the first half of the season at 21-26, tied for last place in the Can-Am League. In the second half, Sussex opened with two victories against Worcester, but then dropped 17 of its next 20 games. The team ended up 17-30 in the second half; its combined record of 38-56 placed the Skyhawks fifth overall, one of the two Can-Am teams left out of the playoffs. The team's average attendance dropped for the fourth straight season to 1,695. A total of 79,663 fans came to Skylands Park during the year. After the season, manager Hal Lanier announced he would not return for 2010. 2010 The Skyhawks hired manager Ed Ott for the 2010 season. Ott was a former MLB catcher for the Pirates and Angels between 1974 and 1981. The team started out strong, going 25-21 in the first half, good enough for 3rd place overall. However, the team struggled mightily in the second half of the year with a miserable 10-35 record, by far the worst in the league. With a final record of 35-56, the Skyhawks finished in last place overall with three fewer wins than in '09. They also saw their overall attendance drop to an all-time low of 71,826 (1,670 per game). After the 2010 season, the Skyhawks' lease at Skylands Park ended. With attendance falling and the team losing money, the ownership group began to seek a buyer so they could focus their resources on their primary team, the New Jersey Jackals. Hall was not able to find a buyer to keep the team operational for the 2011 season, therefore, on January 11, 2011, the Skyhawks announced they were suspending operations. Final 2010 roster Retired numbers Uniform The Skyhawks uniform is white with blue pinstripes for home games and grey for away games. The home uniform has the word "Skyhawks" across the front and number on the back. Road jerseys say "Sussex" on the front. The alternate jersey is blue with Skyhawks and the number on the front, and the number also on the back. Black home hats with an "S" and a talon holding a baseball coming through the center. Same hat (except in grey) on the road. Their logo is the word "Skyhawks" in script in light blue with black and white outline superimposed over the depiction of a light blue bird in flight, holding a baseball in its talons. Season-by-season records References