Page "New Jersey Cardinals" Paragraph 3

Over the next nine seasons, however, the Cardinals experienced only one more winning season, going 39-37 in 2002, before their relocation.

While the team suffered through several losing seasons, they quietly established new standards for Minor League Baseball attendance.

Utica Blue Sox owner and former Minnesota Twins beat writer Bob Fowler once said, " The Cardinals through Torre took the NY-Penn League to new standards.

" In 2004, the Cards made a late-season run and finished with a 41-34 record, but still failed to qualify for the league playoffs.

In spite an incomplete ballpark the New Jersey Cardinals shattered the NY-Penn League attendance record in 1994, a record that was established in 1947 when the league played a 120 game schedule.

The following season the Cardinals attendance soared averaging 4, 700 fans per game in their 4, 200 seat park.

The club continued to draw well drawing 1 million fans faster than any team in NY-Penn League history.

The only general manager in the club's 12 year history, Torre popularized the utilization of split double headers and a number of innovative promotions including the Headless Bobble Head Doll, color TV giveaways and ethnic entertainment.

At one point the Streit & Smith Sports & Business Journal listed Skylands Park in the Top 25 professional facilities in North America with attendance beyond their seating capacity.