This page is set up to collect recollections of players, owners or just
fans of the NorthEast League.
Jim DeRosa 1995 - Mohawk Valley and Newburgh; 1996 - Rhode
Island
Well, Mike Palermo who owned the Tigersharks was a "player development" guy
for the Landsharks the year before. Palermo signed me, Mike Furey, John
Broome and some other guys for the Landsharks. Dan Swamb managed the
Landsharks, but the next year that franchise moved to Newburgh, so the 95
Landsharks became the 96 Nighthawks. So, they decided to keep the Landshark
colors with the Nighthawk name. What's interesting is I was traded from the
Landsharks to the Nighthawks in 95, when the Nighthawks had orange and black
as their colors,and a different owner. The next year, I originally signed
with the the Nighthawks for the 96 season, but had a chance to play everyday
with the Tigersharks, so I asked them to let me out of the contract, and they
did. Tommy Tegler, Joey Madden played for the Nighthawks both in 95 and 96.
After the 96 season, I decided to take a job teaching, and give up playing
competively. I loved playing in the NE League, but it was time to get a
"career." The RI Tigersharks were not as bad as our record showed. We had
some really solid players, but no money, and no organization. Your story
about people having no idea that we had a team was the problem. Tigersharks
had to cut Floyd Yomans because they couldn't pay him, trade Mike Miller
because of money, trade Chris Kent, and Palermo fired his coaches, and took
over himself. They wanted to trade me to Bangor, but I told them I would
quit because I didn't want to be traded again. Even though Bangor was the
better team, obviously.
All in all though, I had great times. I got to hit against Oil Can Boyd,
that was fun. I played in front of thousands of people, at away games of
course. And I got payed a whopping $850 a month. Anyway, anything else you
want to know, just let me know.
Jim DeRosa