Ducks Memorable Moment Madness: Sweet 16 – Special Events Region

Our first set of matchups have come and gone in the Sweet 16, and we are down to just two playoff moments left vying for a spot in the Final Four of Ducks Memorable Moment Madness. While all four of the memories in the Sweet 16 were tremendous in franchise history, the voting showed that fans truly believed that two were far and away supreme. Here are the results from the Playoff Moments Region:

[1] “The Bunt”	83.8%
[5] Davies Walk-Offs	16.2%
[2] Navarrete’s Homer	69.8%
[3] Johnson’s Catch	30.2%

That sets up for an epic battle in the Elite 8 to decide which incredible Atlantic League Championship Series moment will represent the region in the Final Four. Before we get to that point though, we must continue our Sweet 16 voting in the Notable Events region. All four favorites advanced in the first round of the competition, with the franchise’s inaugural game and all three jersey retirements surviving. As we get ready to begin the matchups, here is a refresher about each of the four events:

#1 – Inaugural Game

It is fitting that the first-ever game in Long Island Ducks history would also be the number one seed in this region of the bracket. April 28, 2000, is a date that is so important, not to just the Ducks franchise, but to Long Island in general. From Founder Frank Boulton opening the gates to the first customers at then-EAB Park, to the lineup card exchange between managers Bud Harrelson (LI) and Butch Hobson (NA), to the first pitch being thrown by Eddy Ramos to Milt Culyer, a challenging mission had been accomplished – professional baseball had finally arrived on Long Island! Additionally, residents of the Island had a wonderful new way to enjoy affordable, family-friendly entertainment for years to come. Though the Ducks lost the game to the Nashua Pride, the night will forever be remembered for much more than the final score.

#2 – Ray’s #16 Day

Though his jersey was the second to be retired in franchise history, the significance of Ray Navarrete being arguably the greatest player in franchise history puts him as the second-seed. His #16 jersey was affixed to the scoreboard forever on August 16, 2015, prior to the Ducks game against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. The lengthy pre-game ceremony saw Navarrete joined by friends and family along with several of his former teammates. The day was also made even more special, as the first 1,500 fans in attendance received a bobblehead of Ray that immortalized his memorable Game Five home run in the 2013 Atlantic League Championship Series.

#3 – Buddy’s #3 Night

August 3, 2018, will be a date that no Ducks fan, player, coach or staff member will ever forget. That was the night the Ducks celebrated the legendary #3, Bud Harrelson. Bud Harrelson Appreciation Night saw a delightful pre-game ceremony in which Buddy’s famous #3 was retired by the organization. A stirring pre-game ceremony saw speeches from Ducks Founder/CEO Frank Boulton, Manager Kevin Baez (who was brought to tears), and Buddy’s daughter, Kassie, on behalf of his family. Many other “thank you” messages played on the scoreboard. Ducks players and coaches also paid tribute while helping raise awareness for Alzheimer’s, which Harrelson was recently diagnosed with, by donning special purple jerseys throughout the course of their game, with each featuring number three on the back.

#4 – Davies’ #4 Night

Another fitting moment in this region, as our fourth seed features the night that Justin Davies had his #4 retired. Davies became the first Duck to receive this great honor on June 19, 2015, before the Ducks faced the Bridgeport Bluefish. It was also fitting that Bridgeport was Long Island’s opponent, given Davies’ involvement in the famous August 9, 2004, game between the two cross-sound rivals. Davies thanked all of the fans that supported him during his six seasons with Long Island in a special pre-game ceremony that night, with friends and family joining him on the field. The first 1,500 fans through the gates that night also received commemorative number four t-shirts.

Now that you’ve been reminded about these four momentous occasions, it’s time to determine which two will move on to the Elite 8. The Inaugural Game will face Davies’ #4 Night on Tuesday, while Ray’s #16 Day will battle Buddy’s #3 Night on Wednesday. Vote each day on our Facebook and Twitter pages by clicking the buttons below for which moment you feel deserves to advance.