schedule at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, Connecticut that season while awaiting the completion of their new home field. In addition, the Bears played several home games during the first half of the 1999 season at Skylands Park in Augusta, New Jersey. The Bears inaugurated their new park, Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium, in Newark on July 16, 1999.

Over the years, the Bears have succeeded in attracting star talent to their club. Ozzie Canseco played for the Bears in 2000 and 2001, and his brother José Canseco was with the team for part of 2001 as well. Rickey Henderson played the first half of the 2003 season with the Bears and was named most valuable player in the Atlantic League All-Star Game. He was subsequently signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers, but was released at season's end, and he returned to the Bears for 2004. Also in 2003, José Lima pitched for the Bears at the beginning of the season; after the Kansas City Royals signed him away from Newark, Lima won his first seven decisions for the Royals.^[1]

Other notable alumi include Scott Spiezio, Armando Benitez, Carl Everett, Ramiro Mendoza, Scott Williamson, Keith Foulke, Jay Gibbons, Jim Leyritz, Daryle Ward and Lance Johnson.

Rescue from bankruptcy and possible demise

The Newark Bears, under former owner Marc Berson, filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy on October 24, 2008.^[2] The team's existence was almost compromised until the Bases Loaded Group, LLC purchased the team, guaranteeing a $1 million line of credit to the Atlantic League. The Bases Loaded Group consisted of executives from Philadelphia and New Jersey, some hailing from Newark. The primary leader of the group was Tom Cetnar, former General Manager of the Bears in 2001, he served as President of the Newark Bears and a member of the ownership group.

Move to the Can-Am League

The Newark Bears joined the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball on October 6, 2010.^[3] The Bears will be one of three teams to join the league for the 2011 season, with the traveling New York Federals and the expansion Rockland Boulders. Newark was originally to be one of three cities to represent New Jersey in the Can-Am League along with Little Falls, home of the New Jersey Jackals, and Augusta, home of the Sussex Skyhawks. The Skyhawks, however, elected to stop operating after the 2010 season.

The Bears are also the most recent Atlantic League team to switch leagues. The Nashua Pride moved following the 2005 Atlantic League season, and the Atlantic City Surf followed the next year. Like the Bears, both moved to the Can-Am League. The Surf folded after two seasons in the league while the Pride franchise is now known as the Pittsfield Colonials.

Logos and uniforms

The Bears' original primary logo, used from 1998-2004

The Bears' primary logo used from 2005-2008

The team colors of the Newark Bears are navy blue and white. The primary logo consists of a stylized bear holding a baseball bat superimposed over a depiction of the Newark skyline over a baseball diamond. The "Newark Bears" wordmark is centered at the base of the logo, and is primarily white with silver accents and black outline.

The Bears' uniforms are traditional in design, with the caps produced by The Game Headwear and the uniforms by Under Armour. The home cap is navy blue throughout with a white block "N" centered on the front. The home jerseys are white with traditional navy blue pinstripes. A navy blue, block "N" is prominently displayed on the left breast. The road jersey is gray with the cursive "Newark" wordmark in navy blue, centered diagonally across the front. Both home and away jersey sleeves sport the Bears' primary logo and the former Newark Eagles' logo. The Bears wear navy blue belts, socks, and undershirts with all uniforms.

Owner, Tom Cetnar decided to redesign the team's unifoms according to the original design of the 1930s-era Newark Bears. The changes were intended to allude a respectful homage to the great Bears and Eagles teams of the past.

Season-by-season records

Newark Bears - 2004 to 2008[4]
Season	W - L Record	Winning Percentage	Finish	Playoffs
2004	63-63	.500	2nd in South Division	-
2005	58-82	.414	3rd in North Division	-
2006	42-83	.336	3rd in North Division	-
2007	72-54	.571	2nd in North Division	2-0 (won championship)
2008	72-68	.514	Last in Freedom Division	-
2009	74-66	.529	2nd in Freedom Division	1-3 (lost to Somerset in Freedom Division Championship)
Totals (1998–2009)	742-788	.485	-	-
Playoffs	7-3	.700	-	-

• 2 Atlantic League Championships (2002, 2007)

Rivalries

Shortly after the Newark Bears joined the Can-Am League, they announced a formal rivalry with the New Jersey Jackals. Since both teams play in Essex County, New Jersey, they established the County Executives' Cup to formalize this geographical contest. Off the field, the Bears and the Jackals will collaborate in order to strengthen each teams' respective recognition in Essex County, support fund-raising projects for local charities, and coordinate educational programs to benefit area students.^[5]

Radio

Bears games were aired on WSOU-FM 89.5 from 1999–2003, and again from 2007-2008. Previous announcers for the team include Seton Hall color commentator Dave Popkin, former WNEW-FM disc jockey Jim Monaghan, MLB Network host Victor Rojas, Somerset Patriots announcer Brian Bender, former New York Islanders broadcaster Jim Cerny, Ray Alexander, and Erie Otters broadcaster Paul Roper. In 2009, longtime New York sportscaster Spencer Ross served as both radio broadcaster and team on-field MC.

Mascots

The Newark Bears' official mascots are anthropomorphic bears named Ruppert and Effa. They wear the team's home jersey and cap. Ruppert is named after Jacob Ruppert, who owned the former Newark Bears team in the 1930s. Effa alludes to Effa Manley, the first woman to own and operate a professional baseball team (the Newark Eagles) and the only female member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.^[6]

Current roster

Newark Bears rosterv · d · e
Active (22-man) roster				Coaches/Other
Pitchers 04 Eric Eden 51 Jesse Estrada 56 Matt Fitton 27 Casey Gaynor 14 T.J. Hose 16 Mikey Mehlich 41 Kyle Morrison 45 Anthony Pluta 23 Chris Rollins 29 Alex Smith 18 Chris Vasami		Catchers 31 Billy Alvino 09 Bobby Dombrowski 15 Eric McGee Infielders 40 Kyle Davis 11 Juan Martinez 10 Paddy Matera 02 Tim Raines Jr. 05 Ryan Walsh 33 Daryle Ward Outfielders 44 Pat Biserta 22 Burt Reynolds 28 Danny Santiesteban 01 Brandon Watson		Manager   Tim Raines Coaches   Ron Karkovice Coach   Jim Leyritz Coach Disabled list ‡ Inactive list § Suspended list Roster updated 7-09-2011 Transactions

Retired numbers

21 (Roberto Clemente)

OF, Retired in 2009^[7]

42 (Jackie Robinson)

2B, Retired throughout professional baseball on April 15, 1997^[7]

References

1. ^ "Jose Lima Statistics - Transactions". baseballreference.com. http://www.baseball-reference.com/l/limajo01.shtml#TRANS. Retrieved July 11, 2006. 
2. ^ "Bears declare bankruptcy". atlanticleaguebaseball.com. http://albnews.blogspot.com/2008_10_01_archive.html. Retrieved November 13, 2008. ^{[dead link]}
3. ^ It's official: Bears to Can-Am Association
4. ^ Atlantic League information
5. ^ Bears, Jackals Announce Rivalry ‘County Executive’s Cup’
6. ^ "Ruppert & Effa". Newark Bears. http://newarkbears.com/ruppertandeffa/bios/. Retrieved April 3, 2009. 
7. ^ ^{a b} Newark Bears (2009-10-02). "2009 Season Recap". Newark Bears. http://www.newarkbears.com/news/index.html?article_id=1609. Retrieved 2010-11-04. 

External links

• Official website

Achievements
Preceded by Lancaster Barnstormers 2006	Atlantic League Champions Newark Bears 2007	Succeeded by Somerset Patriots 2008

Achievements
Preceded by Nashua Pride 2000	North Division Champions Newark Bears 2001	Succeeded by Bridgeport Bluefish 2002