Editing Atlantic City Surf

{{short description|Minor-league baseball team in Atlantic City, New Jersey (1998–2009)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox baseball team
|name             = Atlantic City Surf
|founded          = [[1998 in baseball|1998]]
|disbanded        = [[2009 in baseball|2009]]
|city             = [[Atlantic City, New Jersey]]
|ballpark         = [[Surf Stadium]]
|logo             = AC Surf logo.PNG
|cap_logo         = AC Surf.PNG
|league           = [[Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball|Can-Am Association]] (2007–08)
|division         = 
|former_leagues   = [[Atlantic League of Professional Baseball|Atlantic League]] (1998–2006)
|former_names     = Atlantic City Surf (1998–2008)
|nicknames        = 
|uniform          = 
|retired_numbers  = 
|colors           = Navy Blue, aqua, white, purple
{{color box|#00004D}} {{color box|#1f90d1}} {{color box|white}}  {{color box|#660099}}
|former_ballparks = 
|league_champs    = (1) 1998
|division_champs  = 
|owner            = 
|gm               = 
|manager          = 
|media            = 
|website          = 
}}

The '''Atlantic City Surf''' were a professional [[minor league]] baseball team based in [[Atlantic City, New Jersey]]. The Surf was most recently a member of the [[Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball|Can-Am League]], which is not affiliated with [[Major League Baseball]]. The Surf played its home games at [[Surf Stadium]], which was formerly known as "The Sandcastle" and "Bernie Robbins Stadium"

From 1998 to 2006, the Surf played in the South Division of the [[Atlantic League of Professional Baseball]].  While in the Atlantic League, the Surf won the first-ever Atlantic League championship in 1998 while also hosting the inaugural Atlantic League All-Star game.

On March 30, 2009, the Atlantic City Surf organization ceased operations,<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/03/atlantic_city_surf_minor_leagu.html |title=Atlantic City Surf minor league baseball team ceases operations |agency=Associated Press |date=March 30, 2009 |access-date=May 13, 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110605151345/http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/03/atlantic_city_surf_minor_leagu.html| archive-date= 5 June 2011 | url-status= live}}</ref> leaving the Can-Am League with six teams. Players from the team were made available in an April 3, 2009 dispersal draft.

On May 17, 2018, Atlantic City's City Council authorized [[Frank Boulton]], the former owner of the Atlantic City Surf (Independent Professional, Can-Am League/Atlantic League) to find an ownership group willing to bring minor league baseball back to Surf Stadium. The team was to compete in the 2019 season<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/atlantic_city/atlantic-city-minor-league-baseball-one-step-closer-to-return/article_d8565028-a46c-5058-a6b5-9a544706a6b7.html|title=Atlantic City minor league baseball one step closer to return |work= Atlantic City Press|access-date=May 28, 2018}}</ref> — however success quickly became "unlikely"<ref>{{cite web |url= https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/atlantic-city-baseball-unlikely-in-2019/article_5169e3fa-275f-540f-a443-2909ebeca1ea.html|title=Atlantic City baseball unlikely in 2019 |work=Atlantic City Press|access-date=7 September 2020|first=David|last=Danzis}}</ref> and there currently are no indications that professional baseball will return to Atlantic City.

==Earlier Atlantic City baseball teams==
Atlantic City historically has never enjoyed much success as a venue for professional sports teams and baseball has been no exception. The city hosted a few short-lived, unnamed teams in various leagues in the 19th century, then provided a home for the defunct [[Lancaster Red Roses]] of the [[Tri-State League]] in 1912. The franchise played one more season in Atlantic City in 1913 before disbanding.

===Bacharach Giants===
In 1916, the '''[[Bacharach Giants]]''' moved to Atlantic City. Originally known as the Duval Giants of [[Jacksonville, Florida]], its name was changed to the Bacharach Giants in honor of the city's mayor, [[Harry Bacharach]]. The team was independent from 1916 to 1922, then became a member of the [[Eastern Colored League]] from 1923 until the league's folding during the 1928 season, winning the league in 1926 and 1927 under the leadership of [[Dick Lundy (baseball player)|Dick Lundy]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2011}} Other notable players for the Giants included [[Oliver Marcelle]], [[Smokey Joe Williams]], [[John Henry Lloyd|"Pop" Lloyd]], and Arthur "Rats" Henderson. The team became affiliated with the [[American Negro League]] in 1929, and continued in the [[Negro National League (1933–1948)|Negro National League]] in 1932, when it folded as a professional team.{{Citation needed|date=May 2011}}

==Atlantic City Surf==
In 1998, the [[Independent league baseball|independent]] [[Atlantic League of Professional Baseball]] placed a team in Atlantic City called the Surf. Opening their new ballpark called [[Bernie Robbins Stadium|The Sandcastle]] on May 20, the Surf was defeated by the [[Somerset Patriots]] by a score of 8-5. Playing host to the first Atlantic League All-Star game on July 15, the Surf defeated the League All-Stars 6-4 and would later win the league's first Championship Series over the [[Bridgeport Bluefish]], three games to one. The Surf made it to the post-season four times in five years (2002 and 2004–06) but were eliminated in the first round each time.

In 2007, the Surf moved from the Atlantic League to the Can-Am League.  In 2007 the Surf made the playoffs in their inaugural season in the Can-Am. The team managed by Chris Carminucci finished with the 2nd best overall record of 51-41. In the playoffs lost to the [[North Shore Spirit]] 3 games to 1 in the opening round.  The Surf received many awards in 2007. Carminucci received manager of the year. Starting pitcher Brian Rodaway received Pitcher of the Year Award after finishing a league-best 15-3.  Relief pitcher Matt Pike received  the Reliever of the Year award for his league leading 24 saves. In 2008 the Surf hired [[Cecil Fielder]] as the team manager. The Surf continued their success finishing 51-43 (4th overall record) and once again in the playoffs, this time losing to the [[Quebec Capitales]] 3 games to 1 in the opening round.

On March 30, 2009, the Can-Am League announced the Surf would not be operating in the 2009 season due to the collapse of the proposed sale of the team and lack of ownership to continue for the 2009 season.  The Surf joined fellow league member [[Ottawa Voyageurs]] in ceasing operations for the 2009 season.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.canamleague.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1238444712 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090903213116/http://www.canamleague.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1238444712 |url-status= usurped |archive-date= September 3, 2009 |title=Can-Am To Go With Six Clubs In 2009|work= Official Website of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball |access-date=May 13, 2011}}</ref>

==Season-by-season records==

{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="5"  style="background:#003153; color:white;"|Atlantic City Surf - 1998 to 2008<ref>[http://nbpfaus.net/~pfau/al-info.html Atlantic League information]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.canamleague.com/pdf/2007_standings.pdf |title=Can-Am League 2007 Standings |access-date=2014-01-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923200243/http://www.canamleague.com/pdf/2007_standings.pdf |archive-date=2015-09-23 |url-status=usurped }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.canamleague.com/pdf/2008%20Standings%20-%20Can-Am%20League.pdf |title=Can-Am League 2008 Standings |access-date=2014-01-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923200245/http://www.canamleague.com/pdf/2008%20Standings%20-%20Can-Am%20League.pdf |archive-date=2015-09-23 |url-status=usurped }}</ref>
|-
! Season
! W - L Record
! Winning Percentage
! Finish
! Playoffs
|-
|1998 || 60-40 || .600 || 2nd Overall || 3-1 (won league championship)
|-
|1999 || 61-58 || .513 || 3rd Overall ||Did not qualify for playoffs
|-
|2000 || 61-78 || .442 || 2nd in South Division ||Did not qualify for playoffs
|-
|2001 || 64-62 || .507 || 2nd in South Division ||Did not qualify for playoffs
|-
|2002 || 71-53 || .573 || 2nd in South Division || 1-2 (lost in division final)
|-
|2003 || 63-63 || .500 || 3rd in South Division ||Did not qualify for playoffs
|- 
|2004 || 71-54 || .568 || 1st (Tie) in South Division || 0-2 (lost in division final)
|-
|2005 || 79-61 || .564 || 2nd in South Division || 1-2 (lost in division final)
|-
|2006 || 69-57 || .548 || 2nd in South Division || 0-2 (lost division final)
|-
|2007 || 51-41 || .554 || 2nd in Canadian- American Association || 1-3 (lost in semi-final)
|-
|2008 || 51-43 || .543 || 4th in Canadian- American Association || 1-3 (lost in semi-final)
|- style="background:#f2f2f2; font-weight:bold"
|Totals (1998–2008) || 701-620 ||.531 ||-|| 7-15
|}

==Post season==
'''Atlantic League Post-Season Results:'''
*1998: '''Defeated''' [[Bridgeport Bluefish]], 3 games to 1, for League Championship
*2002: '''Lost''' to [[Newark Bears]], 2 games to 1, in opening round
*2004: '''Lost''' to [[Camden Riversharks]], 2 games to 0, in opening round
*2005: '''Lost''' to [[Somerset Patriots]], 2 games to 1, in opening round
*2006: '''Lost''' to [[Lancaster Barnstormers]], 2 games to 0, in opening round
'''Can-Am League Post-Season Results:'''
*2007: '''Lost''' to [[North Shore Spirit]], 3 games to 1, in opening round
*2008: '''Lost''' to [[Quebec Capitales]], 3 games to 1, in opening round

==Team information==
'''[[Uniform]] colors:''' White with navy pinstripes for home games and navy for away games. The home jersey has an interlocking "AC" centered on the left and number on the back. The away jersey has the wordmark "Surf" in teal with white and purple outline.  Navy blue hats with the interlocking letters "AC" in white with teal outline.

'''[[Mascot]]:''' "Splash".

'''Radio broadcasts:''' [[Play-by-Play]] announcer: [[Matt Martucci]], broadcast by [[WLFR]].

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxGweAfr9J0 TV Broadcast of Atlantic City Surf Game June 1999]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20041204044639/http://canamleague.com/ Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball]}}

{{S-start}}
{{s-ach|ach}}
{{s-bef|before = New League}}
{{s-ttl|title  = Atlantic League Champions<br>Atlantic City Surf|years  = 1998}}
{{s-aft|after  = [[Bridgeport Bluefish]] <br>1999}}
{{s-end}}

{{Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball League}}
{{NewJerseysports}}

[[Category:Baseball in Atlantic City, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Defunct Atlantic League of Professional Baseball teams]]
[[Category:Defunct minor league baseball teams]]
[[Category:Defunct baseball teams in New Jersey]]
[[Category:Professional baseball teams in New Jersey]]
[[Category:Baseball teams established in 1998]]
[[Category:1998 establishments in New Jersey]]
[[Category:Baseball teams disestablished in 2009]]
[[Category:2009 disestablishments in New Jersey]]
[[Category:Defunct independent baseball league teams]]