Category: Club News

Herts invites candidates for Manager of its first league team in NW London

Three months remain until the Opening Day of the 2019 BBF baseball league season and the various components for the unveiling of the first NW London-based Herts team are coming together. The Club is now actively looking for a manager of that BBF league team as well as a manager of the Herts youth team in North West London.

There are a total of six positions which the club is looking to fill at the moment and they also include Manager of the Herts Buzzards softball team and Herts U11 baseball Team Manager both of which are based at the club’s ballpark in Hemel Hempstead.

Below is a full list of the vacancies and the links contain additional information about each role.  If you require more details or are interested to put your name forward for any of these roles, please contact us.

Team Manager, Senior BBF Leagues (NW London) (click for details)

Team Manager, Youth Baseball Leagues (NW London) (click for details)

Team Manager, U11 Baseball League (Hemel Hempstead) (click for details)

Team Manager, Softball (Hemel Hempstead) (click for details)

Head Coach, Midweek Evening Baseball (NW London) (click for details)

Game Day and Venue Manager – HSL (click for details)

An injection of Youngblood

“Yeah! That’s an RBI, that’s an RBI! Well done!” The athletic man in the Grovehill dugout applauded enthusiastically as a hit drove in another run for Herts. He looked right at home.

But his more usual place was on the sideline of a basketball court, not a baseball diamond. For this was Robert Youngblood, the Head Coach of the Hemel Storm of Britain’s National League Division 1.

In 2018, the Storm surpassed themselves by winning the National Cup, a knockout tournament not unlike the FA cup or… well…like nothing which exists in baseball.

They also progressed deep into their league playoffs in Division One in the Spring. They beat Solent Kestrels and Reading Rockets and staged a comeback in the final against Worthing Thunder before just coming up short.

In June, Coach Youngblood came down to Herts baseball club at Grovehill for a bit of cross-sports co-operation. The Herts youth teams were playing BBF Super League games against Brighton and London Sports. And – like any good ball club – we like to get a celebrity to throw out the opening pitch.

After chatting with the players as they warmed up, Youngblood took to his starring role with the ease of a veteran performer. Taking the mound, he waved to the crowds, and warmed up a little with a couple of trial pitches.

This was clearly a guy who took success seriously. There would be no dolly-drops here, no eephus pitch. This was going to be a heater in the zone. It smacked the glove. Personal pride had been satisfied.

Youngblood joined the Hemel Storm in the summer of 2017 and has helped to step the team up a gear.

He’d had a successful career as a player in the British and European basketball leagues – playing for Milton Keynes Lions, London Towers and Leicester Riders, as well as spells in the German Bundesliga.

He ended his career in the top ten of several key statistical categories – including points, rebounds and blocks.

As a coach, he led Essex Leopards to playoffs and trophies, and was on the staff of the London Lions of the BBL before heading to Hemel.

Way, way back when, as a kid in Florida, he had played baseball. It’s common for US kids to play all sports before opting for their best. So his visit to Grovehill clearly stirred memories.

Youngblood had been a catcher as a kid. It went fine for a while, but he had trouble with the mask. It never quite fit correctly, he couldn’t see so well. So he would wear it hitched up a little….

You can see where this is going can’t you?

One day his luck ran out and he took a foul ball right in the noggin. His catching career ended there.

“I played outfield from then on” he said, “to keep a safe distance. But I wasn’t such a good outfielder…”

Coach Youngblood certainly put his all into training with the Herts Under-8s and Under-11s once the Under 15s had got their games under way.

He talked dedication, and the fun of Florida and Disneyworld. He talked playing as a team, and enjoying what you do.

He pitched to some batters, took his hacks at the plate, and ran the bases. And he did it all with his Reese’s Pieces in his pocket. The mark of a true pro.

MLB dress code for Herts Baseball Club AGM

Herts Baseball Club has confirmed that its 22nd Annual General Meeting will take place on Sunday, 13 January 2019. To celebrate the 2019 MLB London Series the AGM will have an MLB-themed dress code as members and other attendees are invited to wear MLB jerseys and caps of their choice.

In 2018 the club continued its growth and success on and off the field. The AGM will provide a deeper understanding of the club’s present position, and will set out the plans for 2019 and beyond. Members will receive the AGM Information Pack in due course and that will give a better idea of what to expect at the meeting.

In accordance with the Constitution, a number of Board positions will be up for election at the upcoming AGM either as part of the annual retirement of a third of the Board positions or because they are vacant.

The club is now inviting nominations for the following Board positions:

• Treasurer
• Secretary
• Shop Manager
• Facilities Manager
• Head of U17 Baseball
• Head of U15 Baseball
• Head of U13 Baseball
• Head of U11 Baseball
• Head of U8 Baseball

Note: The leagues which Herts teams will enter in 2019 will not be known until after the AGM. The Club may also enter additional teams in the BBF leagues.

Those who are interested to put their name forward or second a nomination can contact the club for more details.

Although only 2018 club members have the right to vote at the AGM, the meeting is very much open to former members and those who are considering joining the club in 2019 as players, members of staff, volunteers and fans. This is a good opportunity for newcomers to learn more about the club and meet its members. The meeting is also open to observers who are not members of the Club. Non-members who plan to attend would need to advise the club in advance as spaces are limited. If you are not a current member and wish to attend the AGM please contact the club.

The AGM will be held just a few minutes away from Grovehill Ballpark, at JFK Catholic School, which Herts baseball teams use as their indoor winter training.

Date: Sunday, 13 January 2019

Time: 2:15pm (expected to end at around 5:45pm)

Venue: John F Kennedy Catholic School, Hollybush Lane, Hemel Hempstead HP1 2PH (Map)

Directions: The meeting will take place in Conference Room B24 which is in the Admin Building which is adjacent to the Sports Hall building (with the cedar-cladding). You can use the car park next to the cedar-clad building. If there are no car park spaces, you can also park at the main car park.

Food and Drink: Refreshments and hot food will be served during the AGM

Human highlight reels: Herts 2018 MVPs

The 2018 season saw Herts baseball club take another step forward, and it is time to celebrate some of those who powered us on.

Adult and youth players have been voting for their Most Valuable Player (MVP) of 2018, and the contests have been close as always. We can now **drum roll** unveil the results.

The Herts Falcons of the National Baseball League (NBL) were a cherry on top of the club’s year, making a stunning run through the playoffs to reach the final series at Farnham Park against the London Mets.

The Falcons players chose slugger (and outfielder/pitcher) Walter Bates as their MVP, acknowledging the impact he has made since joining the team.

Walter’s highlights for the year included going for 6-for-7 with three triples against the London Capitals in June, and winning a home run derby against a former Marlins organisation player, Chris Squires, at a summer exhibition event.

He also helped support the club online, spreading the word about Herts and British baseball generally – and was the first to sign up for 2019 once registration opened.

Walter Bates after beating Chris Squires in a home run contest

The Herts Double-A side, the Hawks, had another impressive year which saw them end with a 18-4 record in their second year after promotion.

Team stalwart Jon Lewys was once again instrumental in their success and his team-mates rewarded him with the MVP award.

He led the team in hits, and also played stellar defense both in the outfield and at second base. Hawks Manager Michael Cresswell said he was great to have on the team, consistently putting in great performances and fully deserving the award.

There was a fitting — even poetic – result to the voting among Herts Raptors players. They chose Paul Auchterlounie as their MVP. Paul is one of the club’s longest serving members, and at the end of the 2018 season he retired from playing for good.

After joining the Raptors to act as a mentoring catcher to young pitchers, he became a reliable go-to starting pitcher himself, and a consistent bat. He still did a bit of catching, and still helped out young players (especially to guide them away from their appalling choices of music).

Paul Auchterlounie in action

The 2018 season of British baseball suffered at many levels from some organisational problems. That affected the Herts youth teams as much as anyone, interrupting the flow of games. But they still put in a great year of performances.

Joshua Badenhorst was voted the MVP for the Under-15 team, recognising a year in which he was not only an ace pitcher and catcher but also a valuable utility player. He pitched a great game against London Sports in the UK Little League qualifier, and went 4-for-5 with the bat as an added bonus.

He has impressed with his positive attitude and team leadership – with opposing coaches even offering their praise. Josh was also valuable behind the scenes for the club, going the extra mile to help to set up and clear away the field at games.

The Under-13s perhaps suffered more than most due to issues with their game schedule, and a fluctuating line-up. But the MVP award went to Nathan Mudd. Coach Dana Myzer agreed he had deserved the accolade, praising him for his heart, and determination.

The U-11s get a team talk at Farnham Park

The Under-11 players voted Leon Gutowski their MVP. The team capped their year with an impressive run at the Youth National Baseball Championships at Farnham Park in September.

Leon played a key role as they won both of their pool games – including a dramatic walk-off against a powerful London Sports side – to reach the final. They were the first Herts youth team to achieve that feat since 2013.

The contest for a Play of the Year — which is voted on by all players from across the club – produced a very close result. Anthony Lavender’s spectacular diving catch for the Hawks against the London Marauders was locked in a tough battle with Alex Deacon’s double play in the NBL final.

Deacon’s moment of brilliance came out on top, and he takes the prize. In Game 1 of the final against the London Mets, he made an improbable catch at second base on a ball which looked certain to get over his head. Smartly, he threw to second base to double off the runner.

Spectators couldn’t stop talking about the defensive play of the game — which was seen by a wider audience because of the BBF streaming the game on YouTube. Now it has won Alex Deacon the coveted Herts Play of the Year, too.

Alex Deacon flashes leather in the NBL final

 

 

Another view: the best seats in the house?

The imminent arrival of MLB into the UK with the London Series next June has sparked plentiful debate about how to get the best tickets – and where those tickets will be. Herts’ new contributing writer Rachel Steinberg – a veteran of many games – offers a view on the best views:

From behind home plate at AT&T Park (photo: Nick Jio via Unsplash)

If you’re new to watching Major League Baseball, viewing the recently-released seating chart for the upcoming London Series might have felt more like looking into a kaleidoscope than at a sporting pitch.

Though the details of prices left a lot of us wondering if we were going to be able to attend at all, here are some things to consider when you look at what you were able to buy from Ticketmaster this week.

Home plate

Good for: being in the thick of the action, pitching, batting, umpiring

If you’re captivated by the grace of a curveball as it paints the outside corner of the strike zone or thrilled by the thwack of a 95-mile-per-hour fastball as it hits the catcher’s mitt, you’ll want to sit near home plate.

You’ll be able to criticise the umpire’s strike zone with more accuracy than your friend sitting in centre field, watch as batters adjust their technique for different types of pitches, and be front and centre when the winning run slides in.

Find yourself on the seating chart for the London Series

Field level infield

 Good for: defence, catching foul balls, heckling

Have you ever seen a textbook double (or triple) play and marvelled at the precision? Have you gasped as a shortstop’s quick leap prevented an RBI? If so, sitting along the first or third base lines might be your top choice.

These sections will also put you in the likeliest seats for catching a foul ball, but please, please don’t be the guy who interferes with an out. No one wants to be the next Steve Bartman. If a player is running toward you to catch a foul, give him space to make the out before staking a claim for a souvenir. He might even steal your nachos.

Hot tip: Increase your chances of snagging a foul by bringing your glove – or your kid.

Fans of a particular team will often choose to sit near their team’s dugout. For this series, the ‘visiting’ Yankees will be along the third base line and the ‘home team’ Red Sox will be on the first base side.

Baseball is less regimented than football when it comes to seating, so feel free to don your pinstripes or rock that Beantown ball cap on either side of the stadium—just be prepared for some gentle ribbing by opposing fans no matter where you sit.

The upper-level infield

Good for: perspective

It’s no wonder the press boxes are higher up in the stadium—the bird’s-eye view allows for a holistic understanding of the whole game. If sitting at home plate is a close-up, sitting up here is a pan shot that allows you to see what’s going on everywhere.  From here, you can appreciate the big picture, from the infamous infield shift to baserunning strategy.

Good to know: historically, the Yankees haven’t worn names on the back of their jerseys and the Red Sox don’t have names on their home uniforms. If you’re hoping to keep track of players on these teams, you may want to familiarise yourself with their numbers and positions!

The outfield

Good for: dramatic catches, pitching, home runs

Sure, you’re far from the infield action, but there is a lot to be said for seats in the outfield. If you’ve ever seen Kevin ‘Superman’ Pillar dive for a pop fly or Mike Trout scale a wall to steal a home run, you know what I mean. Plus, you might get lucky and catch a home run ball (for your best chances, pick a seat on the lower level in left field).

The outfield is also a great place to watch pitching, particularly if you can snag seats above one of the bullpens where you’re likely to see multiple relief pitchers warming up their stuff.

Seats by the bullpen at Angel Stadium (photo: Rachel Steinberg)

Though the configuration of the London Series bullpens is unclear from the seating chart, sitting near the pen often means being able to watch baseball players watch baseball, as off-duty relievers will still sit and watch the on-field action.

Fun fact: keep an eye out for a relief pitcher carrying what looks like a toddler’s backpack. While he could be a huge Frozen fan, chances are he is the team’s newest rookie reliever. In MLB tradition, that means carrying around the bullpen’s snacks in humiliatingly juvenile rucksack.

That bullpen rucksack (photo: Rachel Steinberg)

Boxes and suites

Good for: impressing your friends or clients, easy access to food and beer

If you’ve managed to find your way into a corporate box or the VIP hospitality section, you probably don’t need me to tell you the advantages of sitting in these seats. Please enjoy your complimentary beer, ‘American-themed food options’ and proximity to ‘MLB legends’.

Also, please adopt me.

The cheapest seats in the house

Good for: fun company, bragging rights

You won’t find serious suits trying to impress their clients in these seats, just fans and fans-to-be looking to have a great day out at the ballpark.

If sitting here is anything like the cheapest seats at Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium, where I’ve experienced some of the most boisterous fans in baseball, it will be a fun place to take in the games.

Let’s face it: for the price of some of the tickets to this series, many have argued you might as well fly to New York or Boston to catch a game. So why buy tickets for the London Series?

Bragging rights. Perhaps more than any other sport, baseball places an enormous emphasis on its own history. There will only be one first-ever MLB series in London, and whether you ended up paying £30 or £385, you will be one of the lucky few able to say you were there to witness it.

**

Rachel Steinberg is a former Little League Umpire and freelance writer. So far, she has visited 11 MLB stadiums, 4 MiLB stadiums and two stadiums in the Dominican Professional Baseball League. She hopes to add the London Stadium to this list very soon….

Advice for Herts fans before Monday’s MLB London Series advance ticket sales

Herts Baseball Club issued the following guidance for its members and fans ahead of Monday’s advance ticket sales.

Thank you to all who took part in our recent survey to help enhance the MLB London Series experience for Herts fans. Most of you would have seen the ticket prices announced yesterday (see map above) and many would have been disappointed that the more affordable tickets cover such a small proportion of the stadium.

But do not despair. Thanks to your feedback, we think we have identified reasonably affordable ways to enjoy this historic occasion which is expected to be a game-changer for baseball in this country.

  • Many Herts fans appear to be happy to pay up to £60.
  • Category 8 tickets are priced at £60 and are relatively good outfield seats given the proximity of centerfield compared to left field and right field blocks. Therefore those seats are likely to be closer to the action than Category 7, 9 and 10.
  • Category 9 and 10 are further away from the field, but are at a lower price of £45 and £30, respectively.
  • There are Herts fans who would like to be closer to the action and are happy to pay the higher prices.
  • If you plan to attend only one of the games, more Herts fans will be going to the Saturday game, so aim for that game if you want to increase the chance of sitting near a Herts fan. Another reason to aim for Saturday is that we are considering organising the screening of the Sunday game on a big screen with food, drinks and other activities. MLB may also organise a similar “Fan Park” event with a big screen so there may be an affordable option for the British baseball community to enjoy the occasion together.
  • For Herts fans who want a higher probability of seating next to each other, aim for Category 8, Blocks 236 to 230 (the closer to Block 236 the better)
  • MLB will soon be sending an email to registered fans with their personal code which they will need when purchasing tickets on ticketmaster.
  • Old Ticketmaster.com accounts cannot be used.  If you have not done so already, you can set up a new account at www.ticketmaster.co.uk/member now, which will save you time at checkout.
  • If you plan to buy more than 8 tickets you will need two different codes and two different credit/debit cards as there is a limit of 8 tickets per code and per card. In such circumstances it is advisable that the cardholders are different.
  • We don’t know how many tickets will be released for pre-sale buyers at 10am on Monday, 3 December, and whether the system will withstand the demand. It would help if Herts fans could share their ticket-purchasing experience by tweeting @hertsbaseball or on the Herts Facebook page. We will then share any helpful advice to Herts fans via Twitter and Facebook.
  • If you missed today’s deadline to register or advance tickets sell out before you manage to get yours, we have been informed of an opportunity for members of BBF clubs to register to buy tickets on 5 December before they go on general sale on 6 December. Herts members should check their emails for a message from the club containing a registration link.

Adult and youth players now registering for the 2019 Herts baseball and softball season

Player registration for the 2019 season has commenced.

ADULT BASEBALL LEAGUES

Last season three Herts teams entered the BBF senior baseball leagues. How many teams will represent Herts in 2019? The next few weeks will be critical to see how many players will register to play for Herts in 2019 and on the basis of this the club will decide how many teams to enter before the BBF league entry deadline, and which leagues the teams will play in.

 

KEY DATES – ADULT TEAMS

February – players report for indoor Spring Training

March – first open-air training session of 2019

23-24 March – Start of the 2019 Herts Spring League (subject to confirmation of the BBF League Opening Day)*

23-24 March – Great Britain National Team Tryouts (senior and youth teams)

7 April – BBF National Baseball League and Triple-A League Opening Day (subject to confirmation)*

14 April – BBF Double-A and Single-A League Opening Day (subject to confirmation)*

May-August – Midweek Evening Baseball

10-16 June – Herts Falcons in the European Federation Cup

29-30 June – MLB London Series (See details below)

August-September* – BBF Postseason Playoffs and National Championships

September-October – Hunlock Series

* – these are preliminary dates. The BBF will be making its official announcements in due course.

YOUTH BASEBALL LEAGUES

The British Baseball Federation launched the Super League in 2017. It enhanced the youth baseball regular season and it is expected to be even more exciting in 2019. Many of our youth players will be moving up to the next age group to face a different challenge in 2019. They will be joined by the new players who are joining the club every week. The Herts youth teams welcome boys and girls aged between 4 and 17 from complete beginners to experienced players.

KEY DATES – YOUTH TEAMS

February – U18, U15, U13 and U11 players report for indoor Spring Training

March – first open-air training session of 2019

23-24 March – Great Britain National Team Tryouts (senior and youth teams)

April – U8 players report for their first session

7-14 April – U18, U15, U13, U11, U8 Season Opening Day*

June – Little League UK Qualifiers (U17, U15, U13, U11)

29-30 June – MLB London Series (See details below)

July-August – Little League Europe Qualifier (Poland and Italy) and Little League World Series (USA) (subject to qualification)

September – National Youth Baseball Championships (U18, U15, U13, U11)

September – Herts Futures Tournament (U18, U15, U13, U11, U8)

* – these are preliminary dates. The BBF will be making its official announcements in due course.

SOFTBALL

In 2017 Herts Baseball Club launched its softball programme which has enabled the club to offer playing opportunities to a much wider audience and to women in particular. Slowpitch Softball is the more recreational version of the game, which is equally appealing to male and female players. Softball is a social and enjoyable game that’s easy to learn and play, even for people who are not “athletes” or don’t have much experience of team sports. The fact that men and women play together in the same team and on an equal level gives the sport a social buzz.

Softball Spring Training will commence in February. The first few sessions will be indoors. All equipment will be provided so anyone aged 14 and over can come and enjoy the day, meet new friends and try a new sport. These will be followed by indoor softball pre-season games. For more details about the Herts Softball Programme click here. If you are interested to come and try softball at any of the upcoming open sessions contact us and we will provide you with full details and add you to our mailing list.

MLB LONDON SERIES – BASEBALL IS COMING HOME

In case you have not heard, the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees will be playing two MLB official league games on 29 and 30 June 2019 in London. This is the first time that MLB games will be staged in Europe. Various events and activities will take place as part of the MLB London Series and details will be announced in due course.  For now, baseball fans are advised to pre-register not later than 4:59 pm on 29 November 2018 in order to be eligible to access pre-sale tickets when they go on sale at 10:00 am on Monday, 3 December 2019. Click here for full details.

FIRST LONDON-BASED HERTS TEAM IN THE BBF LEAGUES

The first Herts baseball team based in North West London is set to make its BBF League debut in 2019. The club is in the process of securing the NW London ballpark and putting all of the components together in order to unveil the team in time for Opening Day. 2019 Player Registration has just commenced (see details below). The online registration form will ask each adult and youth player to indicate whether they prefer to play their home league games in Hemel Hempstead or in NW London, or whether they would be happy with either. This will provide vital information to club management about how to go about forming the first team which will play in NW London without affecting existing teams based in Hemel Hempstead.

HOW TO REGISTER FOR THE 2019 HERTS BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL SEASON

Herts Baseball Club has commenced the 2019 registration process for adult and youth players. For those who already have a Herts Online Clubhouse account they will be prompted to register when they log on next time (click here to go to the Herts Online Club House and log on with your existing username and password). Those who are new to Herts and do not have a Herts online account will be able to register as members by completing this form. For more details about joining our teams in 2019 click here or contact us.

What name should the new Herts NW London-based team adopt and which league should they play in?

The first Herts baseball team based in North West London is set to make its BBF League debut in 2019. Apart from preparing the NW London ballpark for Opening Day, the club’s management also has to determine various other aspects such as the name and logo of the team, its uniform, which BBF league to enter, appoint a team manager and a lot more.

With the MLB London Series creating a real buzz in London and Hertfordshire, there is even the possibility of the club launching more than one new team in NW London to play in the adult and youth leagues of the BBF.

 

When a new team is born, sports clubs take different approaches. Some choose an original name which is symbolic for the city or state which the team is based in such as the Arizona Diamondbacks (1998) or the Florida Marlins (1993). Others go for names with historical significance, such as the Washington Nationals who joined MLB in 2005. They were considering restoring the name of the Washington Senators who first played in the National League from 1892 to 1899. The Senators franchise moved to Minnesota in 1961 and in 1971 relocated to Texas where they continue to play as the Texas Rangers. The rights to the name Washington Senators was held by the Texas Rangers and the Washington franchise could not acquire it from them in 2005. Instead, they decided to go for the name Washington Nationals who first played in the American League between 1905 and 1956. However, they were successful in acquiring the curly “W” logo from the Rangers. There are other clubs who even turn to their fans to give the new team its name, at the risk of ending up with “Boaty McBoatface”.

“The name of the team has not been decided” said Herts board member, Aspi Dimitrov. He explained that the board has been considering this and “ideally, the club would like to retain the ‘Herts’ branding, while at the same time incorporate ‘London’ into the name, which limits our choice and it would be difficult to ask Herts fans to come up with a name within such a narrow criteria, but we would still like to hear the views of club members and fans on this”.

How about the uniform? Should we expect the first London-based Herts team to unveil a mind-blowing colour scheme such as the Miami Marlins, whose uniform, despite the team’s poor performances, has become a popular fashion item worn by celebrities? We understand that it has been decided to adopt the existing trademark Herts uniform as the club is keen not to add extra costs for those existing members who live in London and who already have that white Herts uniform.

The question which Herts fans will be most intrigued by is which BBF league will the team play in. That will depend to a large extent on the calibre of players on the roster. The club will shortly be launching its 2019 player registration. The online registration form will ask each adult and youth player to indicate whether they prefer to play their home league games in Hemel Hempstead or in NW London, or whether they would be happy with either. This will provide vital information to club management about how to go about forming the first team which will play in NW London without affecting existing teams based in Hemel Hempstead.

If there is a sudden influx of highly experienced players who would like to play in NW London, the club is keeping its options open about which of the four BBF leagues the team should apply for.

Of course, just as important is the formation of youth teams at the NW London branch of the club. The club is expected to adopt the same approach in the youth leagues and it would be interesting to see which department will grow faster in NW London – the adult or the youth baseball teams or perhaps softball.

How to buy tickets for the Yankees v Red Sox in London next year


NEW YORK YANKEES v BOSTON RED SOX
Saturday 29 June 2019, 6:10 pm British Summer Time
Sunday 30 June 2019, 3:10 pm British Summer Time
London Stadium, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London E20 2ST

A trip to see the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees slug it out IN LONDON next June might be the most exciting Christmas present ever!

Hot off the press, here are some important guidelines released by Major League Baseball on about securing tickets for these games. Tickets will sell out very quickly – so please read carefully to maximise your chances of getting some.

BUYING TICKETS
There will be two opportunities to secure tickets, and priority will be given to those who have Pre-Registered.

To Pre-Register for advanced ticket access, go to mlb.com/londonseries.

  • You have until 4:59 pm on 29 November 2018 to sign up.
  •  Advanced access to tickets will start at 10.00 am GMT on Monday 3 December 2018.
  •  If you have signed up, you will receive an email before 3 December containing a unique code and instructions on how to purchase tickets.  The code cannot be shared with others.
  •  Pre-registered fans can purchase up to eight single tickets across the two games.  The code may be used multiple times, but once you have purchased the maximum number of tickets it will cease to work.
  •  If you wish to purchase additional tickets, you can do so when general sale tickets are released at 10.00 am GMT on Thursday 6 December.

NOTE 1:  Pre-Registering does not guarantee ticket availability and therefore does not guarantee tickets to the games.

NOTE 2:  If you pre-registered for tickets when these games were first announced earlier this year, you do not need to register again.

General sale tickets will be available from 10.00 am GMT on Thursday 6 December 2018, sold through Ticketmaster.

For all purchases, you are likely to need a new Ticketmaster account.  Existing Ticketmaster.com accounts cannot be used.  You can set up an account at www.ticketmaster.co.uk/member now, which will save you time at checkout.

CHOOSING SEATS

  • Tickets will vary in price depending on where you choose to sit.
  • Single tickets will range from £30 to £320.
  • The Red Sox are the ‘home’ team for both games.
  • The Boston Red Sox will be occupying the dugout along the first base line, to the right of home plate.
  • The New York Yankees will be occupying the dugout along the third base line, to the left of home plate.

For further details on the London Series, fan events and activities around the games, check out mlb.com/londonseries and https://twitter.com/mlblondonseries.

Pressure is on for Herts to unveil NW London ballpark in time for 2019 Opening Day

While the United Kingdom is gripped by the drama of Brexit, Herts Baseball Club is working frantically to secure and unveil its venue in North West London to host BBF adult and youth league games in time for the start of the 2019 season. Opening Day is on 7 April 2019 which is just a week after the UK is scheduled to leave the European Union so it is expected to be a Bexit-like race against the clock.

The club was founded in 1996 and over the years has developed Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead into one of the best baseball venues in the country with support from Sport England, BaseballSoftballUK, Dacorum Borough Council and other partners. At its Annual General Meeting ahead of the 2013 season, the club recognised the need to expand into North West London to accommodate not only the large number of existing London-based club members, but also to welcome new players from that densely-populated part of London who struggle to commute to Hemel Hempstead.

As a first step, a satellite baseball club was established in Whitefield School in 2014 running baseball sessions and games as part of a school baseball league involving schools from around North West London and Hertfordshire.

In a press conference on 8 May 2018 London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, and MLB Commissioner, Rob Manfred, announced that the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox will play two official league games at the London Stadium on 29 and 30 June 2019. The London Series is part of MLB’s efforts to market Major League Baseball around the globe and to promote the development of baseball as a world and Olympic sport.

The announcement prompted Herts Baseball Club to accelerate the timetable for the creation of a baseball venue in North West London. This year the Club ran a series of events in NW London giving the local community the opportunity to come and try baseball. The participation levels and feedback from the public have been positive.

Ceremonial first pitch at the unveiling of the second diamond of Grovehill Ballpark in 2010.

The project is into the critical stage of negotiating to secure the venue where the first London-based Herts team will make its BBF league debut. “There are only 143 days until the 2019 BBF Opening Day so the pressure is on” said club president, Aspi Dimitrov, who was realistic that “it will take several years for us to have a fully-developed ballpark, but the key for 2019 is to have a diamond which meets the requirements to stage BBF adult and youth league games so that we are ready for the arrival of MLB and the anticipated increase in the number of players interested to play baseball.”

The club will shortly be launching its 2019 player registration. The online registration form will ask each player to indicate whether they prefer to play their home league games in Hemel Hempstead or in NW London, or whether they would be happy with either. This will provide vital information to club management about how to go about forming the first team which will play in NW London without affecting existing teams based in Hemel Hempstead. Team managers will also use the information to decide which BBF League the NW London team will enter.

Whether this is baseball, football or another sport, the prospect of opening a new venue always brings excitement. The club already experienced this back in 2010 when the second diamond was added to Grovehill Ballpark and gave it the capacity to achieve further growth and success on and off the field of play.