Bud Harrelson – 1969 New York “Miracle Mets” Golden Glove Shortstop

Autographed 2000 Long Island Ducks Inaugural Pocket Schedule, Scorecard and First-Game Commemorative Ticket

With the singular distinction of being the only name on both the 1969 and 1986 New York Mets’ World Championship rosters, Bud Harrelson’s major league career spanned 15 years (1965-80) and included multiple All-Star Selections (’70 & ’71) and a Golden Glove Award (’71).

Harrelson’s MLB success has been matched by his role as one of the three owners who brought the professional baseball team of the Long Island Ducks to the Island, opening their gates in the 2000 inaugural season.

Since the team's inception, Harrelson has been lending his New York name recognition and tireless efforts to promote the Ducks and still serves as their owner, Senior VP of Baseball Operations, bench coach and “Foremost Long Island Duck Goodwill Ambassador” today.

Jim Ed Warden – All-Time Atlantic League Career Save Leader

Autographed 2011 Southern Maryland Blue Crabs DAV Team Card Set #305

Having reached the triple-A level with three different MLB organizations (Indians, Nationals and Mets), Jim Ed Warden went on to pitch six seasons with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (2009-14) and became the most prolific closer the Atlantic League has ever known.

The 6’7”, side-arm closer from Tennessee Tech became the all-time Atlantic League save leader on May 29, 2014, achieving 123 career saves; eventually retiring with 134 saves in 151 opportunities and an ERA of 2.77 for his Atlantic League career.

Ending his career on top with back-to-back All-Star Selections (2013-14), Warden remains a fan favorite to Crustacean Nation and one of the most endeared Blue Crabs of all time.

Lincoln Mikkelsen - 2006 Atlantic League Player of the Year

Autographed 2002 Camden Riversharks Family Care Set #14 (Pitcher of Year Card)
Autographed 2004 Camden Riversharks Choice Team Card Set #17.

Lincoln Mikkelsen was the anchor of the Camden Riversharks rotation for four years (2000-04) reaching the apex of his time spent in 2002, when his 16-6 record earned him his first Atlantic League Pitcher of the Year Award.

After making the trip east to toe the rubber for the Atlantic City Surf, the right-handed established one of the greatest Atlantic League pitching seasons on record in 2006. Mikkelsen went 15-5 with an 1.85 ERA and 122 strikeouts.  This season was all framed by less than 1 WHIP per inning. His efforts also won him the Independent Pitcher of the Year Award from Sports Ticker. A first for an Atlantic League pitcher.

The highlight of Mikkelsen’s 2006 season came on June 16^th, when he pitched a no-hit gem against Lancaster on their home field. Known throughout his career as a situational pitcher, the final score of the game was appropriately 1-0.

Mikkelsen’s season was so dominent that he became the only pitcher in Atlantic League history – and to date – to win the Player of the Year award usually awarded to position players. Coupled with this, Mikkelsen won his second Atlantic League Pitcher of the Year award becoming the first Atlantic League pitcher to be so honored twice.

Mikkelsen concluded his Atlantic League career in 2007 by placing second in Atlantic League history in all-time wins (62) and strikeouts (577). More importantly, Mikkelsen finished with an incredible .633 career winning percentage for his AL career.

Gary Carter - 2003 Baseball Hall of Fame Inductee

Autographed 2009 Long Island Duck Yearbook Page & Game-used Atlantic League Baseball.
2009 Long Island Ducks Choice Team Set Card #29 (Unsigned)

Five-time Silver Slugger Award recipient, three-time-consecutive Gold Glove winner, and two-time All-Star Game MVP (11 appearances); Gary Carter’s baseball achievements were only matched by his enthusiasm on the field for the game of baseball.

The 19-year MLB Veteran, slugged 298 homeruns as a catcher (324 lifetime) and was an early marquee player for the Montreal Expos and one of the final pieces added to a New York Mets team that would win a World Championship for the city of New York in 1986.

The pinnacle of Carter’s Major League career came in 2003 when he was enshrined at Cooperstown.

The Hall of Famer was a member of the Long Island Ducks’ family for their 10^th anniversary season (2009) and as their manager led the team to a .529 winning percentage for the season and a second-half Liberty Division title

Ray Navarrete - 2009 Atlantic League Player of the Year

Autographed 2009 Long Island Ducks Choice Team Set #19 (MVP Card) & Long Island Ducks Souvenir Baseball.
10th Anniversary All-Time Ducks Choice Team Set #11 (Unsigned)

After a six-year run within the Pittsburgh Pirates’ and New York Mets’ organizations, Ray Navarrete entered the Atlantic League in 2005, and went on to have one of the most successful careers the league has ever known.

The Seton Hall alumnus established himself as the franchise face of the Ducks partaking in eight seasons (2006-2013) and two league championships eventually retiring with Long Island’s career offensive records in six categories including: games played (863); hits (963); home runs (137); RBI’s (548); runs scored (599) and doubles (245).

Navarrete’s best season came in 2009 when he was selected the Atlantic League Player of the Year; compiling a .309 batting average with 25 home runs, 96 RBI’s and 106 runs.

Navarrete entered the Atlantic League 1,000 Hit Club “with an exclamation point” on August 3, 2013, with a home run against York becoming only the second Atlantic League player (with Jeff Nettles) in league history to join this elite group.

The end of the 2013 season brought retirement in style as Navarrete hit a 3-run home run in the deciding game 5 of the Championship Series against Somerset putting the Ducks in the lead for good and bringing the Atlantic League Championship Trophy home to Long Island for a second straight year.

Pete Rose; All Time Hit King - Bridgeport Bluefish Manager For A Day

Pete Rose Autographed NL Baseball.

Bridgeport Bluefish Commemorative Pete Rose Managerial Ticket & T-Shirt

In 1988, Minor league GM and promotional legend Ken Shepard vowed to sleep in a press box until his team, the Geneva Cubs (Class A), broke their losing streak.  Shepard ended up sleeping in the press box for 12 long nights but the national attention his pledge brought increased Geneva’s attendance during this streak by 36%.

But Shepard may have saved his biggest promotional splash for his time as GM of the Bridgeport Bluefish.

On June 16, 2014, – with MLB’s permission – All-Time-Hit-King Pete Rose returned and participated on a roster of a professional baseball team for the first time in 25 years. Rose had received a lifetime ban from MLB for betting on baseball.

Rose served as the Bluefish’s manager that day, as Shepard brought national coverage (ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune, etc…) to the city of Bridgeport and his team. For his efforts, Shepard was awarded the 2014 Atlantic League’s Executive of the Year posthumously.

Brad Strauss; "Mr. Rivershark" - 2003 Atlantic League Batting Champion

Autographed 2003 Camden Riversharks Choice Team Set Card #25

Out of Haddon Township, New Jersey, Brad Strauss had a professional baseball career that stretch fourteen years and by the time he retired “Mr. Rivershark” had spent seven of those years with the Camden Riversharks. The third baseman/infielder had accumulated 889 Hits, 177 Doubles, 391 RBI’s, 497 Runs and 36 Triples in his career with the Atlantic League.

The culmination of Strauss’ career came in 2003, when he was trailing in a batting title race with less than a week left in the season. In the last three games of that season, Strauss went 7 for 9 and claimed the Atlantic League Batting Crown with a .331 mark.

In 2007, The Camden Riversharks retired Strauss’ uniform number, 16, which is the only former Camden player to date to be so honored. 

Dontrelle Willis - 2003 National League Rookie of the Year

Autographed Long Island Ducks
Souvenir Baseball

2013 Long Island Ducks
Choice Team Set Card #25

Exploding on the Major League scene with his high leg kick in 2003, Dontrelle Willis went 14-6 with the Florida Marlins and claimed the National League Rookie of the Year Award.

In 2005, “The D-Train” was runner up to Chris Carpenter for the National League Cy Young Award; winning 20 games for Florida for the first time in Marlin history.

Having a resume that included 9 big-league seasons spanning 4 MLB teams, Willis joined the Long Island Ducks in 2013 and impressed the California Angels organization enough to earn a contract from their Triple-A team, the Salt Lake Bees, the same year.

Blake Gailen - 2012 Atlantic League Player of the Year

Autographed 2012 Lancaster Barnstormers SGA Promo Card Strip #15 (MVP Card)

Autographed 2014 Lancaster Barnstormers Choice Team Set Card #6

Barnstormer-fan-favorite Blake Gailen established himself as one of the premier players of the Atlantic League in 2012, not only winning the 2012 Atlantic League Player of the Year, but also being named Baseball America's Independent Player of the Year.

In 2012, the Lancaster outfielder won the Atlantic League batting crown with a league-leading .338 batting average. Despite a 5’9” frame, Gailen displayed power that year belting 22 home runs and driving in 89 RBI’s. He also had 94 runs and 25 stolen bases highlighting his base-running prowess to compliment his slugging.

2012 was good enough to gain the attention of the Toronto Blue Jays who signed Gailen to an AAA contract (Buffalo). In 2014, Gailen was also signed to a Mexican League contract (Toros de Tijuana), but returned to the ‘Stormers mid-season to spearhead their attack and lead Lancaster to their second Atlantic League Championship in their 10th-anniversary season.