All About the Long Island Ducks by Joe Wallace
Long Island’s Atlantic League team is the LI Ducks, who led the AL North division last year with 36 wins. 2005 saw the Ducks coached by Don McCormack, who took over the head coach position in 2001. In 2004, McCormack took the Long Island team to its first AL championship victory; the Ducks became the first AL team to win five consecutive one-run playoff games on the way to the 2004 title. IN 2005, the Ducks were AL North Division second-half champions. This team consistently fills the ballpark and some have called the Ducks one of the most successful minor league teams in the United States. With seven teams currently in the Atlantic League, the LI squad shares the limelight with seven others, including the Atlantic City Surf, the Bridgeport Bluefish, and the Somerset Patriots.
In the off-season, Ducks players keep quite busy, getting involved in Long Island charities, Boys Clubs, blood drives and toy drives. The AL Ducks are clearly a team that loves the word “local”. With major league players of many pro sports involved in arrests, scandals and other bad-examples-and-big-headlines stories, major leaguers could take a lesson or two from this members of the Ducks squad like centerfielder Justin Davies; his visit to a local elementary school for some photos and a QnA session reinforce what pro sports is all about for many people. (http://www.liducks.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=community&newsID=361) In addition to getting involved in the community, the Ducks hold seasonal kids’ clinics in a partnership with Grip ‘n’ Rip Sports Academy. While there is a fee involved, this academy is billed as being identical to the training programs used by collegiate athletes and professional players alike. For those who participate it’s a way to sharpen skills and learn by example and with hands-on help from members of the Ducks. The Ducks play their home games at LI’s Citibank Park, located at 3 Courthouse Drive in Central Islip, and you can hear Ducks games broadcast on WLIE radio, 550AM, and are also made available at the Ducks’ official website at www.liducks.com. AL baseball season for the Long Island Ducks begins in April and lasts until September. Joe Wallace |
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In November 2005, the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball announced its Post Season award winners and All-Star Team, which included four Ducks members—more than any club in the circuit. Second baseman Carlos Hernandez, outfielder Henry Rodriguez, left-handed starter Lance Davis and closer Todd Erdos were named to the all-star squad picked by Atlantic League general managers. 