Category: Hawks
WHERE EAGLES DARE [Newswire Op-Ed]
NEWSWIRE OPINION EDITORIAL
2007 Falcons Manager Bruce Dullea – now with the Sidewindersorganisation – has been following closely the on and off-fielddevelopments at Herts Baseball with the unique interest of anoutsider/alumni. He offers his wise and candid perspective into theFalcons chances for success in the National League, some skepticismabout the future of the Herts franchise, and some praise for the club's”meteoric rise” of late. Does this renewed interest in his formerfamily foreshadow Dullea's return to the fold… the prodigal son comehome again? Or is it, simply, a message in the proverbial bottlewashed up from distant shores?
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WHERE EAGLES DARE
by Bruce Dullea
Forthose of us who didn’t sleep through our Greek mythology class, weshould remember the story of Icarus. Deciding not to heed the adviceof his Father, he chose to fly too close to the sun, thinking that thehigher he flew, the more God-like he would become. Tragically, hisfeathers, which were made of wax, melted, and he fell into the sea.
Someof the more erudite members of the Herts Falcons may be aware of thelegend of Icarus. Analogies do exist. Their recent history is trulyfascinating, and is a lesson in perseverance, tenacity, and overcomingadversities. After examining what they have endured, and where theyhave come from, it is apparent that the club has made a remarkableascent through the ranks of the British Baseball Federation. (Givenwhat they’ve gone through, perhaps they should rename themselves thePhoenix). After languishing for two years in the bottom of the premierleague, and then being subsequently relegated, they have made ameteoric rise. Initially promoted to the then premier league in 2005,they found the competition very arduous. In 2005 and 2006 theyfinished near the bottom of the league, and in September of 06 wound uplosing an epic extra inning relegation playoff game to the Burgess HillColts. This meant that in just two mere years after gainingpromotion, they were then forced to take a major step back by beingrelegated to the division that they formerly had conquered. At thetime, they more resembled the legend of Sisyphus than Icarus. Ratherthan wallow in self-pity, the club made it their personal mission toretool, improve, and once again attain promotion.
Since thatepic defeat, the club has experienced nothing but success. In 2007they finished with an 18-3 record, won the Division I Southern pennant,and were the National runner-up in the Final 4. They were thenrewarded with a promotion back to the Premiere (now called AAA)division. Their performance in the 2008 campaign surpassed everyone’sexpectations. The club finished with a 21-3 campaign, clinched aplayoff spot, won their division, and ultimately brought home thehardware by winning the AAA National Championship. Perhaps what iseven more astonishing is that their accomplishments off the field haveexceeded their success on the diamond. While baseball clubs have beenfolding all over the country, they have been a model for consistency aswell as how to develop the sport in the UK. In 2007 they founded theirown Little League, which has prospered and proven to be verysuccessful. They have the most impressive website and the most mediasavvy club in the UK. They have grown to three teams with over 50members, can boast of a multitude of corporate sponsors, and haverecently received permission to build a second field at Grovehill Park,which has been their home since their inception in 1996.
Thecoup de grace came last Monday, when the BBF announced that the Falconshave accepted a promotion to the National League, the top tier leaguein the country. To those of us who have followed British Baseball andin particular the trials and travails of the Herts Baseball Club, thisis a truly unbelievable accomplishment, and they must be commended.
Whatdoes the future hold for the HBC? Since accepting the invitation tojoin the National League, they have announced that they are forming afourth team (the Eagles) which will take the place of the Falcons andcompete in the AAA division in 2009. Are they growing too soon, toofast? How much of a risk are they taking? It is readily obvious thatalthough the club is capitalizing on their recent successes, they havemany challenges and questions in front of them.
Sources havesaid that the Falcons benefited from a “watered” down 2008 AAAdivision. They no longer had to compete against the CambridgeMonarchs, the perennial power that had folded once their Americanmilitary base closed. They didn’t have to play against any of theNational League clubs. One club (Milton Keynes) disbanded during theseason and another (Bristol) was an expansion club. The last time theteam was in the premier league they regularly faced pitchers who threwin the 90’s, including Glen Goodrich, Bob Runyon, and Derek Kelly, twoof whom pitched professionally in the US. Long time observers feltthat the team benefitted from facing weaker pitching in 2008. Evenagainst the diluted pitching, the team suffered a prolonged battingslump during the course of the season. Their team batting average of.308 was more than 100 points lower than their previous (AA) season,and their home run total dropped from 14 to 4, even though GrovehillPark is very accommodating to right handed power hitters.
How will the Falcons hitters fare against the London Mets, who were 23-1 and gave up an average of 2.2 runs per game?
Will the club be able to hit against Richmond’s Cody Cain, a hard throwing right hander?
Theclub’s 21-3 record was impressive, but on closer inspection, 3 of thewins were by forfeit and 6 others were decided by one run. Two otherclubs scored more runs and matched their run differential. Are theyreally a legitimate NBL team, or do they need more time to grow andprove themselves?
The Falcons pitching was very strong in 08,and carried the team when they weren’t hitting. Their top two pitchersare master craftsmen who rely on control rather than power. It remainsto be seen how they will fare against National League batters.
In2006, the last time the club faced National League teams, they went 0-4and were outscored 66-9. Granted, the team struggled throughout theseason, and it was a totally different environment, but many of theteam’s nucleus were a part of that club.
The biggest questionmark is how the club will fill the roster for the newly formed Eagles. They will need a massive recruiting effort to ensure that the club iscompetitive and the talent from the three existing clubs aren’tdiluted. Their two other clubs (Hawks & Raptors) will need tokeep the core of their rosters intact to remain competitive. TheFalcons will need everyone to help them compete in the NBL. In thelast three seasons, clubs have folded in Shropshire, Brighton,Liverpool, London, Windsor, and Cambridge. There is also a rumour thatthe Northern National Baseball League will disband. Baseball in the UKis dying, not growing. Where will they find the extra players?
Ithas been reported that the HBC Executive Committee voted unanimously toaccept the promotion invitation. However, a published report fromtheir website indicated that there was some internal trepidation aboutthe move. What was the mood in the boardroom, and how much internaldissent was there? Are there expansion plans overly optimistic, ordoes the club truly feel that they can field 4 competitive teams oneyear removed from AA ball? Did they feel overly compelled to go forbroke, or should prudence have won out?
Another question to askis the BBF’s rationale in extending the invitation. It is obvious thatthe sport is declining in the UK. In 2004, there were 6 clubs in theNL south. Three of those clubs (Windsor Bears, London Warriors, andthe Brighton Buccaneers) no longer exist. With the recent disbandmentof the Liverpool Trojans, there are now only two remaining NL northclubs, and in all likelihood there will not be a Northern Division in09. Given the current state of the NBL, something had to be done, butit remains to be seen as to whether the Falcons will be competitive,and what impact their promotion will have on the HBC.
In anyevent, the Falcons have made their decision. It is risky, but you haveto give them credit. They are ambitious and are one of the trulypositive stories about baseball in Britain. Everyone is pulling forthem. They are also now in the same position as Icarus. Their wingswill take them up, up, and away to the NBL. There will be no goingback.
Was Daedalus around to warn them of the perils of flying too high, too soon?
Are their wings made of wax?
Next year, we will find out.
I wish them all the best on their journey.
HERTS SECURES PLANNING PERMISSION FOR GROVEHILL BALLPARK
Herts Baseball Club has secured planning permission from Dacorum Borough Council for its Grovehill Ballpark Project. This means that the Club has managed to overcome a crucial hurdle in its path to successfully completing the project to create two baseball fields that would be among the best facilities in the UK.
With the pro bono assistance of Emma Burrow, of Property Lande Architecture, a local architect firm, the Club submitted its planning application in early September. Whether it is a large shopping complex, residential buildings or a sports venue such as Grovehill Ballpark, obtaining a planning permission can be a big challenge. Club President, Aspi Dimitrov, recalls the early weeks of the application process: “This was the first time that our club has been involved in applying for a planning permission and the Club’s Executive Board expected to have a daunting task of convincing local residents, private and public organisations and officials of the obvious benefits of the Grovehill Ballpark project for the community.”
“But we were very pleasantly surprised by the astonishing support which was received from pretty much everyone that we contacted as part of the consultation process. From governing bodies such as BaseballSoftballUK and the British Baseball Federation, to local and national organisations and agencies such as Sport England, Dacorum Borough Council, Dacorum Sports Network, Herts Sports Partnership, the Police, the Mayor Cllr Mrs. Carol Green, our local MP, Mike Penning, not forgetting the hundreds of individuals who signed the paper and online petitions supporting the project including Head Coach, Stephan Rapaglia, and players of the European Championships silver medal-winning Great Britain Team, as well as players of baseball clubs from around the country. The support was astounding.”
Dimitrov added: “Over the years the members of our club knew that we are creating something very special and that we are building a good name and reputation, but we never realised that our work and activities have been noticed and are recognized by so many people, and that the name Herts Baseball would open so many doors.”
“Despite this great support we were aware that a planning application is a complicated legal process, and the presence of Emma Burrow has been vital. Her guidance from day one has been pivotal.”- said Dimitrov.
On Thursday evening Dacorum Borough Council’s Planning Committee met to consider and announce their final decision. The Executive Board of Herts Baseball Club received the all important telephone call just after 8pm, confirming that the application has been successful.
This clears the way for the first stage of the project to be completed in 2009. The members of the club have raised around £16,000 over the last seven months, including the £10,000 Awards for All grant and around £6,000 raised in club fundraising events and initiatives. It means that the club has secured the funds required for the first stage of the project and are now continuing the fundraising effort for the second stage which involves improving the turf quality of Grovehill Ballpark.
Dimitrov added: “When the planning application was prepared it included several additional elements and now that it has been approved, this opens the door for future improvement of the Ballpark. For example the application included the full fence enclosure of the two diamonds, not just the backstops and the outfield parts of the fence, which will go a long way towards deterring vandalism and providing a better and more secure environment for our Little League teams. We now have the freedom to plan and raise funds for stage 3, stage 4 etc. in the future, knowing that we have clearance, from a legal perspective.”
MANAGERS APPOINT 2009 CLUB COACHES, PREP PROGRAMME
Managers Jason Greenberg and Andrew Slater have announced the 2009 club coaching staff. Three veteran team leaders will work as a unit and in coordination with the team managers to develop the hitting, pitching and conditioning of Herts adult players at every level of the organisation.
2009 Conditioning Coach Dan Kerry joined the club in 2007. A professional physical fitness educator, Kerry brings to the job years of experience helping youth cricketers, ruggers, and footballers to develop their speed and agility. He will draw from a wealth of conditioning exercises and techniques to push the Falcons, Eagles, Hawks and Raptors to speedier Sundays on the base paths and increased endurance and coordination on the diamond. Kerry is a well-respected slugger and outfielder in his own right; in his first ever at-bat in a baseball game, he smashed a towering home run. He is often the flashy centrepiece in Herts Baseball web gems, never afraid to dive flat out for a line drive. No doubt, the on-field respect he's earned from his teammates will aid his efforts as a peer instructor.
Help the club to swing a mightier bat is 2009 Hitting Coach Andy Cornish. Cornish is a local talent and lifetime Herts Baseball Club member, the only among the 2009 instructional and managerial staff. He has played the game in Hemel Hempstead since he was a boy, and no doubt his passion and pride for the home team will fuel his coaching efforts. Cornish's focus will be on effective use of body strength and proper mechanics. He plans to use quick-release, contained-space drills to help batters find a balance between consistency and power, and will emphasize exercises that strengthen eye-hand coordination. Cornish is consistently among the top Herts hitters; he was 2007 Falcons batting champ and runner-up for the 2008 title, leading the team in runs and stolen bases. His patient and positive attitude will serve him well as he addresses the Herts hitting game with a fresh mindset.
While he's no newcomer to the game of baseball, 2009 Pitching Coach Darrin Ward is only in his second season with Herts Baseball Club. A former National Leaguer, hurler for team Great Britain, and onetime season leader in the Milton Keynes programme, Ward sports a lifetime of achievements on the mound. His goals for the upcoming season include motivating the Herts pitching staff to assess their strengths and limitations, correct mechanics, properly condition their arms and lower bodies to the task of consistent throwing, and tackle the nuances of pitching as a mental game. Too many times last season, in Ward's opinion, Herts pitchers were done-in by their own lack of confidence and control. He is already fashioning a structured development programme that will assist first-time pitchers with the basic motions and techniques to get them started on the mound, while also working closely with veteran pitchers to enhance their command and ability to muscle through adversity.
“All our coaches for the coming season are fired-up,” says Greenberg, manager of the National League Falcons. “At our first planning session last week, they all brought fantastic ideas to the table and they'll prove invaluable to Andrew, myself and our Hawks and Eagles managers, helping us to evaluate our strengths, improve on our areas of weakness, and keep our players motivated and in peak condition throughout the entire summer. It's an enormous task, but if anyone is up to it, it's Dan, Darrin and Andy.”
The Herts staff plans to waste no time in making 2009 the most successful year ever for its teams on the diamond. Winter conditioning training gets underway in just one week, and pitching and hitting clinics are scheduled for early December.
LIFT OFF! FALCONS SOAR INTO NATIONAL LEAGUE
First they swept the AAA in their first year back up. Then, in a dramatic 6-3 nail-biter, they swiped the championship trophy from their cross-division rivals. Now, the Herts Falcons dream season has soared to greater heights still.
Official word came down from the British Baseball Federation this week that the Herts Falcons have a place in the 2009 National Baseball League, the top level of play in the United Kingdom. Ending weeks of rumours and speculation, the Herts Executive Board has voted unanimously to accept the invitation and will begin an intense winter-season training scheme and recruitment drive in preparation for the competitive play to come.
The BBF's top division is by invite only, and the Falcons are the only squad moving up this year. They will be one of just five squads in the 2009 Southern National League and will meet their London, Richmond, Bracknell and Croydon rivals at home and away, with all games officiated by the top UK umpires from the ABUA-GB.
Once unimaginable, accepting a bid to the NBL crystallises the Falcons as a top-tier squad… no small achievement for a team that’s had a roller-coaster ride through the lower BBF divisions since its inception in 1996, and suffered relegation to the AA as recently as 2006. Without a doubt, the promotion catapults the Herts Baseball Club to national prominence. Together with their ambitious Field Development Project and burgeoning Little League, the success of the Falcons the past two years – AA league leaders in 2007, and AAA champions in 2008 – has given Herts members a first team they can be proud of.
MOVE TO FOUR TEAMS, FOUR LEAGUES
As the Falcons promote to the NBL, a gap is left in their franchise at the AAA level. A new, fourth team has been created to compete at that level. The Herts Eagles will face the same on-field threats as last season’s Falcons, such as the talented London Metros, crafty Essex Arrows, and the fierce AAA runners-up, the Oxford Kings. The Herts Hawks (AA) and Raptors (A) will remain in their respective leagues.
Herts Baseball Club now sports four teams in four levels of adult play in the UK and, with its Little League programme in the mix, makes the most complete baseball franchise nationwide. A player can join Tee Ball at age 5, and progress all the way through the Herts ranks to the National Baseball League.
NEWLY TAPPED CLUB COACHES PREPARE TO TRAIN
Competing in the NBL is no small feat, and the club managers have outlined an aggressive training programme for the 2009 season. Known in-house as simply “The Programme,” the revamped strategy emphasises roster flexibility and individual player development. “Our big objective is player improvement,” says Falcons Manager Jason Greenberg. “As individuals learn more about the game and focus their on-field skills, they’ll advance through our system from one squad to the next. That process will start during spring training, but will continue all season long. We really want to encourage our guys to better themselves as competitors and athletes.”
Greenberg and fellow-manager Andrew Slater have named three coaches to manage the club’s on-field development. Conditioning Coach Dan Kerry, Hitting Coach Andy Cornish, and Pitching Coach Darrin Ward are already knee-deep in a detailed training scheme, which utilises drills and repetition of fundamentals to boost each and every Herts player’s stamina, agility and accuracy. Together with newly appointed club statistician, Greg Bochan, the coaches will chart individual progress throughout the spring and into the season, helping the managers to make informed roster decisions and regular promotions.
The off-season regimen begins this month, as the club will make use of indoor facilities to condition, work on hitting and pitching mechanics and just play some five-on-five basketball. After a short break for the holidays, they regroup for an intense conditioning, hitting and pitching programme that leads straight into on-field spring training at Grovehill and the exciting all-club trials. “Last year’s spring training was really the most exciting part of the year. We had nearly the entire club out at the field every week running, throwing, hitting… pushing themselves and their teammates to keep up… and just working hard to prove themselves on the diamond. This year – with four teams and the lingering National League debut to contend with – well, it’s going to kick butt. I can’t wait.”
VIGOROUS RECRUITMENT DRIVE
It is hoped that the move to the NBL will bring an instant boost to the club’s membership. With only five organisations competing at the top level, talented players in Hertfordshire and across the southeast UK will be hunting for a spot on the roster, and Herts plans to roll out the welcome mat.
“We are a family more than a club,” says President Aspi Dimitrov. “With the expansion to four teams, we have opened up a whole new roster and additional playing time for everyone! The hope is to attract new players of all abilities: the season veterans who like the atmosphere and professionalism at Herts… the recreational types who just enjoy being with the boys on Sunday… and, most importantly, gents (and ladies!) who are completely new to the game and just want to give it a go. We have room for everybody… and hope everybody brings along a friend or two when they come on out to the ballpark.”
With the help of Sponsorship Director Nic Goetz, Herts will stage a massive recruitment drive in the winter and spring months. They are hoping to sign around 20 to 25 new members in the coming weeks and no stone will be left unturned. Keep an eye out for Herts Baseball coasters in the local pubs, banners in the Hemel Hempstead town centre, and a nationwide media blitz.
FALCONS FLYING TOO HIGH?
The National League invitation may not have taken Herts by complete surprise (speculation after the Final 4 brought rumours and debate), but the decision still warranted careful deliberation by the club’s Executive Committee. “There was a lot of concern throughout our club,” confessed Greenberg. “Some guys were all for the move… but others were worried we wouldn’t be able to compete at that level. Nobody wants to be next year’s whipping posts on a national stage. But, the more we considered the idea, the more we weighed the pros and cons, the more of a no-brainer it turned out to be. After all, how often do you get invited to compete at the top level – the national level – in anything, let alone the sport that you live and breathe all summer long?! This is a dream come true.”
There is no relegation from the National League, so even should the Falcons finish the 2009 season with a losing record they will retain their spot, regroup, and work to improve for 2010. “Baseball is a cyclical sport – sometimes you’re winning, sometimes you’re rebuilding. That’s just part of the game.” Next year may prove a rebuilding year for Herts, as they retool and come to grips with a higher state of play and an expanded club roster. But, then again, 2008 was supposed to be a rebuilding year, and the Falcons swept through to their first-ever championship trophy.
One thing is for sure: the Herts Baseball Club is riding high with this latest achievement and not even the fear of top-tier adversity is enough to dampen their pride or their spirits. Whether they win or lose in this first year up, they plan to bring a dogged determination to the diamond every Sunday morning… and go home each night with their heads held high. It’s the closest thing Britain has to professional baseball, and the Falcons have certainly earned their wings.
Welcome to the big leagues, boys.
HERTS EAGLES TO PLAY IN AAA, FILL OUT FRANCHISE
The fastest growing baseball organisation in the United Kingdom is showing no signs of slowing down.
With the promotion of the Herts flagship team to the BBF National League, a vacancy has been created at the AAA level. To stop the gap, Herts are unleashing the Eagles in 2009 as the final step in the transition to a four-team, four-tier franchise that will compete at every level of play in adult British baseball.
In keeping with tradition, the club’s Executive Committee voted to keep the Falcons as the top squad in the organisation. The Falcons name dates back to 1996 when the team was based in Bushey, Hertfordshire. The Eagles is the fourth title to join the Herts flock, and is a continuation of the club’s ‘bird of prey’ theme.
A fourth team manager will be sought to lead the Eagles into battle in 2009. Moreover, Herts is undertaking a massive recruitment drive in the winter and spring months to pad out all four of its team rosters. Posters, leaflets, advertisements in the local press and a web and media-based marketing campaign will invite local men and women of all ages and talents to join the family. Grovehill should be teeming in February with rookies and seasoned veterans alike hoping to find their spot in the Herts franchise.
With the formation of this new squad, a player could enter the Herts programme at age 5 in the Tee Ball league, progress straight through Little League, join the Herts Raptors in single-A ball, and continue to promote until they are playing against the best teams in the country at the National League level. This expansion means Herts is the most complete baseball organisation nation-wide, and highlights the club’s determination to share the game of baseball and help players to improve at every stage of their development.
2009 SEASON STARTS TODAY FOR HERTS BASEBALL CLUB
For many clubs around the country AGMs are usually held in January or February just a few weeks before the start of the season, but in the last two years Herts has decided to bring it forward by three months in order for the elected officers to commence their work and to better utilize the off-season period. On Sunday, members of Herts Baseball Club gathered at the SportsSpace Centre in Hemel Hempstead for their 12th Annual General Meeting. The 2008 Executive Board had an opportunity to report on the club’s progress and achievements in the last 12 months, which undoubtedly has been the club’s best season ever, on and off the field.
Herts successfully implemented the expansion into a club with three adult and four youth teams. Its AAA team, the Falcons became the 2008 British AAA National Champion. The Little League teams have already won a trophy and have performed very well against the best youth teams in the country. The Club is an organiser of large events at national and regional level, from the Herts Little League and the Herts Spring League to the Herts Futures Tournament.
There are many more objectives which the club has set for 2009 including the completion of the Grovehill Ballpark project; further growth of the Herts Little League, adopting better coaching techniques, establishing stronger relationship with local schools. The Club must also transfer the successful structure at AAA level to the other teams in the adult programme.
Over the years the Club has been very fortunate to have very hard-working, dedicated and creative people elected as club officers and on Sunday the members elected another very strong team of Club officers for 2009. It is a very strong combination of old and new officers which ensures that continuity is maintained while injecting new energy into the organisation.
2009 HBC OFFICERS
BOARD
Aspi Dimitrov, Secretary / President
Paul Auchterlounie, Treasurer
Jason Greenberg, First Team Manager
(vacant), Second Team Manager
Andrew Slater, Third Team Manager
Marty Cullen, Little League Commissioner
NON-BOARD
Jason Greenberg, Webmaster
Jo Smith, Fundraising Manager
Nic Goetz, Sponsorship Manager
Greg Bochan, Statistics Officer
The Second Team Manager position was left vacant. The Club will be communicating with potential candidates in order to fill this position.
FALCONS REIGN ON KINGS PARADE, CROWNED AAA CHAMPS
After amodest toast to their charmed ascendancy through the League, the Hertsfirst-team quickly rested and refocused for a Sunday morning clash with theirAAA Oxford rivals. The Falcons arrivedat Croydon’s Diamond One a full hour-and-a-half before their opponents and the umpiringcrew, fueled only by their sheer determination to finish what they’d begun.
The weatherhad not improved despite Club President Aspi Dimitrov’s claim that this was “abetter rain.” The mist was unrelentingand left the field water-logged and – according to BBF officials –unplayable. Nevertheless, the Falconsstretched and warmed their arms no less than three times before the mainstagewas relocated to the better-maintained second field, and the game commenced 90minutes behind schedule.
Withseveral runner-up games already cancelled due to weather, Herts was eager toget proceedings underway and avoid an unnecessary postponement. They were present, they were warmed and theywere fired up. The growing crowd wasequally impatient; the excitement of an inevitable climax hung in the air.
Flashbackto July 6 2008: Oxford Kings travel to a rain-soaked Grovehill for a crucialcross-division matchup. Capitalizing as the away team,
It was nosurprise then that Kings Manager Santo Bains chose to again be the away teamwhen he won the coin toss prior to Sunday’s final… a gamble that
Darrin “TheColonel” Ward took the mound seeking revenge – having suffered his only loss ofthe season to
With noscore and two outs in the bottom of the 2nd, and Kimiyoshi Saionjion third base, rightfielder Aspi Dimitrov connected on a 1-and-2 count for aline drive up the middle, bringing home the first run of the game. Herts had taken a lead they would neverrelinquish. In the top of the 3rdwith the bases loaded and one out, Ward’s legendary changeup forced Oxford intoan infield fly and a foul-pop to catcher Greenberg ending the threat.
The windbeneath their wings, the Falcons quickly tacked on three more runs in thebottom of the inning on two hits and two Kings’ errors. Despite a string of four hits by Oxfordscoring two runs in the fourth (including a to-the-fence double from Machado),the Falcons brought their lead to 6-2 with precision defense, a triple fromClub President Dimitrov and timely strikeouts from the crafty Ward. Machado wasn’t finished; he crushed a hangingbreaking ball over the right field wall for the game’s final run (the Kings’third)… but no amount of muscle could combat Herts dogged determination. Outfielder and lightening-bolt Jim Hyde wasejected in the bottom-of-the-6th for attempting to score on a groundball to the left side. Although photoevidence shows him under the tag, the umpire punched him out and Hyde,incensed, pounded his helmet into the batters circle. It was that kind of never-die grit that keptHerts on top despite the game’s mounting pressure.
With theFalcons leading 6-3 in the top of the seventh, a strikeout, a fly-out and apop-out brought the AAA season to an end. The natural finalists – first in their respective League brackets – haddone battle in the inclement English weather, in front of the BBF’s top umpiresand officials and to the delight of their many supporting fans. The Herts Falcons were crowned National Champions,taking the trophy from their scrappy opponents in what proved the tightest,hardest-fought contest of the 2008 Final 4. It was a showdown for the annals, and will be hotly remembered in theseason to come when Herts and
2008 saw animprobable rise to the top for the Herts Baseball Club. Weathering demotion, re-promotion and nowcoronation, the Falcons’ successes have made for a glory season of resurgenceand optimism. They garnered the bestwin-loss record in the AAA, bested every opponent they faced, and allowed thefewest runs of any team in the League. AsBBF President Rob Rance presented the championship trophy, he offeredencouraging words of support to Hertfordshire’s ballclub, saying “Herts is agreat programme – a class act – the kind of Club that the BBF needs to helpthis country develop the game. Congratulations to the Falcons on a fine season.”
| Oxford Kings at Herts Falcons | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score By Innings | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
| Oxford Kings | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 2 |
| Herts Falcons | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 5 |
| Herts Falcons 6, Oxford Kings 3 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herts Falcons | Oxford Kings | ||||||||
| ab | r | h | bi | ab | r | h | bi | ||
| Jim Hyde lf | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | Player 1 p | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| (t7) Greg Bochan rf | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Player 2 c | 5 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Andy Cornish 3b | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Player 3 1b | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jason Greenberg c | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Player 4 2b | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Kimiyoshi Saionji 2b | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | Player 5 3b | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Dan Kerry cf | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Player 6 ss | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Marty Cullen 1b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Player 7 lf | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Aspi Dimitrov rf-lf | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | Player 8 cf | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Nick Goetz ss | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Player 9 rf | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Darrin Ward p | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| TEAM TOTALS | 27 | 6 | 9 | 5 | TEAM TOTALS | 35 | 3 | 11 | 3 |
| E: Nick Goetz(3), Marty Cullen, Darrin Ward, Player 1, Player 4. DP: Oxford Kings 1. LOB: Herts Falcons 7, Oxford Kings 15. 2B: Player 2, Player 9. 3B: Aspi Dimitrov. HR: Player 2. SB: Jim Hyde(2), Dan Kerry. CS: Player 2. |
| Herts Falcons | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| Darrin Ward W | 7.00 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
| Oxford Kings | ||||||
| Player 1 L | 6.00 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| HBP: by Darrin Ward (Player 3). . , by Player 1 (Jim Hyde). . . , by Player 1 (Jim Hyde). . PB: Player 2. T: 2:28. A: 151. |
| Oxford Kings – Top of the 1st: Player 1 struck out looking. Player 2 reached on error, caught trying to steal 2nd. Player 3 hit by pitch. Player 4 struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB. |
| Herts Falcons – Bottom of the 1st: Jim Hyde singled, forced out at 2nd. Andy Cornish hit into double play. Jason Greenberg struck out swinging. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB. |
| Oxford Kings – Top of the 2nd: Player 5 walked, forced out at 2nd. Player 6 reached on fielder's choice, batted forward to 2nd. Player 7 singled. Player 8 struck out looking. Player 9 grounded out. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB. |
| Herts Falcons – Bottom of the 2nd: Kimiyoshi Saionji walked, batted forward to home. Dan Kerry struck out looking. Marty Cullen grounded out. Aspi Dimitrov singled, 1 RBI. Nick Goetz struck out looking. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB. |
| Oxford Kings – Top of the 3rd: Player 1 walked, batted forward to 2nd, forced out at 3rd. Player 2 singled, batted forward to 3rd. Player 3 reached on fielder's choice, batted forward to 2nd. Player 4 singled. Player 5 out by infield fly rule. Player 6 popped out. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB. |
| Herts Falcons – Bottom of the 3rd: Darrin Ward grounded out. Jim Hyde hit by pitch, advanced to 3rd on error, advanced to home on passed ball. Andy Cornish reached on error, advanced to 2nd on error, advanced to 3rd on passed ball, batted forward to home. Jason Greenberg reached on error, advanced to 2nd on passed ball, batted forward to home. Kimiyoshi Saionji singled, advanced to 2nd on throw, batted forward to 3rd, tagged out going to home, 2 RBI. Dan Kerry singled, stole 2nd. Marty Cullen flied out. 3 runs, 2 hits, 2 errors, 1 LOB. |
| Oxford Kings – Top of the 4th: Player 7 flied out. Player 8 singled, batted forward to home. Player 9 singled, batted forward to home. Player 1 singled, batted forward to 3rd. Player 2 doubled, 2 RBI. Player 3 grounded out. Player 4 walked. Player 5 flied out. 2 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB. |
| Herts Falcons – Bottom of the 4th: Aspi Dimitrov tripled, batted forward to home. Nick Goetz struck out swinging. Darrin Ward singled, forced out at 2nd, 1 RBI. Jim Hyde reached on fielder's choice, batted forward to home. Andy Cornish singled, batted forward to 3rd. Jason Greenberg singled, batted forward to 2nd, 1 RBI. Kimiyoshi Saionji walked. Dan Kerry popped out. 2 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB. |
| Oxford Kings – Top of the 5th: Player 6 singled, forced out at 2nd. Player 7 struck out looking. Player 8 reached on error, batted forward to 3rd. Player 9 doubled. Player 1 grounded out. 0 runs, 2 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB. |
| Herts Falcons – Bottom of the 5th: Marty Cullen grounded out. Aspi Dimitrov struck out looking. Nick Goetz singled. Darrin Ward grounded out. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB. |
| Oxford Kings – Top of the 6th: Player 2 hit solo home run, 1 RBI. Player 3 grounded out. Player 4 popped out. Player 5 singled, advanced to 3rd on error. Player 6 reached on error, advanced to 2nd on error. Player 7 reached on error. Player 8 grounded out. 1 run, 2 hits, 2 errors, 3 LOB. |
| Herts Falcons – Bottom of the 6th: Jim Hyde hit by pitch, stole 2nd, stole 3rd, tagged out going to home. Hyde ejected for tossing helmet after being called out at home. It must be noted that Hyde did not say a single word to the umpire and this may have just been due to frustration. Hyde wouldn't have been ejected if this had happened in an MLB game. Andy Cornish popped out. Jason Greenberg reached on fielder's choice. Kimiyoshi Saionji popped out. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB. |
| Oxford Kings – Top of the 7th: Player 9 struck out swinging. Player 1 reached on error, advanced to 2nd on error. Player 2 flied out. Player 3 popped out. Falcons are AAA Champions…Falcons are AAA Chapmions…Go crazy folks…go crazy 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB. |
HERTS QUALIFY, PILOTS SHOT DOWN OVER CROYDON
The diamond was drenched in déjà vu. Only one year ago the Herts first-team were onthis same field… facing the same opposition.
In the 2007 National Championships, the Falcons metthe Humber Pilots in the AA Final. Relegated from the Premier League the season before, Herts weredetermined to cap their walk-over winning season with a trophy and trip backinto the AAA. But sloppy first-inningdefense and ineffective pitching allowed
Here we go again. Humber – also promoted to the AAA in the Northern bracket – made thelong trek due south from
Mayday! Mayday!
These were not the same Falcons. Herts charged into 2008 with a full head ofsteam. New leadership brought a wholenew approach. With a focus on improvedtraining methods and a unifying philosophy, these Falcons sported adetermination and team commitment unrivalled in years past. The emergence of additional talent – newfoundand home grown – meant that Herts brought improved speed, pitching, defense andpower to an already successful lineup. The Pilots were in for a dogfight.
In a complete reversal of their last encounter, theFalcons won the coin toss, took the home side dugout and readied themselves fora tooth-and-nail showdown. The Pilotsseemed to take an early advantage when 2007 Best Pitcher Nic Goetz got off to aherky-jerky start walking the first two batters and beaning the third. But the threat was quickly silenced. Catcher Jason Greenberg gunned down awould-be base-stealer for the first out of the game, and a line-drive doubleplay by third baseman Darrin Ward brought the inning to the end. Herts wasted no time in embracing theirmomentum. In the bottom of the 1st,speedy leadoff batter Jim Hyde walked, stole second and was brought home on adouble from slugger Andy Cornish. Twomore hits, two walks, a hit batter and a suicide squeeze brought in anadditional four runs for the Falcons who, in a reversal of fortunes of their2007 championship game, had an early 5-0 lead… and a confidence that evenMother Nature couldn’t quash.
Goetz quickly found his focus and dominated the
The game was not without controversy. The two-man ump crew of Petter Nordwall andDarrin Muller hand their hands full with the frustrated
On the positive side, Herts busted out the bigbats. Cornish connected for two doublesand a monster-run for 4 RBI. MartyCullen and Darrin Ward also doubled, and Ward smacked a two-run blast of hisown. Second-baseman Kimiyoshi Saionjiwent 4-for-4 with 4 RBI including a three-run dinger. The Falcons flew around the base-pathsstealing 8-of-8 and hustling out two triples from Jim “T-Devil” Hyde and Dan“Hollywood” Kerry.
As the Falcons packed up their rain-soaked gear withthe knowledge that
BOX SCORE
| Humber Pilots at Herts Falcons | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score By Innings | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | R | H | E |
| Humber Pilots | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Herts Falcons | 5 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 21 | 19 | 2 |
| Herts Falcons 21, Humber Pilots 1 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herts Falcons | Humber Pilots | ||||||||
| ab | r | h | bi | ab | r | h | bi | ||
| Jim Hyde lf | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | M Radge cf | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Andy Cornish ss | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | S Radge 2b | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jason Greenberg c | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | C Radge ss | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kimiyoshi Saionji 2b | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | A Maltby c | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Darrin Ward 3b | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | B Webb p | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| (t4) Peter Kikel 3b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | M Gilbert 3b | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dan Kerry cf | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | S Mayhew lf | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| (t4) Tim Elkins cf | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | K McThitas 1b | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Marty Cullen 1b | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | P Senn rf | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Greg Bochan rf | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| (b3) Rodney Naghar rf | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Lee Manning dh | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| Nick Goetz p | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| Aspi Dimitrov p | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| TEAM TOTALS | 31 | 21 | 19 | 17 | TEAM TOTALS | 15 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| E: Andy Cornish, Darrin Ward, M Gilbert(2), C Radge, M Radge. LOB: Humber Pilots 4, Herts Falcons 6. 2B: Andy Cornish(2), Darrin Ward, Marty Cullen. 3B: Jim Hyde, Dan Kerry. HR: Kimiyoshi Saionji, Andy Cornish, Darrin Ward. SB: Andy Cornish(2), Jim Hyde(2), Jason Greenberg(2), Kimiyoshi Saionji, Dan Kerry. CS: M Radge, S Mayhew. SB: Marty Cullen. |
| Herts Falcons | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| Nick Goetz W | 4.00 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| Aspi Dimitrov | 1.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Humber Pilots | ||||||
| B Webb L | 4.00 | 19 | 21 | 16 | 5 | 3 |
| HBP: by Nick Goetz (C Radge), by B Webb (Dan Kerry). . . , by B Webb (Lee Manning). . Balk: B Webb. T: 2:00. A: 151. |
| Humber Pilots – Top of the 1st: M Radge walked, caught trying to steal 2nd. S Radge walked, batted forward to 2nd, tagged out going to 3rd. C Radge hit by pitch. A Maltby lined out. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB. |
| Herts Falcons – Bottom of the 1st: Jim Hyde singled, stole 2nd, batted forward to home. Andy Cornish doubled, stole 3rd, batted forward to home, 1 RBI. Jason Greenberg grounded out. Kimiyoshi Saionji singled, stole 2nd, batted forward to home, 1 RBI. Darrin Ward walked, batted forward to 3rd, advanced to home on error. Dan Kerry hit by pitch, batted forward to 2nd, advanced to 3rd on error, batted forward to home. Marty Cullen sacrifice bunted, 1 RBI. Greg Bochan singled, 1 RBI. Lee Manning grounded out. 5 runs, 4 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB. |
| Humber Pilots – Top of the 2nd: B Webb grounded out. M Gilbert struck out looking. S Mayhew reached on error, caught trying to steal 2nd. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 0 LOB. |
| Herts Falcons – Bottom of the 2nd: Jim Hyde walked, stole 2nd, batted forward to home. Andy Cornish hit 2-run home run, 2 RBI. Jason Greenberg reached on error, stole 2nd, batted forward to home. Kimiyoshi Saionji singled, batted forward to home, 1 RBI. Darrin Ward doubled, batted forward to home, 1 RBI. Dan Kerry singled, stole 2nd, advanced to 3rd on balk, batted forward to home, 1 RBI. Marty Cullen singled, batted forward to 3rd, 1 RBI. Greg Bochan flied out. Lee Manning flied out. Jim Hyde singled, advanced to 2nd on error, picked off. 6 runs, 6 hits, 2 errors, 1 LOB. |
| Humber Pilots – Top of the 3rd: K McThitas singled, forced out at 2nd. P Senn reached on fielder's choice, batted forward to home. M Radge popped out. S Radge singled, batted forward to 3rd. C Radge walked, batted forward to 2nd. A Maltby walked, 1 RBI. B Webb grounded out. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB. |
| Herts Falcons – Bottom of the 3rd: Andy Cornish doubled, batted forward to 3rd, stole home. Jason Greenberg singled, stole 2nd, batted forward to home. Kimiyoshi Saionji singled, batted forward to home. Darrin Ward hit 2-run home run, 2 RBI. Dan Kerry tripled, advanced to home on error. Marty Cullen reached on error, batted forward to home. Rodney Naghar struck out swinging. Lee Manning popped out. Jim Hyde tripled, 1 RBI. Andy Cornish grounded out. 6 runs, 6 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB. |
| Humber Pilots – Top of the 4th: M Gilbert reached on error, forced out at 2nd. S Mayhew lined out. K McThitas grounded out. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 0 LOB. |
| Herts Falcons – Bottom of the 4th: Jason Greenberg walked, batted forward to home. Kimiyoshi Saionji hit 2-run home run, 2 RBI. Peter Kikel struck out looking. Tim Elkins walked, batted forward to home. Marty Cullen doubled, batted forward to home. Rodney Naghar singled, batted forward to 3rd, 1 RBI. Lee Manning hit by pitch, batted forward to 2nd. Jim Hyde struck out looking. Andy Cornish walked, 1 RBI. Jason Greenberg grounded out. 4 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB. |
| Humber Pilots – Top of the 5th: P Senn grounded out. M Radge grounded out. S Radge struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. |
(VIDEO) BASEBALL IS TALK OF THE TOWN
This Saturday the town centre in Hemel Hempstead had an added baseball flavour. Members of the adult and Little League teams of Herts Baseball Club alongside Little League parents invaded the Riverside Shopping Centre. This was billed as a fundraising event for the club’s Grovehill Ballpark Project, but it was about a lot more than just raising funds. This was an opportunity for the club to spread news of the great work it does for the local community and the fantastic opportunities it offers for youngsters and adults to play baseball by joining one of the best and coolest sports clubs in the UK.
It was impressive to see so many members of the public who were already aware of Herts Baseball Club and the game of baseball. Those who did not know that baseball is being played right on their doorstep, took the club’s recruitment flyer and the club is very happy to report that within hours of the event, the club’s website started to receive enquiries about joining the Herts Baseball Little League and the Herts adult teams. Herts Little League Vice President, Marty Cullen, said: “This was a very successful event and we intend to do more promotional events in the future. We certainly hope that we will have the opportunity to say hello again to the many people who we met today, but this time in our home at Grovehill Ballpark.”
Many shoppers had the opportunity to take part in the Baseball Quiz to test their baseball knowledge and they certainly did well despite some hesitation earlier in the day.
Amazingly, one of the Quiz contestants turned out to be a relative of New York Mets third baseman, David Wright. It is beyond belief that one of the superstars of baseball who can be regularly seen on the front covers of the world’s major sports magazines, has a relative right here in Hemel Hempstead. But then again, Hemel Hempstead is becoming something of a central point for baseball in the UK, so it makes sense that UK-based relatives of baseball stars would be living in Hemel Hempstead.
The undoubted stars of the day were the Little League boys and girls who were buzzing around from start to finish with their collection buckets. In total they single-handedly raised £177.96 from the very generous residents of Hemel and other parts of Hertfordshire – an amazing achievement by the Little Leaguers.
Many members of the public also left their good luck video messages to the Herts Falcons ahead of their games in the AAA British National Championships Final 4 on 6-7 September.
Herts Baseball Club wants to thank the Riverside Shopping Centre in Hemel for allowing this fundraising event to take place on their premises.
Can you believe it? New York Mets third baseman, David Wright,
has relatives right here in Hemel Hempstead.