(the start times of the NBL and A League games shown in red in this article were updated on 23 August 2012 to reflect the changes announced by the BBF)
British baseball fans are on the edge of their seats in anticipation of the National Baseball Championships (NBC) this weekend. Year-after-year the NBC never seems to disappoint. By the end of the Bank Holiday Weekend we will know the identity of the champions in the four British baseball leagues. But before that we will be going through the emotions and excitement of at least 13 baseball games with enormous implications riding on every single one of them.
After Sunday’s playoff games, we now know the names of the 14 teams which will be heading to Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead in the hope of making history.
NATIONAL BASEBALL LEAGUE (NBL)
The reigning champions, Harlow Nationals, booked their place in the NBC several weeks ago and they did it in style by finishing top of the NBL standings after winning one of the games in the doubleheader against the Herts Falcons on Sunday, which was enough to stay top. The Falcons stayed in second place as a result and go into the NBC as the second seed team. Southampton also secured an automatic entry finishing third and they going into the weekend with the wind in their sails after an impressive sweep away at the champions two weeks ago.
The final NBC place was taken by the London Mets who won the wild card battle with the Lakenheath Diamondbacks at Finsbury Park on Sunday.
NBL Schedule
Saturday, August 25
12:00, Game 1: Harlow Nationals vs London Mets
15:00, Game 2: Herts Falcons vs Southampton Mustangs
Sunday, August 26
10:00, Game 3: Winner Game1 vs Winner Game2
13:30, Game 4: Loser Game1 vs Loser Game2 (loser will be eliminated)
17:00, Game 5: Loser Game3 vs Winner Game4 (loser will be eliminated)
Monday, August 27
11:00 Game 6: Winner Game3 vs Winner Game5
14:30 Game 7: same as above (will be played if Winner of Game3 loses Game6)
AAA LEAGUE
The Liverpool Trojans return to Grovehill Ballpark for a third year in a row aiming to defend their AAA crown. They have had an almost perfect season so far with a record of 26-2 in the regular season and they secured their place in the Semi-Finals last weekend with a win against the Menwith Patriots. Joining them in the Semi-Finals are the three best AAA teams from the South. Last year’s losing finalists Oxford Kings will be looking for revenge. The ever-growing Redbacks organisation will be represented this weekend by their first team who finished first in their AAA division. Completing the AAA semi-final lineup are the Cambridge Royals who entered the AAA League for the first time this year.
AAA Schedule
Sunday, August 26
10:00, (Semi-Final) Liverpool Trojans vs Cambridge Royals
17:00, (Semi-Final) Essex Redbacks vs Oxford Kings
Monday, August 27
14:00, (Final) Winner SF1 vs Winner SF2
AA LEAGUE
The AA League is the third-tier of the British Baseball Leagues but it is the largest and perhaps the most unpredictable. We started with 25 AA teams, divided into the North, Midlands and South divisions, and after a regular season and two weeks of playoffs we are down to 4. The Nottingham Rebels and the Milton Keynes Bucks are both from the Midlands division and they overcame the two best AA teams from the North to book their Semi-Final places. Joining them are the two best AA teams from the Southern Division. Last year the Poole Piranhas lost in the semi-finals against the eventual winners, the Latin Boys. They are back again this year and they will face the MK Bucks. The last team to book their place in the AA semi-finals is the Herts Hawks. They ended the Guildford Mavericks’ 17-game unbeaten run on Sunday to eliminate them and this meant that for the first time in history two teams representing Herts Baseball Club will appear in the NBC.
AA Schedule
Saturday, August 25
12:00, (Semi-Final) MK Bucks vs Poole Piranhas
16:00, (Semi-Final) Nottingham Rebels vs Herts Hawks
Sunday, August 26
13:30, (Final) Winner SF1 vs Winner SF2
A-LEAGUE
The only team still unbeaten this year is Hove Tuesday. They entered the British Leagues for the first time this year and they have steam-rolled everything that comes their way. They will face the Leicester Blue Sox in the Final, a team representing a club which has made tremendous strides over the last few years developing both their adult and youth baseball programmes at apace which very other baseball organisations can match. Both teams will be eager for silverware.
A Schedule
Monday, August 27
11:00, (Final) Hove Tuesday vs Leicester Blue Sox
A CELEBRATION OF BRITISH BASEBALL
The NBC is a unique opportunity for fans of baseball and those who are new to the sport to get close to the action and witness the crowning of the 2012 Champions. Of course it would not be a true baseball celebration without good food. A variety of traditional baseball food and drinks will be on offer.
Venue: Grovehill Ballpark, Hemel Hempstead (click here for venue address and other details)
Car Park: available at the venue free of charge