There goes the summer
With the National Youth Baseball Championships, the British Baseball season has finally come to an end. There have been some highs and lows, and some rather heated discussions on topics to be brought up at the BBF AGM later this year, but I’ll see if I can keep us off the politics and on the diamond for the time being!
With kids as the next generation of baseballers, it’s no surprise to hear that the Herts Futures Tournament this coming Sunday at Grovehill Ballpark, scene of the 2011 National Baseball Championships, has a record number of participants at all levels and promises to showcase the best talent coming through the ranks of the clubs around the country.
And many of those were on display this past weekend at the NYBCs, where the London Youth Baseball League and London Mets won the Broncos’ and Ponies’ titles respectively.
The LYBL were favourites for the Broncos championship and having beaten their semi-final opponents the Forest Glade Redbacks 11-0 the previous week, fancied their chances of going all the way as well. But Chris Kiefer followed his perfect game against the London Mets Broncos with four scoreless innings, and also blasted a two-run homer that halted play on the Ponies’ diamond, to edge out to a 3-0 lead.
But after his pitch count racked up he had to be relieved, and the rain gave the impetus back to the LYBL. Their experience paid off, and they plated six runs in the bottom of the fifth, conceding only one in the top of the sixth, to go through to the final.
There they would play the Herts All-Stars, the reigning champions at the age level, and after the All-Stars had come through against the Cartmel Valley Broncos 8-6, they ran out of ideas and succumbed to an 8-0 loss to relinquish their crown. The Redbacks won 3rd place in the playoff against Cartmel Valley.
Elsewhere it was business as usual for the London Mets Ponies, as they came through strongly in two big wins to retain their Ponies national crown. They’ve been a force at this level for a generation, and given the talent coming through the ranks it appears that it won’t stop anytime soon, nor is their success limited to youth baseball.
So with the kids sorted, the adults sorted and the weather more fitting for September (although very similar to that we experienced during July and August), the season finally comes to a close. For all of about a fortnight.
If the Hunlock Series at Herts – dedicated to a late member of the ranks – doesn’t perk up interest in autumn baseball then the BBF/BUBA inaugural winter league may get those juices flowing.
8 teams from across the country will compete on Sundays over three months because they are either masochists or love baseball. 5-inning double headers on weekends in places such as Norwich, Nottingham, Oxford and Southampton will give teams at roughly AA-level a chance to try their hand at different positions in the semi-competitive league, as well as blooding newbies to the sport at the various universities who are able to take part.
The North division will be contested by Nottingham Rebels, Nottingham Thieves, University of East Anglia Blue Sox and Birmingham Maple Leafs, while the Essex Redbacks, Southampton Mustangs, Oxford Kings and Imperial Falcons will contest the South division.
So after that little look forward, let’s look back at how far we’ve come this year.
Of the 51 senior teams registered at the start of the year, 48 were able to complete their schedule (according to BBF website at least), around 96% success. Four of the teams in the senior NBCs were newly formed in 2011, including two of the winners.
The GB Baseball team qualified for the European Baseball Championships next year with their success in Tel Aviv, and in doing so are now in Pool A in Europe. They will also hope to qualify for the World Baseball Classic in 2013 following their successes on the international stage over the past 18 months.
More people are playing baseball now than they were five years ago.
More people in the UK know about baseball now than five years ago.
There were some great photos taken this year (see Project COBB (hyperlink: http://www.projectcobb.org.uk/photography.html) for more details).
2012 promises so much, but only with continued commitment and support can it deliver. Let’s make it a golden year for baseball; although no longer an Olympic sport, it doesn’t mean the season can’t go down in legend during an Olympic year.
