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)
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?
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?).
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)
Mention of "The Bayport Phantoms" in a basketball game write-up.
Mention of Bayport Phantoms multiple times
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.
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.
School Newspaper article about the origin of the Phantoms Name! See page 3!
Phantoms Wrestlers with "Bayport" singlets
Phantoms on the jersey - basketball
how is that tied to "the Phantoms"? Is it?
Tom Cavanaugh - basketball - no logo on jersey
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!
Daemon now called the Phantom Press - which year did change happen?
the local BBP historian mused... this very same question. See if you can dig deeper into this mystery!
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
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/