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| Copyright 2002 Chris Trapani All photographs and text on this website and webpage are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the holder of the copyrights, Chris Trapani. Direct all e-mail inquiries to [email protected]. |
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| The Games 1) July 1, 2000. Bears 4, Somerset Patriots 3. The Bears took a 3-0 lead after 2 innings. The Patriots came back with 1 in the 7th and 2 in the 8th, thanks to a 2-run HR by DH Antuan Bunkley, to tie it. Newark won it in the 9th on an RBI single by Bobby Hill. 2) May 16, 2001. Bears 11, Patriots 0. The Bears had 20 hits, only 3 for extra bases, as former major leaguers Lance Johnson (3 for 4, a triple, 2 runs, 1 RBI), Jose Canseco (1 for 4, a double, 2 runs, 4 RBI), Jim Leyritz (1 for 4, 1 RBI) and pitcher Jack Armstrong lead the attack. In fact, Armstrong had a no-hitter through the 6th. In the 7th, with the score 10-0, Joe Mathis replaced Johnson in center. Patriots DH Charles Poe hit a ball to center, just out of Mathis� reach, for a triple. Mathis is quick, but I wondered whether Johnson would have had it to preserve the no-hitter. Armstrong left after the 7th, having surrendered just that one hit. 3) May 25, 2001. Bears 7, Lehigh Valley Black Diamonds 1. Once again, the Canseco brothers, Leyritz and Johnson outmatch their opponents, but the big blow was a 3-run homer by 3B Jeff Ball. 4) July 11, 2001. The Atlantic League All-Star Game. North 10, South 0. The North scored 5 in the 1st, capped by a 2-run shot by Bridgeport Bluefish Oreste Marrero. Appropriately, the MVP was Newark�s Ric Johnson, who went 2 for 2 with 2 doubles, an RBI and 2 runs scored. Later to be season MVP Michael Warner of the Patriots was 0 for 4, with 3 strikeouts. 5) August 16, 2001. Patriots 4, Bears 1. My son�s baseball team was on the field during the national anthem. My son, who played mostly first base, stood at the position with former NFL star Danny Kanell, who had 2 errors in the game. Canseco, Leyritz and Johnson were gone by now, having been picked up by major league teams. Now on the Bears were former big leaguers Pete Incaviglia and Hensley Meulens. Former Chicago star Jaime Navarro pitched for the Bears. Patriot Greg Blosser hit his 19th homer, a 2-run shot, to give his team the lead for good in the 6th. 6) October 3, 2001. The final game of the Atlantic League Championship Series. The Bears took the first 2 games, but the Somerset Patriots won the next 2, the fourth game in dramatic fashion, and it all came down to this. The second batter of the game, Patriot Emiliano Escandon, homered to give his team all it would need. Kevin Dattola also hit a solo shot in the 2nd. The Bears put 2 men on in the 4th and again in the 8th, but failed to score. Patriots 4, Bears 0. 7) June 12, 2002. Long Island Ducks 7, Bears 6. The Bears lead 6-3 after 7 innings, scoring 4 in the 4th, 3 on a Justin Hall homer. I left at the end of the 7th. In the 8th, the Ducks took the lead for good, scoring 4 runs. Ducks DH Patrick Lennon was 4 for 5, with 2 runs and 3 RBI. All but 3 of the 18 starters had at least one hit. 8) August 8, 2002. Camden 5, Bears 3. Once again, my son�s baseball team was on the field during the national anthem. Bryon Gainey started the scoring with a 2-run shot in the Camden 2nd. Creighton Gubanich hit a solo homer for Camden in the 4th. Jack Joffrion hit a home run with a man on in the Newark 6th. |
| Newark, NJ - Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium (Page 2) |
| Above and left, two takes on the unobstructed view of the field from behind home plate. |
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