Long Island’s very own professional base-ball team has been waiting in the dugouts for a special season – their twenty-fifth in play, live from Fairfield Properties Ballpark in Central Islip.
Last year’s season was originally intended to be their big milestone, but the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, making this year all the more significant.
Of particular celebratory note, the team will be wearing special twenty-fifth anniversary jerseys all season long, which will be auctioned off after the season with proceeds benefiting the QuackerJack Foundation, the ball club’s charitable arm.
All parties have been all-in on the Ducks’ commemorative season, with the Town of Islip having been faithful partners on several initiatives, and Suffolk County pitching in some funds for renovations.
Renovations include an all-new turf field, with a massive Ducks logo emblazoned just beneath home plate. The pitching mound was also fully replaced, with new bullpens and padded outfield walls.
The Ducks are particularly excited for this coming weekend, with Opening Day slated for Friday, April 25 – gates open at 5:35p.m. for a 6:35p.m. game against the Lancaster Stormers – and a Family Fun Day on Sunday, April 27, with gates opening at 12:35p.m. The Family Fun Day will allow families and children to experience the all-new ballpark for themselves, as well as interact with the team.
Weekly promos continue to run, with Thirsty Thursdays making a return, and one lucky fan will have the chance every Saturday to win 40,000 Breeze Airway points, valid for two tickets on Breeze Airways which flies out of Islip MacArthur Airport (ISP).
The Heroes of the Game program returns, wherein Veterans and active-duty military personnel are honored at each game.
“It’s been such a pleasure to have out so many Veterans and we’ll continue that this year with the partnership with [Suffolk County Executive] Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) and the Suffolk County Veterans Agency,” said Ducks Communications Vice President Michael Polak at the ballpark last weekend.
Polak and the Ducks are also glad to have Chris King and David Weiss back in the broadcasting booth for another season. The duo make up the longest-running broadcast crew in the Atlantic League and are about to begin their twenty-fifth season together.
Foremost, the organization remains committed to their creed of local, affordable family fun. Parking will remain free throughout the season.
“We’re very excited about the roster we’ve put together this year,” said Ducks Manager Lew Ford (pictured above). “Last year, our team stole 190 bases and we’re looking to build off that this year. We looked for players that can run, play defense, but also have some power in the middle of the lineup. It’s very balanced on the roster side.”
Ford says catcher Justin O’Connor (#11) is of particular interest, owing to the need of a good catcher who can stop runs in the middle of play. O’Connor threw out 44% of runners in his career, with 49% last year.
Regarding pitching staff, Ford and company are optimistic on “limiting three-base runners and making the other team work instead of giving away the ball.”
“I feel like this is a path God put out in front of me. This is a very high-level place to play baseball, to get back into affiliate [baseball], to get back into the big leagues and prove that I’m healthy,” said Ducks infielder Seth Beer (#28) (pictured above), referencing an injury-plagued career that he’s been eager to overcome, adding his praise for the team and organization.
“These are the types of guys who come in every day ready to play; they work hard, they play hard,” said Ford. “This is what we expect from the Ducks and these are the types of guys who are going to further their careers.”
“We’ve been consistent,” said Atlantic League of Professional Baseball CEO and Ducks founder Frank Boulton. “We’ve had great fans throughout the twenty-five years here on Long Island. But I don’t think that just happens. That happens because the entire organization works all year long. We don’t just put the ‘baseball today’ sign out. It happens because we’re here 365 days, working to make sure that we fulfill our mission of affordable family entertainment.”
Ducks starting pitcher John Gant (#35) invoked a similar feeling to his teammate.
“This game of baseball is real special,” said Gant. (pictured above) “I feel like God has brought me here specifically.”
“New York is split 50-50. We have New York Yankees fans and we have New York Mets fans. But the entire Island is Long Island Ducks fans,” Ducks pitcher Nick Tropeano (#41) told The Messenger. The West Islip native reflects fondly on his time of visiting the ballpark as a child, only to pitch from the mound today.
“It’s kind of full-circle,” said Tropeano. “I came here when they first opened, I was twelve years old watching these guys play, and now I’m on the field.”
The Ducks went on to soundly defeat the California Dogecoin in a spring training match, in which the Ducks denied the Dogecoin a single run throughout the game, save for two in the seventh inning.
The flock hit the baselines running at the start of the game, racking up six runs in the bottom of the first inning, courtesy of River Town (#14), Justin O’Connor (#11), and Troy Viola (#24). Chris Roller (#9) earned the flock a tenth run in the fifth inning, while Zach Plesac (#17) (pictured above) pitched three scoreless innings, striking out four and giving up one hit. Juan Hillman (#36), Tim Melville (#51), and Mark Washington (#33) also produced scoreless innings.
The Ducks defeated the Dogecoin 14-2 in their first public game of the season. All eyes now look to a not only strong but commemorative season going forward.
The Long Island Ducks are entering their 25th Anniversary season of play in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball and play their home games at Fairfield Properties Ballpark in Central Islip. They are the all-time leader in wins and attendance in Atlantic League history, have led all MLB Partner Leagues in total attendance for four consecutive seasons, and have sold out a record 713 games all-time. For further information, visit LIDucks.com or call 631-940-DUCK (3825).
