South Jersey Baseball:
North Fork Bank To Sponsor ALPB All Star Game in Atlantic City
Set for July 13 in Atlantic City at Sandcastle Stadium

Tuesday, March 21, 2005

By Denny Watson
Atlantic City Surf Correspondent

The Atlantic City Surf announced Monday, March 21 that North Fork Bank will be the title sponsor of the 2005 Atlantic League of Professional Baseball League All Star game to be played on July 13 at Sandcastle Stadium. The event will land in Atlantic City for the second time as the Sandcastle and Atlantic City played host to the inaugural Atlantic League All-Star game in 1998.

“ We are delighted to bring the All Star Game back to Sandcastle Stadium where we held our inaugural Atlantic League All Star Game,’’ said Atlantic City Surf owner Frank Boulton. “We are also very excited to welcome North Fork Bank as our Atlantic League All Star sponsor. This is the second time that North Fork Bank has hosted an Atlantic League All Star game and we appreciate its support.’’

Don Haake, senior vice president, represented North Fork Bank on Monday.

The format will feature the North Division against the South Division and the respective All-Star squads will be selected by fan voting on the respective Atlantic League team web sites. The ALPB is comprised of the Bridgeport Bluefish; the Somerset Patriots; the Newark Bears; the Long Island Ducks; the Camden Riversharks; the Nashua Pride; the Lancaster Barnstormers and the Surf. The North Division is comprised of Long Island; Newark; Bridgeport and Nashua. The South is Atlantic City; Somerset; Camden and Lancaster. Since its inception on May 20, 1998, in Atlantic City the ALPB has drawn 10.6 million fans and 1.3 million of those fans have witnessed baseball at Sandcastle Stadium.

”We are extremely proud to have the Atlantic League All-Star game return to Atlantic City where it started seven years ago,’’ Atlantic City Surf general manager Mario Perrucci said. “We feel that Sandcastle Stadium is still the gem of the Atlantic League.’’

The All-Star game will be part of two days of festivities in Atlantic City surrounding the event. Prior to the game on July 13 Century 21 will sponsor a Home Run Derby featuring sluggers from the respective ALPB squads.