Long Island Ducks to celebrate 20th season Friday night

The Ducks will celebrate their 20th season with a pregame ceremony Friday night against the High Point Rockers at Bethpage Ballpark in Central Islip, the team announced Monday afternoon.

The ceremony will feature Ducks co-owner and former Met Bud Harrelson, 2004 Atlantic League Championship Series MVP Justin Davies, 2012 Atlantic League Championship Series MVP Dan Lyons and fan favorite Ray Navarrete.

Davies, Navarrete and Harrelson all have had their numbers retired by the franchise in recent years. Navarrete holds the franchise records for home runs (137), RBIs (548), hits (963), runs (599) and doubles (245). Davies holds the franchise record for stolen bases (149) and Lyons holds the games played record (888).

The Ducks, whose inaugural season in 2000 was flanked by massive fanfare, have won three Atlantic League Championships in their history – 2004, 2012 and 2013. The team has made the Atlantic League Championship Series in each of the last three seasons.

That level of success has continued this season. The Ducks – led by first-year manager Wally Backman – won the Liberty Division first-half championship and qualified for the playoffs for the fifth consecutive year. It was their sixth first-half championship in franchise history and their first since 2016.

The Ducks began play Monday night at 8-8 in the second half and 1 ½ games ahead of the Rockers for first place. After a scheduled off day Monday, the Ducks travel to New Britain, Connecticut, for a three-game series with the Bees before returning home this weekend for three games with the Rockers.