Six new managers take the field in the Major League, a record. Four – Paul Bayse, Anthony Frisina, Matt Gallegos, and Gabe Pannella – are in the American League, which also sets a record. Lou Arnold and Steve Caraccio take over National League teams.
Joe Atkachunas of Keller becomes the fifth player in league history to strike out 18 players in a game. He achieves the feat 22-Apr, in a 10-1 defeat of Tancredi in which he allows just one hit.
V.F.W. Post 227 takes over as sponsor of the Major League team previously sponsored by Inline Skating Club of America. The team promptly launches a memorable run to the National League championship. After starting the season 3-3, V.F.W. rolls off ten straight wins, including four in five days, and wins the title on a ninth-inning homer by Mark McPherson as they defeat Boiling Springs Savings, 7-5, on the last day of the regular season.
Anthony Frisina of Flash tosses a no-hitter in the first game of the American League playoffs – and loses the game. Keller’s Mike Schule leads off the fourth inning by reaching on an error, and he scores on a Joe Atkachunas sacrifice fly. Keller wins the game, 1-0, as Schule and Atkachunas combine to allow Flash just one hit, by Justin Miceli.
Lions wins the town championship, scoring the winning run on a sacrifice fly by Mike Paskas that scored Pat Bonner in the top of the eighth inning to defeat Fire, 4-3. The contest matched game 2 of the 1979 Town Series for the longest town championship game by innings, and, at 2:34, was the longest by time.
Rutherford American wins an unprecedented fourth consecutive District 5 championship. Pool play was used for the first time in the district tournament, and Rutherford American won all six games it played in its pool. The team then suffered a 3-2 loss to Lyndhurst National in the double-elimination round, but rebounded to score 4-2 and 6-1 decisions against the same opponent to capture the crown with a 10-1 record in district play.
Rutherford National follows its 2002 10-year-old section title with another district crown. The club sweeps through district pool and elimination play with a 9-0 record, and wins its first two sectional games before falling twice.
| 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
|---|---|---|
| History | History | History |
| Press | Press | Press |
| Standings | Standings | Standings |
| Teams | Teams | Teams |
| Leaders | Leaders | Leaders |
| Tourney | Tourney | Tourney |