Bora Bora Surfriders Franchise Timeline

April 7, 1997: First game in franchise history.

January 1, 1998: After just one season, the Johannesburg Zebras relocate to Northern Ireland and become the Belfast Bombers.

1999 Playoffs: Belfast wins it's first Weaver Series! They defeat the Honolulu Volcanos in five games.

November 3, 1999: Ryu Nobeoka is named Blizzard League Rookie of the Year.

June 3, 2001: Mike Castro pitches a perfect game against the Atlanta Rebels. It is the first no-hit game recorded in Blizzard League history.

2001 Playoffs: The Bombers win the Barnes Division but are defeated by the Rio de Janerio Capybaras in the BLCS 4 games to 1. It is the beginning of an amazing run for the franchise in which it would make twelve straight postseason appearances. They is also the first of many matchups against the Capybaras. The two teams face each other in the BLCS in eight of the next ten seasons.

November 9, 2001: Mickey Mantle is named MVP of the Blizzard League. Mantle will go on to win the award three years in a row.

2002 Playoffs: Belfast makes it to the Weaver Series, but they are defeated by the Los Angeles Riots in seven games.

2003 Playoffs: The Bombers win their second Weaver Series! They defeat the Honolulu Volcanos in seven games.

November 5, 2003: Ed Santos is awarded the Blizzard League Rookie of the Year award.

2004 Playoffs: The Bombers once again win the Barnes Division, but they are defeated by Rio in the BLCS 4 games to 3.

October 2, 2005: Lou Gehrig captures the Triple Crown, leading the Blizzard League in home runs (63), RBI (145), and Batting Average (.375).

2005 Playoffs: Another year, another Barnes title for the Bombers. Unfortunately they are again defeated by the Capybaras in the BLCS, this time 4 games to 1.

November 4, 2005: On the strength of his Triple Crown season, Lou Gehrig wins the Blizzard League MVP award.

2006 Playoffs: For the third year in a row, Rio defeats Belfast in the BLCS. The Capys defeat the Bombers in five games.

November 3, 2006: Todd Walker is named MVP of the Blizzard League.

2007 Playoffs: Belfast wins it's third Weaver Series title! The Bombers defeat the New York Nukes in five games.

November 9, 2007: Ed Santos is awarded the Blizzard League MVP. It is the first of three MVP awards Santos will win over the next four seasons with the Bombers, he wins in 2007, 2008, and 2010.

2008 Playoffs: Belfast makes the playoffs yet again, but the arch nemesis Capybaras stop their quest for back-to-back Weaver titles, defeating the Bombers in the BLCS 4 games to 1.

2009 Playoffs: The Bombers win their fourth Weaver Series! Belfast dispatches the Amity White Sharks in five games.

2010 Playoffs: Belfast comes close to back-to-back titles, but the Cozumel Mayans defeat the Bombers in the Weaver Series 4 games to 3.

November 4, 2010: Mike Castro wins the Blizzard League Cy Young Award.

January 1, 2011: Despite years of outstanding support from the people of Northern Ireland, management decides to bolt from Belfast after the city and team cannot agree on a plan to build a new ballpark for the team. They break the hearts of the Belfast faithful by relocating to Tahiti and becoming the Bora Bora Surfriders.

2011 Playoffs: Making their first postseason appearance as in Bora Bora, the Surfriders are swept by the Long Beach Lobsters in the BLCS.

2012 Playoffs: The Surfriders franchise wins their twelfth Barnes Division title in a row, but they are defeated in the BLCS by the Havana Cigars in seven games.

November 4, 2016: Joey Monk is named MVP of the Blizzard League.