New Jersey Stars
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| Founded | 1987 (moved to Delaware in 1996) |
|---|---|
| Folded | January 30, 2009 |
| League | World TeamTennis |
| Team history |
New Jersey Stars 1987–1995 Delaware Smash 1996–2008 |
| Based in | Wilmington, Delaware |
| Stadium | Dupont Country Club |
| Colors | Red and Black |
| Head coach | Mariaan de Swardt |
| Championships |
1994, 1995 (as New Jersey Stars) 2003 (as Delaware Smash) |
The Delaware Smash was a World TeamTennis (WTT) team that was founded in 1987 as the New Jersey Stars. The team moved to Delaware in 1996, and changed its name to the Smash. The franchise won three WTT championships—in 1994 and 1995, as the Stars and in 2003, as the Smash. The franchise folded after the 2008 season.
The Stars were founded in 1987, by commercial real estate developer Larry Rosenthal. They played their home matches at the Somerset Hilton in Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey in a new stadium which was built for the team and had a seating capacity of 1,200. Rosenthal chose to put the team in Central Jersey instead of New York City, because he believed Somerset County was a hotbed for tennis enthusiasts, and said, "We know we have a minimum of 600 to 700 spectators for each home match." The Stars' mascot was a wizard that put a hex on the opposing team. Rosenthal also hired male dancers who usually performed on ladies' night at the Somerset Hilton lounge to wear skimpy costumes and heckle female opposing players.
The first match in Stars history was on July 11, 1987, a 24–21 loss on the road against the Miami Beach Breakers. The team's first home match was also a loss to the Breakers, 24–21, on July 15, 1987. The 1987 Stars featured JoAnne Russell, Molly Van Nostrand, Hank Pfister and player-coach Colin Dibley. The Stars were winless in their inaugural season, losing all 14 of their matches.
The Stars returned in 1988, with a completely new lineup and vastly improved results. Player-coach Peter Fleming led Jenny Byrne, Belinda Cordwell, Matt Mitchell and Chip Hooper to a record of 9 wins and 5 losses and an appearance in the TeamTennis Final. The Stars' regular-season record was good for third place in the league and put them in the TeamTennis Semifinals against the South Florida Breakers. Byrne and Cordwell were a formidable pair in women's doubles, winning 57% of their regular-season games.
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