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NEW YORK, NY- In a hastily arranged press conference, the Mississippi Storm announced a piece of news that nobody in the sports world could have expected.
Starting in the 2001 season, it was revealed the Storm would be relocating to New York and grant New York City its first Brewers League Baseball franchise. The New York Knights, an homage to a popular 20th century fictional team, will bring major league baseball to a city that has been starving for a franchise since the league's inception almost 25 years earlier.
Team owner Mahsinisan Muhsin, a 70 year old South African diamond magnate, took the stage and uttered some words that nobody understood. However, it was noted that he seemed very happy during his speech to the press.
"We are ending one chapter and starting another one today," remarked Knights President of Baseball Operations Ed Munce, a standout middle infielder who was part of the expansion Mississippi Storm in 1982. "The New York Knights will finally bring the BLB to the millions (and millions) of baseball fans in the greatest city in the world."
Rumors quickly circulated about what prompted this sudden move. One source informed me that Muhsin's good friend and business partner, a relatively unknown financier by the name of Bernard Madoff, provided the funds to make this move viable. That same source revealed that Madoff has an uncanny habit of providing incredible returns on investments, some that sound too good to be true!
There is no doubt that the visibility of the franchise will increase in the coming years as the New York media market is incorporated into the BLB. Located on the sparsely developed Randall's Island, the newly built John F. Kennedy Field at Metropolitan Stadium will host the Knights in the upcoming season. The 35,000 seat state-of-the-art stadium overlooks both Manhattan and Queens.
As part of the move, the AAA franchise of the Storm will also relocate to New York. Long Island will be the recipient of this move, with the Long Island Navigators becoming the AAA affiliate of the Knights. The team will play in Riverhead, NY just minutes from the Hamptons.
The Lager Division now has teams in New Orleans, New York, Los Angeles and Los Lunas. This author is not sure where Los Lunas is, but he's looking forward to making road trips to the other three cities.
Overall, the Knights will sport a roster full of veterans that many fans of the Storm will recognize. The 2001 season features the return of prized closer Raul Reyes, former Pale Ale winner Norm Sutton, and on-base machine Anibal Calderon. The Lager is a brutal division, featuring the defending BLB Champion New Orleans Dukes and the very talented LA Dinos. The Knights hope they can make their first season in the Big Apple a successful one but it will be a challenge.
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