Camden Riversharks

Camden Riversharks
Team logo Cap insignia
League Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (Liberty Division)
Location Camden, New Jersey
Ballpark Campbell's Field
Year founded 2001
Year folded 2015
Nickname(s) The Sharks,
South Jersey's Home Team
League championships (0)
Colors

Navy blue, Columbia blue, white

              
Retired numbers 16, 42
Ownership Opening Day Partners
Manager Chris Widger
General Manager Lindsay Rosenberg
Media Camden Courier-Post, meridix.com (Internet Radio Broadcast)
Website www.riversharks.com

The Camden Riversharks were an American professional baseball team based in Camden, New Jersey. They were a member of the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. From the 2001 season to 2015, the Riversharks played their home games at Campbell's Field, which is situated at the base of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. Due to its location on the Delaware River, the ballpark offers a clear view of the Philadelphia skyline. The "Riversharks" name refers to the location of Camden on the Delaware River, as the primary logo incorporates the Benjamin Franklin Bridge that links Camden to Philadelphia.

On October 21, 2015, the Camden Riversharks announced they would cease operations immediately due to the inability to reach an agreement on lease terms with the owner of Campbell's Field, the Camden County Improvement Authority.[1][2] The team became the New Britain Bees for the 2016 season.[3]

History of Camden baseball

Camden Riversharks Game in 2009 with PATCO train crossing the Ben Franklin Bridge (behind the rightfield wall).

The Riversharks were not the first baseball team to call Camden, New Jersey home. The Camden Merritt, named for former state senator Albert Merritt,[4] of the Interstate Association played there in 1883, but disbanded the same year.[5] Another team from the Tri-State League played in Camden in 1904, but they too disbanded, during the season. The inception of the Riversharks in 2001 was the first professional baseball team in Camden, New Jersey since the 1904 season.

Logos and uniforms

The team colors of the Camden Riversharks were navy blue, Columbia blue, and white. The Riversharks' last logo, introduced in 2005 with a new ownership group, consisted of a shark biting a baseball bat superimposed over a stylized depiction of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. The Riversharks' former logo, used from 2001 to 2005, consisted of a navy blue ring with a shark centered above the wordmark superimposed over it.

Ticket stub for Camden-Somerset game of June 12, 2009

The Riversharks' primary caps were navy blue with a Columbia blue visor and the "shark-fin" cap logo centered on the front. The home jerseys were white with navy blue piping and feature the "Sharks" wordmark across the front in white with navy blue and Columbia blue outline. The away jerseys were gray with the "Camden" wordmark centered across the jersey in navy blue with Columbia blue outline.

Season-by-season records

Camden Riversharks - 2001 to 2015[6]
Season W - L Record Winning Percentage Finish Playoffs
2001 49-77 .389 3rd in South Division Did not qualify for the playoffs
2002 71-54 .568 2nd in South Division 1-2 (lost division final)
2003 78-48 .619 1st in South Division 0-2 (lost division final)
2004 76-49 .608 1st in South Division 0-3 (lost league championship)
2005 80-60 .571 1st in South Division Did not qualify for the playoffs
2006 61-65 .484 4th in South Division Did not qualify for the playoffs
2007 67-59 .532 2nd in South Division 1-2 (lost division final)
2008 67-73 .479 3rd in Liberty Division 1-3 (lost league championship)
2009 62-78 .443 4th in Liberty Division Did not qualify for the playoffs
2010 62-77 .446 4th in Liberty Division Did not qualify for the playoffs
2011 57-67 .460 4th in Liberty Division Did not qualify for the playoffs
2012 62-77 .446 4th in Liberty Division Did not qualify for the playoffs
2013 54-86 .386 4th in Liberty Division Did not qualify for the playoffs
2014 43-80 .350 3rd in Liberty Division Did not qualify for the playoffs
2015 56-83 .403 Tied for 3rd with Bridgeport Did not qualify for the playoffs
Totals (2001–2015) 945-1033 .477 - 7-12

Final roster

Camden Riversharks roster
Active (25-man) roster Coaches/Other

Pitchers

  

Catchers

  • 34 Mike Kerns
  • 12 Junior Rodriguez

Infielders

Outfielders

  • 52 Evan Crawford
  •  3 Carlos Guzman
  •  1 Daniel Rockett
  •  2 Michael Rockett
  

Manager

Coaches

Disabled list
‡ Inactive list
§ Suspended list

Roster updated November 5, 2016
Transactions

Retired numbers

42 (Jackie Robinson)
Second baseman, Retired throughout professional baseball on April 15, 1997
16 (Brad Strauss)
1B / 3B / OF / DH, Retired by the Riversharks on August 12, 2007[7][8]

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ "Farewell Fans". September 21, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Atlantic League Of Professional Baseball". September 21, 2015.
  3. ↑ Don Stacom (October 22, 2015). "Atlantic League Baseball: Camden Is Out, New Britain Is In". Hartford Courant. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Camden Merritt after Albert Merritt". State of New Jersey. Archived from the original on 2006-05-15. Retrieved May 27, 2006.
  5. ↑ "Camden Merritt". Titans 101. Retrieved May 27, 2006.
  6. ↑ Atlantic League information
  7. ↑ "Camden Drops Final Home Game", Camden Riversharks, September 13, 2007. Accessed September 28, 2008. "The team retired the No. 16 worn by second baseman Brad Strauss, a former star at Haddon Township High in Camden County."
  8. ↑ Brad Strauss stats, The Baseball Cube, September 13, 2007. Accessed September 28, 2008. "Brad Strauss stats."

External links

Official websites

Achievements
Preceded by
Newark Bears
North Division
2007		 Liberty Division Champions
Camden Riversharks
2008 		Succeeded by
Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
2009
Preceded by
Somerset Patriots
2003		 South Division Champions
Camden Riversharks
2004 		Succeeded by
Somerset Patriots
2005
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