Newspaper Articles
Note on "Phantom" in Newspapers pre-first mention of Bayport Phantoms
In looking for the term "phantom" in any Suffolk County newspaper pre-1930s, we find the mention of the term related to the following:
phantom ships (as well as phantom crews)
The Phantom of the Opera (written initially 1908)
Phantom teams in BOTH Huntington and Riverhead
phantom ghosts (often religious tie-in)
1929 July - Phantom care - Rolls Royce
1928 July 19 1928 - Phantom car.pdf1932- Phantoms Riverhead Team
1932- January 21 Phantoms of Riverhead team name.pdf1935 - Huntington Phantoms Team
1935 - Huntington Phantoms mention.pdf1930s - Phantoms Riverhead Team
1937 The Suffolk County News
Below is a page from a December 24, 1937 article in The Suffolk County News, found in the NYS Historic Newspapers database. It says they are "known as the 'Phantoms'" - but WHEN did that start? WHO started it?
Bayport Basketeers.pdf1939... The Patchogue Advance
Below is a page from a March 17, 19439 article in The Patchogue Advance, found in the NYS Historic Newspapers database. The team is called "The Bayport Phantoms" in this article. (Note: Manatasquot is the native American Indian name for Blue Point... could it be useful to know this info?).
1939 Manatasquott FIve.pdf1947 The Advance
Below is a page from a 1947 article in The Advance that mentions a community basketball team called the Phantoms! Use CTRL F to find the short article.
This article was found using https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/ (utilizing the search bar and tools - keyword: Phantoms)
11-20-1947 basketball YMCA Mention of Blue Point Phantoms.pdf1951 January 25 The Advance
Mention of "The Bayport Phantoms" in a basketball game write-up.
1951 February 15 The Advance
Mention of Bayport Phantoms multiple times
1951 February 15 The Advance.pdf1958 School Newspaper: The Daemon
The School Newspaper Once Called "The Daemon"... then turned "The Phantom Press." Why? When? Here are some front covers from 1958, the 70s, the 80s, the 90s, and the 2000s.
Daemon Turned Phantoms Press.pdf1959 September 29 School Newspaper: The Daemon
1959 September 29 Daemon.pdf1960 March 7 School Newspaper: The Daemon
School Newspaper article talks about "Fantoms" - is an installment section of paper. So far we do not find the section in papers before this edition in 1960.
Phys Ed Introduces Gymnastics Bayport Scalps E. I.;.pdf1962 November 5 School Newspaper: The Daemon
School Newspaper article about the origin of the Phantoms Name! See page 3!
Daemon 1962-11-5.pdf1969 January 2 - The Advance
Phantoms Wrestlers with "Bayport" singlets
1969 March 27 - The Long Island Advance
Phantoms on the jersey - basketball
1969 Dec 18 - Suffolk County News
how is that tied to "the Phantoms"? Is it?
School Expansion.pdf1970 - February 7 - Newsday
Tom Cavanaugh - basketball - no logo on jersey
No Year - Spoof Article - School Newspaper: The Daemon
A spoof edition of The Daemon. Note the "Bayport Phantom Claims Another Life" story. The elusive origins of the "phantom" is a topic across decades!
Spoof - year in question.pdf2007 - Phantoms Press
Daemon now called the Phantom Press - which year did change happen?
2007 Phantoms Press.pdf2009 Newsletter from Historian
the local BBP historian mused... this very same question. See if you can dig deeper into this mystery!
2009 - Gene Horton Article.pdf
Research Sources:
Hardcopy Archive at the High School (at 200 Snedecor Ave, Bayport, NY 11705)
Archive of The Daemon
Archive of The Phantom Press
Archive of Carousel (student literary magazine)
Archive of newspaper clippings when BBP, Phantoms, or the like is mentioned
Soccer clippings from public local newspapers
Bayport Heritage Association...
While some sources may not mention "Phantoms" - you may be able to get information that helps move your research along... names, dates, places - all can help you figure out who to interview and why! This resources can be found in the LIU's "Digitizing LI History" Archives: https://liu.access.preservica.com/index.php?name=SO_3e258d85-2451-40a5-b58b-ede60b12d075 Check out the BH website as well: https://bayportbluepointheritage.org/october-2021/