North Shore Spirit (Lynn, MA)

[MadHatter]

Hello,

My wife and I recently relocated to Saugus, MA and discovered that there was an Independent League Team in the neighboring town. The North Shore spirit has a nice Web Site, but has anyone ever been to one of their games? I'm very excited about going.

[jsmets92]

i've been to many New Jersey Jackal games and seen them play the Spirit. While i've never been to Lynn, they always have a good team and they had the only can-am player ever to make the majors (Ken Ray). The Jackals are good family fun and i'm sure the Spirit are the same.

Hope this helps!:)

[MadHatter]

i've been to many New Jersey Jackal games and seen them play the Spirit. While i've never been to Lynn, they always have a good team and they had the only can-am player ever to make the majors (Ken Ray). The Jackals are good family fun and i'm sure the Spirit are the same.

Hope this helps!:)

Sure, it helps. I'm looking forward to taking a few games in.

[JordanDL3891]

I use to watch the can-am league (then northeast league I think) when the albany-colonie diamond dogs played. Then north shore came back to take over the empty spot left by the dogs. (1st they were the mass. mad dogs, and then left for a year or two) Even though I haven't seen a game sence 2002, I still follow the league (now Can-am) and watch as it gets new teams. Next season, it will include the Alantic City Surf, and then to make it an even number, they will add a road team the grays. They hope that they can land their team in a new expansion in Montreal.

North Shore is a very competive team. I belive they lead the standings for either the 1st or 2nd half last year. I'd say the best teams in the league right now are the Spirit, Quebec, & Tornado's. Quebec has always been dominate in that league, they seem to be the yankees of the can-am league. When I watched though, the new jersey Jackles were tough, and they still are, but had an off year the last couple of seasons. I remember one game I went to, it was the championship game, Jackels @ Diamond Dogs and we lost. I remember when we were leaving, we saw that everyone on the Jackels got their picture taken in front of homeplate holding their trophy.

The worst teams last year, and had the lowest average attendence, was the two new teams for the 06 season (to replace the Elmira Pioneers and a Road team, either that or the berkshire black bears) were the Nashua. Pride, and sussex.

I remeber the last diamond dogs game I went to, it was the last game of the year (or 2nd to last) it was a road game at Elmira. I forget the turnout, but for some reason, I thought that that would be the last time I would watch the team play, and it was. I wish they would come back, even if their old ballpark is in bad condition now as it has just been sitting there for so long, it was so fun.

At least we have something, the team that put them out of biz. Houston Astros Short Season team, Tri-City Valley Cats.

well enjoy the North Shore Spirit.

[Erik Bedard]

I remember reading about this league... kinda. Jim Bouton's book Foul Ball kinda discusses it.

I seem to remember efin98 having a line in his sig about it... maybe try PMing him?

[MadHatter]

Thanks for all the info!

[JordanDL3891]

No problem, have fun

[JordanDL3891]

i've been to many New Jersey Jackal games and seen them play the Spirit. While i've never been to Lynn, they always have a good team and they had the only can-am player ever to make the majors (Ken Ray). The Jackals are good family fun and i'm sure the Spirit are the same.

Hope this helps!:)

Ken Ray - the Can-Am that started in 05? or did you mean before the league was renamed from the Northeast League?

the Spirit were in the Northeast league from 03-04 and before then, they were called the Mass. Mad Dogs from 97-99

I remember seeing a game, Mad Dogs @ Diamond Dogs, I was around 6-8 (denpending on which year we saw the game) And I remember I hated the Mad Dogs because they were similar to our team, but they were "mad." I also remember their uniform (at least I know the away jersey) I belive the away jersey was black and their numbers were purple.

[jsmets92]

Ken Ray - the Can-Am that started in 05? or did you mean before the league was renamed from the Northeast League?
Yeah, he was on them in the beginning of 05

[JordanDL3891]

Thanks for all the info!


Though we weren't able to answer what the atmosphere of a game at that ballpark is like.

I personaly never went to a game there.


Maybe this would help http://www.digitalballparks.com/CanAm/Lynn.html just click left or right depending on what type of internet connection you have, and then there is a gallery of pictures of the ballpark with a caption for each.

[MadHatter]

Update - the North Shore Spirit are now the North Shore Navigators!