The Asbury Park Sea Urchins were a minor league baseball team based in

Asbury Park, New Jersey Asbury Park () is a beachfront city located on the Jersey Shore in Monmouth County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 15,188

in 1914. The Asbury Park team previously played as members of the 1897 New Jersey State League before the Urchins played a partial season as members of the 1914 Atlantic League.

History

Minor league baseball play began in Asbury Park, New Jersey in 1897, when the Asbury Park team played as members of the 1897 New Jersey State League. The league was a four–team Class D level league. The New Jersey State League was formed with teams in

Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020, the city had a population of 38,497.

Bridgeton, New Jersey Bridgeton is a city in Cumberland County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is the county seat of Cumberland County Millville, New Jersey Millville is a city in Cumberland County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 U.S. census, the city's population was 28,400, After beginning play on April 14, 1897, the New Jersey State League season ended on June 1, 1897. The player statistics and team standings from the 1897 league are unknown, Asbury Park included. One source lists the teams in the order of: Bridgeton, Millville, Asbury Park and Atlantic City, but without records to align with the order. The New Jersey State League permanently folded after the 1897 season. Minor league baseball returned in 1914, with Asbury Park gaining a team during the season. The Asbury Park Sea Urchins began play after joining the 1914 Atlantic League during the season. The 1914 Atlantic League was an eight–team Class D level minor league baseball league. The league had been known as the

New York–New Jersey League The New York–New Jersey League was a class D level minor league baseball league that played in the 1913 season. With the New York State League and International League among others occupying the territory, the 6–team league had no large cities ...

a season earlier. The Atlantic League president was Rosslyn M. Cox, who would later serve as the mayor of Middletown, New York. The league began play on May 20, 1914, and concluded the season with Asbury Park as a member on September 7, 1914. On July 2, 1914, Asbury Park reestablished a team when the Bloomfield–Long Branch Cubans of

Bloomfield, New Jersey Bloomfield is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the township's population was 53,105. It surrounds the Bloomfield Green Historic District. History The initial patent for the land that w ...

and

Long Branch, New Jersey Long Branch is a beachside City (New Jersey), city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States census, 2010 U.S. census, the city's population was 30,719,< ...

relocated and finished the season as the Asbury Park "Sea Urchins". Bloomfield–Long Branch was 15–22 when they relocated to Asbury Park. The team ended the season with an overall record of 30–59, finishing 31.0 games behind the 1st place

Poughkeepsie Honey Bugs Poughkeepsie ( ), officially the City of Poughkeepsie, separate from the Town of Poughkeepsie around it) is a city in the U.S. state of New York. It is the county seat of Dutchess County, with a 2020 census population of 31,577. Poughkeepsie ...

and in 8th place in the eight–team league. The managers were Andy Coakley and Sam Jaeger. Twin brothers Joe Shannon and Maurice

Red Shannon Maurice Joseph "Red" Shannon (February 11, 1897 – April 12, 1970) born in Jersey City, New Jersey was an infielder for the Boston Braves (1915), Philadelphia Athletics (1917–1919 and 1920–21), Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox a ...

made their professional debuts playing for the Asbury Park Sea Urchins under assumed names (Maurice and Joe O'Brien) in 1914, doing so to protect their college eligibility at

Seton Hall College Seton Hall University (SHU) is a Private university, private Catholic research university in South Orange, New Jersey. Founded in 1856 by then-Bishop James Roosevelt Bayley and named after his aunt, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Seton Hall is the ...

. The

finished in 1st place with a record of 65–31 and there was no postseason. The Atlantic League had financial difficulties and folded before it could play the 1915 season. Asbury Park, New Jersey has not hosted another minor league team.

The ballpark

The name and location of the Asbury Park home minor league ballpark in 1897 and 1914 is unknown. The

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...

later held

spring training Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...

in Asbury Park in 1943 en route to winning the 1943

World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...

. The Yankees utilized the baseball facilities at

Asbury Park High School Asbury Park High School is a comprehensive high school, comprehensive, four-year community state school, public Secondary education in the United States, high school serving students in ninth grade, ninth through twelfth grades. It is in a land ...

(seating capacity was 7,500) and stayed at the Albion Hotel in Asbury Park. AsburyBeach

Timeline

Year–by–year record

Notable alumni

Andy Coakley Andrew James Coakley (November 20, 1882 – September 27, 1963) was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played for the Philadelphia Athletics (1902–1906), Cincinnati Reds (1907–1908), Chicago Cubs (1908–1909), and New York H ...

(1914, MGR) * Joe Shannon (1914) *

(1914)

References

{{reflist, 2

External links

Baseball Reference
Defunct minor league baseball teams Baseball teams established in 1914 Baseball teams disestablished in 1914 Asbury Park, New Jersey Monmouth County, New Jersey Defunct baseball teams in New Jersey 1914 establishments in New Jersey 1914 disestablishments in New Jersey