New Jersey Jackals

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New Jersey Jackals
Founded in 1998
Little Falls, New Jersey
NJjackals.png
Team Logo
NJ Jackals cap.PNG
Cap Insignia
League affiliations
  • Can-Am League
  • Northeast League (1998-1999, 2004)
    Northern League (2000-2003) 
Name
  • New Jersey Jackals (1998-present)
Team Colors
  • Red, Black, White

              

Ballpark
  • Yogi Berra Stadium
Championships
  • League titles: (4) 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004
  • Division titles:
    1st Half (8) 98, 99, 02, 03, 04, 07, 09
    2nd Half(3) 02, 03, 04 
Owner(s)/Operated By: Floyd Hall
General Manager: Larry Hall
Manager: Joe Calfapietra
Media: Newark Star-Ledger, Bergen Record
Website: www.jackals.com

The New Jersey Jackals are a professional baseball team based in Little Falls, New Jersey, in the United States. The Jackals are a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. From their inception, the Jackals have played their home games at Yogi Berra Stadium, on the campus of Montclair State University.

Contents

[edit] History

The club was formed in 1998, and they posted the best record in the Northeast League in their inaugural season under manager Kash Beauchamp. They went on to sweep two playoff series and win the league championship, capturing the final game at Heritage Park in Colonie, New York, over the Albany-Colonie Diamond Dogs.

From 1999 to 2002, the Northeast League was in partnership with the Northern League. The Jackals won the combined league championship in 2001 and 2002 under manager George Tsamis, defeating the Winnipeg Goldeyes in the final series both years. The deciding game was played at CanWest Global Park in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 2001 and at home in 2002. On August 28, 2002, Jeremy Callier pitched the first no-hitter in Jackals history. He completed nine no-hit innings but had to wait to celebrate because the game remained scoreless. In the bottom of the ninth, Ryan Kane hit a home run to left field, giving the Jackals a 2-0 victory over the Berkshire Black Bears and making Callier's no-hitter official. After the 2002 series, Tsamis resigned to take the St. Paul Saints managerial position, and Joe Calfapietra took over.

Pete Rose, Jr. spent half of the 1998 season on the team. Former Atlanta Braves second baseman Mark Lemke pitched for the Jackals as a knuckleballer in 1999. Former Met and WhiteSox player Timo Perez played during the 2009 season. Athletics pitcher Craig Breslow pitched for New Jersey. Many other Jackals have had MLB experience.

The leagues went their separate ways in 2003, and the Jackals qualified for the Northeast League playoffs once again but were turned back by the eventual league champion Brockton Rox in the first round. However, the Jackals continued their winning ways in 2004, rebounding from two home losses against the North Shore Spirit to win the championship by capturing the final three games at Fraser Field in Lynn, Massachusetts, two of which required extra innings to decide.

New Jersey did not qualigy for the playoffs in 2005 nor 2006. Aaron Myers threw a no-hitter on August 6, 2006 against the Worcester Tornadoes.It was the Jackals second and latest no-hitter.

The Jackals made it to the playoffs in 2007, but were knocked out in the first round to the Nashua Pride, losing the series 3-2. New Jersey once again made it to the playoffs in 2009.

The mascot for the Jackals is an anthropomorphic Jackal named Jack. He entertains the fans and has some trademark game antics, such as wiggling his tail, the cha-cha slide, the YMCA, etc. Jack is very popular with little kids that attend the games, as well as the community.

The Jackals play at Yogi Berra Stadium, which is located on the Little Falls side of the Montclair State University campus and named for Hall of Fame ex-Yankee catcher Yogi Berra, a longtime Montclair resident. Also located at the stadium site is the Yogi Berra Museum, a baseball-themed educational attraction which also contains a stadium luxury box (only used when major league scouts or Berra himself attends the games, which he does at least twice a year during special theme nights where he signs autographs for fans).

[edit] Logos and uniforms

The official colors of the New Jersey Jackals are red and black. The primary logo incorporates several elements, including the initials "NJ" for New Jersey with the "Jackals" wordmark following the "J." A stylized baseball in white with red threading and black outline dots the "J", with a depiction of a jackal's head in red with white shadowing and black outline is centered above the wordmark.

The Jackals wear a black cap for home games and red for away. The road cap has the "NJ" cap logo centered on the front, with a baseball dotting the "J." The home cap is black with the "jackal" cap logo centered on the front with a baseball incorporated with the logo to the left. The home jerseys are white with black pinstripes with the "Jackals" wordmark centered across in red with black outline. The away jerseys are grey with the "New Jersey" wordmark arched across the front in red letters with black outline. An alternate jersey is black with red piping with the "Jackals" wordmark centered across in red with white outline. The batting practice jersey is red with black sleeves, with the "NJ" cap logo centered on the left-side chest.

[edit] Season records

New Jersey Jackals 1998-2009[1]
Season League Mananger First Half Record Second Half Record
1998 Northeast League Kash Beauchamp 30-12, 1st place South 23-19, 2nd place South
1999 Northeast League Kash Beauchamp 23-19, 1st place South 22-21, 2nd place South (tie)
2000 Northern League Kash Beauchamp 17-25, 4th place South 14-27, 4th place South
2001 Northern League George Tsamis 20-25, 3rd place South 25-20, 2nd place South
2002 Northern League George Tsamis 30-15, 1st place South 32-12, 1st place South
2003 Northern League Joe Calfapietra 28-17, 1st place South 24-20, 1st place South
2004 Northeast League Joe Calfapietra 26-21, 1st place South 28-18, 1st place South
2005 CanAm League Joe Calfapietra 25-21, 2nd place South 23-23, 3rd place South
2006 CanAm League Joe Calfapietra 25-20, 2nd place (tie) 18-28, 7th place
2007 CanAm League Joe Calfapietra 31-15, 1st place 18-29, 10th place
2008 CanAm League Joe Calfapietra 25-22, 4th place 18-29, 8th place
2009 CanAm League Joe Calfapietra 28-19, 1st place 27-20, 3rd place

[edit] Post-Season records

Post Season Records[2]
Year Opening Round League Championship Northern League Championship
1998 Defeated Allentown Ambassadors, 2 games to 0 Def. Albany-Colonie Diamond Dogs, 2 games to 0
1999 Defeated Allentown Ambassadors, 3 games to 0 Lost to Albany-Colonie Diamond Dogs, 3 games to 1
2001 Defeated Albany-Colonie Diamond Dogs, 3 games to 0 Def. Elmira Pioneers, 3 games to 2 Def. Winnipeg Goldeyes, 3 games to 1
2002 Defeated Elmira Pioneers, 3 games to 2 Def. Adirondack Lumberjacks, 3 games to 2 Def. Winnipeg Goldeyes, 3 games to 1
2003 Lost to Brockton Rox, 3 games to 1
2004 Defeated Bangor Lumberjacks, 3 games to 1 Def. North Shore Spirit, 3 games to 2
2007 Lost to Nashua Pride, 3 games to 2
2009 Lost to Worcester Tornadoes, 3 games to 0

[edit] Current roster

New Jersey Jackals roster
Active (25-man) roster Coaches
Pitchers
  • United States Giuseppe Granitto
  • United States Kevin Gunter
  • United States Romas Hicks
  • United States Nick Asselin
  • United States Seth Overbey
  • United States Ted Serro
  • United States Mark Suchowieski
  • United States Rusty Tucker
  • United States Isaac Pavlik
  • Canada AJ Wideman


Catchers

  • United States Chris Chiarappa
  • United States Matt Lauderdale
 

Infielders

  • United States Mike DeJesus
  • United States Mike Scanzano
  • United States Marcus Sanders
  • United States Myron Leslie

Outfielders

  • United States Jerod Edmondson
  • Dominican Republic Timo Perez
  • United States Quentin Davis
  • United States Ryan Rogowski
  • United States Quinn Stewart
 

Coaching Staff

  • United States Joe Calfapietra (Manager)
  • United States Rusty Tucker (Pitching)
  • Cuba Ani Ramos (First Base)
  • United States Ed Ott (Third Base)

[edit] Broadcast homes

The Jackals' original radio outlet was WSOU, Seton Hall University's radio station. After spending their first season on the airwaves there, the radiocasts were moved to WMTR, a Morristown, New Jersey based AM radio station. After leaving WMTR, the Jackals moved back to the FM dial, first landing on local station "Jukebox Radio 103.1 FM", and then moving to WPSC-FM in 2003. After the 2005 season, Jackals games were moved strictly to webcasts. For 2008, the Jackals began offering radiocasts again at 87.9 FM, but the broadcast range is limited to the stadium itself and does not carry past it.

Jim Cerny was the original play-by-play man for the Jackals from 1998-2002. He was replaced by Darren Cooper for the 2003 season, who in turn was replaced by Joe Ameruoso (his color commentator) in 2004. Cody Chrusciel took over the position in 2008. In mid 2009, Joey Whelan replaced Chrusciel.

[edit] References

[edit] External links