2008 Videos

Hey fans, look what we've dug up. Here's some great video from games, mid-inning contests, and all over Blair Field during the Long Beach Armada's 2008 season. Who knows, perhaps you might even find yourself in some of these gems. Check 'em out!

Armada wins home opener vs. Yuma
Post-game fireworks show on Opening Night 2008

Arby I & Josh have a dance off
Couples Balloon Popping contest

Little boy celebrates his birthday at Blair Field
Mid-inning dance contest
Live hermit crab racing promotion

Oh, and there's still SO much more to come. Keep checking back for all the great clips.

Word gets around: Temp is back in town

The word is spreading quickly that G-Temp is back in the GBL.

[Press Telegram]
[USA Today]
[Our Sports Central]

The former OC Flyers skipper will lead the Fleet this season after spending this spring as a manager in the GBL's Arizona Winter League.

Here's a quick throw-back to the announcement from when Templeton was named manager of the Fullerton Flyers...

LONG BEACH ARMADA NAMES GARRY TEMPLETON THIRD MANAGER IN FRANCHISE HISTORY

Here's the official announcement. Ladies and gentlemen, we present to you Garry Templeton.

LONG BEACH, Calif. – The Long Beach Armada Professional Baseball Team announced today that 16-year Major League veteran Garry Templeton will manage the team during the 2009 Golden Baseball League 5th Anniversary Season. A former local standout at Valley High School in Santa Ana, Calif., Templeton brings a wealth of experience to the Armada both from his career as an All-Star shortstop in the National League and from his time as a manager in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League.

“We’re looking forward to his leadership on the field,” said Armada General Manager Tony Soares. “Just as important as his experience as a manager is having his presence felt in and around the Long Beach community.”

From 1998-2001, Templeton managed in the Anaheim Angels system going 294-272 (.519) during that time. He managed the Cedar Rapids Kernels (1998) and Erie Sea Wolves (1999) before taking over the Triple-A Edmonton Trappers of the PCL in 2000. Templeton spent the 2001 season managing the Triple-A Salt Lake Stingers. After spending two seasons managing the Northern League’s Gary Railcats (2003-2004), Templeton came to the Golden Baseball League during the inaugural 2005 season as skipper of the Fullerton Flyers. As the Flyers

manager for the team’s first three seasons (2005-2007), he helped build the team’s foundation, leading them to the 2006 GBL Second-Half Championship. Armada and Golden Baseball League fans will now see this familiar face managing the home team at Blair Field in Long Beach instead of sitting in the visitor’s dugout.

The St. Louis Cardinals selected Templeton in the first round of the 1974 amateur draft with the 13th overall selection. The switch-hitting shortstop debuted in the big leagues in 1976 and spent six seasons with St. Louis before being traded to the San Diego Padres for the 1982 season. After a productive decade in San Diego, the Padres traded him to the New York Mets during the 1991 season, his final year in the Major Leagues. Templeton was selected to the NL All-Star team three times (1977, 1979, 1985), won two NL Silver Slugger Awards (1980, 1984) and led the NL in hits in 1979 with 211 while becoming the first ever player to record 100 hits from each side of the plate in a single season, a feat that has only been accomplished one other time.

“At this particular stage, I’m looking forward to coming over and putting these guys back in the playoffs,” said Templeton. “I think they still have a good nucleus with the [players] coming back, and if I can take what they got and add to it, I think we can win a championship.”

Templeton will take over a team that finished the 2008 season hotter than any other team in the Golden Baseball League. The Armada won 11 of its final 15 games to clinch the GBL South Division Second-Half and earn a playoff berth. The Armada fell to the rival Orange County Flyers (formerly Fullerton Flyers) in the fifth game of the best-of-five division championship series. Templeton replaces former Dodger catcher Steve Yeager who managed the Armada for one season after replacing the team’s first skipper Darrell Evans.

Templeton is the fifth new manager in the Golden Baseball League for 2009. In November, the expansion Victoria Seals named former Armada skipper Darrell Evans manager. In December, the Orange County Flyers named former big-leaguer Phil Nevin manager, the Tucson Toros introduced former Blue Jays skipper Tim Johnson, and MLB veteran Greg Cadaret became the manager of the Chico Outlaws.


Long Beach Armada / GBL information
The Long Beach Armada – the 2008 GBL South Division Second-Half champions – is an independent, professional minor league baseball team located in Long Beach, Calif. The league, which was founded in 2005, consists of 10 teams from California, Arizona, Utah, Western Canada and now Mexico. The Armada plays its home games at historic Blair Field, which first opened in 1958. The team offices are located at 2900 Orange Ave, Suite 203, Signal Hill, CA 90755. Visit the Armada at www.longbeacharmada.com.

Get ready for major announcement!

Hey Armada fans,

Get ready because a major Long Beach Armada announcement is coming up very soon this week.  Stay tuned to LongBeachArmada.com and the blog right here as some big news is around the corner.  We're about to rock this ship!

Armada @ Girl Scout Cookie Kickoff

The Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles hosted its annual Cookie Kickoff - that's right, it's cookie time! - and the Long Beach Armada's Arby I and Sean Buller went to let everyone know of all the exciting baseball just around the corner. Check out some of the great pictures and video from Saturday's event at Hollywood Park in Inglewood.

Arby I found another red-feathered parrot at the booth next to us.

Birds of a feather...

The amazing Sean Buller...

The incomparable Lisa Axelrod, who basically set up the entire event for the Girl Scouts. She'll be at the Girl Scout's Day at the Ballpark this upcoming summer. Stay tuned to the Armada's website for more information about the upcoming Scout Day 2009!

The young ladies who taught Arby I the "cookie macarena" dance... (you must see the video)

Arby I tries his hand, er feathers, at goaltending in the Chivas inflatable...













Some of the cute and cuddly animals at the booth next to ours. Well, cute, but I don't know how cuddly this porcupine would be.

Videos from the Armada at the Cookie Kickoff

Arby I playing in a tent


Arby I does the "Cookie Macarena"


Arby I plays goalie

Cracker Cats for sale

Looks like the GBL's Edmonton Cracker Cats might be under new ownership next season, according to an article in the Edmonton Journal.

The struggling Edmonton Cracker-Cats baseball team appears to be close to new ownership.

Several sources say that at least two local groups are preparing -- or may even have finalized -- offers to purchase the franchise from owner Dan Orlich.

One of the interested groups is said to be the Edmonton Oilers.

It might do the Cracker Cats some good to get fresh blood into that organization. Some fans weren't exactly thrilled with the current ownership last season, especially after the team's GM stepped down. I just wonder if there's enough time to get a new ownership group in place before the season starts in four months. Then again, Fullerton and St. George's franchises were purchased by their respective ownership groups much closer to the start of the '07 season, so it could definitely happen.

Anyone want to throw their hat in the ring?

New office for '09

The Armada staff has relocated to a new office for the new year. We're now set up at 2900 Orange Ave, Suite 203 in Signal Hill.