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Believe it or not, Camden Riversharks starting 10th season

JOHN BRANDT, the first general manager of the Camden Riversharks, remembers the moments more than the full process of launching the independent minor league franchise in 2001. By the time the May 11 home opener rolled around, everything had become a blur.

JOHN BRANDT, the first general manager of the Camden Riversharks, remembers the moments more than the full process of launching the independent minor league franchise in 2001. By the time the May 11 home opener rolled around, everything had become a blur.

"It was an amazing time," Brandt said. "I remember certain things from that day, but there was so much going on and so much to do that some things are a bit hazy.

"Those last few weeks and days we were at [Campbell's Field] almost 24 hours a day. So much happened at the end that it was amazing to leave the ballpark at midnight [on the eve of the home opener] and come back and all of the sod had been laid around the ballpark. As I recall, we had to open 15 minutes late to get pallets off the concourse, and I think the gates were still being hung."

A lot has changed since that day when the Riversharks went from dream to reality at the foot of the Ben Franklin Bridge. The newest entry into the Atlantic League, itself in existence only since 1998, came with plenty of publicity and pressure as a part of yet another attempt to rebuild Camden.

As they prepare to open their 10th season tomorrow at Newark under new manager Von Hayes, the Riversharks are meeting their challenges.

"You are always learning," said current GM Adam Lorber, who took over when Brandt left for the Newark Bears in 2005. "But I feel really good with where we are at now.

"I think the biggest thing now is our stability. A lot has happened in the last 10 years, on both a national and local level. There are always hurdles to clear. Now we have a business plan that makes sense for us, and last year we were profitable."

From the outset, the Riversharks were more than only a business opportunity for an ownership that included Steve Shilling and David Brandt (no relation to John). Shilling, who died of cancer in 2003, entered the proposition not because he was a baseball fan but to help revitalize Camden.

After his death, experienced minor leagues executives Frank Boulton, Peter Kirk and Steven Kalafer formed a partnership to run the franchise, which with a restructured lease has made strides toward becoming a strong presence in South Jersey.

"I think our footprint is growing in the region," said Lorber, who has postgame fireworks scheduled for every Friday as well as many Saturdays. "We've come to understand that our product is focused around group sales. Our season-ticket base is low, but when we get groups to come out, that's what makes us a viable entertainment option. In some ways, the recession has helped us because we're more affordable [than other options], our food and merchandise prices have remained pretty much the same as the day we first opened our doors."

"I think that's an approach that all minor league franchises take," said Atlantic League executive director Joe Klein. "It's not just the Atlantic League. I think the business model that everyone talks about understands that group sales are a key."

Klein is a former general manager of the Texas Rangers, Cleveland Indians and the Detroit Tigers, as well as vice president of player personnel for the Kansas City Royals. He says the league's level of play has been the biggest difference from when the Riversharks started.

"There was a time when we recruited players," Klein said. "Now, we have agents calling us and suggesting players to our membership. We've definitely grown, and I truly believe we could get the talent for 12 teams and play at a high level, but so much else goes into how many teams we have. Right now, eight is a good fit for us, but who knows what tomorrow will bring?

"But I also know that our game is different. People love baseball, and I think the Phillies have generated interest in this region. But I stand at the bottom of the steps [at the entrance to Campbell's Field] and talk to our fans as they leave. They may not know the score, but they know they had fun and that, more importantly, the children I see are all smiling."

For all that has changed since 2001 - the death of an owner, a nationwide recession and a restructuring of the entire operation - the human element remains.

"You remember everyone that had something to do with that night," John Brandt said, looking back to the first home opener. "We're still a family, and I smile when I think of where everyone is now and how much success we've had since that day.

"The one thing I remember the most was standing on the field before the game. The national anthem was about to be sung by Timmy Kelly [a blind 7-year-old with cerebral palsy who went on to become a crowd pleaser at Eagles games]. I heard a guy in the second row say 'Oh my God,' and I turned to look at him. It was the first moment of quiet I had in about a month, and I couldn't believe what I heard. Well, when Timmy was done, I looked back and the same guy had a tear in his eye.

"That's the kind of moment we had hoped to bring to Camden, and we had succeeded." *

Send e-mail to mradano@phillynews.com.