Category: Club News

by Herts Baseball News Editor

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.

WATCH: The first ever game to be streamed live from Grovehill Ballpark
by Herts Baseball News Editor

WATCH: The first ever game to be streamed live from Grovehill Ballpark


On Sunday Grovehill Ballpark hosted the British Baseball Federation Single-A National Final between the Long Eaton Storm and London Musketeers. The game was streamed live on the BBF YouTube Channel making it the first ever game to be streamed live from the home of Herts Baseball Club. The game was previously rained out on three separate occasions. This game being played on 21 October may have made history as the first game to be played so late in the season.  Usually the National Finals are played in the first half of September.

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Black Barracudas win the 2018 Hunlock Series

The final and deciding round of Hunlock Series games on 14 October was postponed due to the heavy rain which made it impossible for the grounds crew to make the diamonds playable. With no more available dates, these games will not be played and the current standings are now final. This confirmed Black Barracudas as the 2018 Hunlock Series Champions.  They dominated from the very first game and are the deserved winners. 4 games back on them are the Red Roosters who finished as the runners-up after their dramatic revival in week three which saw them rise from last to second place.

Despite the rain-out, the Hunlock Series once again provided the best possible end to the British Baseball season. We saw some very high quality baseball – pitchers throwing at over 85mph, power-hitting display by Conner Brown who hit three home runs, spectacular defence including diving plays by Pete Hogg and Jarrod Pretorius, both of which were nominated for Play of the Year.  There was an international flavour with the participation of the Toulouse Astros. We hope to see them again next year.

The Hunlock Series also gave the players an opportunity to say thank you to legendary umpire, Darrin Muller (pictured above), who is retiring after 17 years during which he umpired over 2250 games including World Cup, Senior and Youth National Championships Little League, PONY, European and other games. We hope to convince him to come out of retirement from time to time for special events.

The Series saw around 100 players take part and more than 20 of them were new players who we hope to see wearing the Herts jersey when the 2019 British baseball season commences.

During the off-season Herts Baseball Club will be preparing for a very special 2019 baseball season. When we say “special”, we are not referring only to the long-awaited arrival of the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees for the MLB London Series. The Club has ambitious plans for 2019 and beyond. We will keep you updated in the coming weeks and months. Stay tuned!

If you are not a member of the club yet, the best way to keep up-to-date is to be added to the club’s mailing list. Contact us for more details about joining the club or to subscribe to the mailing list.

by Rob Jones

Former Marlins man makes his mark in Herts

A lot of quality baseball players have shown off their skills in a Herts cap over the years. But we still felt lucky to be able to welcome former AA pitcher Chris Squires to the club during this past weekend to share his knowledge with our players of all ages.

Chris was drafted by the Miami Marlins (then the Florida Marlins, of course) in 2010 after a college career at Indiana University which saw him finish as the Hoosiers’ all time saves leader with 20. In his final campaign, he notched up 10.71 strikeouts per 9 innings.

With the Marlins organisation, Chris pitched as a reliever in A, Advanced A and AA. He had an ERA of 3.73, and struck out more than 100 batters before moving on to play in Independent Leagues, and now plays in Europe.

His first event with Herts was at the club’s field in north west London, where we have been running weekly sessions this summer. On Friday evening, he ran through drills to improve our players’ throwing, fielding and hitting.

The core message was clear: “You have to practice a lot. Practice as much as you think you need to, then do some more.”

Chris added: “I am really picky about the detail. Think about what you are trying to achieve with every drill that you do, what are you trying to improve. Focus on that.”

On Saturday, there was a full day of work for Chris Squires at Grovehill, firstly with some of our youngest players. Around 20 boys and girls from not only Herts but also the London Mets, London Sports and the Leicester Blue Sox took part.

After a warm-up, there was throwing. Chris emphasised a strong core, and fast arm speed. In crucial fielding drills, there was attention on a good fielding position, and also on attacking a ground ball.

“Major leaguers still work on all their fundamentals”, he told our youngsters.  “Sure, they find it easier because they have already put in the years, but they still have to work on all their basics.”

He happily fielded an endless series of questions from both the kids and from their parents. These ranged from technical aspects of how to achieve more power, to whether or not he is married, and whether he got a signing bonus when he was drafted.

In this session — and in another with our Under 15s and Under 17s later in the day — there were plenty of questions about his time in the minor leagues.

US baseball players are drafted by Major League organisations either from their High Schools or from College. Then they play in the club’s range of Minor League teams to work on their skills and develop as athletes.

These leagues are ranked from A, through Advanced A, to AA and AAA (pronounced as Double-A and Triple-A) before moving on to the Big League Club if they make it all the way.

Chris pitched for teams including the Jupiter Hammerheads, the Jamestown Jammers and the Jacksonville Suns.

Did he face guys who are now top stars, came a question? Yes, he pitched to Cristian Yelich in what’s called “live batting practice”, but not Marcell Ozuna (Gold Glovers and All-Stars who also came up with the Marlins).

What was his favourite stadium to play in? At the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, in the Florida panhandle, where the ocean is just beyond the outfield fence (“I was in the bullpen”, he explained, where the relievers wait to be needed. “So we spent a lot of time looking at the ocean!”)

Did you ever get injured? “Not playing baseball. Punching a water cooler. My coach was NOT happy!”

“It didn’t last as long as I’d have liked, but it happens”, Chris said of his time in an MLB setup. “You have to find your next opportunity”

Over lunch, there was a little Home Run Derby action in which our professional pitcher (“Yeah, I’ve hit a few grand slams”) took on Walter Bates, a slugger from our own Herts Falcons, and veteran Darrin Ward, currently doing his thing with the Herts Hawks in Double-A.

As the kids filled the outfield to catch and collect balls, our three power hitters put on a display. After three hotly contested rounds, Walter Bates came out the winner, and can say that he beat a former Minor League player in a hitting contest (whisper it quietly that our guy is a lefty, aiming at a short fence in right field).

Walter Bates, happy to have won the Home Run Derby

Chris Squires was back into it with a youth group in the afternoon, featuring Herts kids as well as those from Brighton and the London Mets. “We are going to step it up a bit now”, he warned them, “because as you get older you start to work more on your strength. It gets more intense but you have to push on through.”

But he also warned against just focussing on power: “As a pitcher, don’t throw to the radar gun. You are pitching to get the batter out.”

Chris went through pitcher’s fielding practice with this group, before taking some one-on-one sessions on Sunday at Grovehill.

He returns now to his day job — at the Dornbirn Indians baseball team in Austria. There he is a player and coach, and a coordinator and coach for the youth programmes.

The Herts Falcons manager, Cris Hiche, spent a season at Dornbirn in 2016, and was instrumental in getting our guest coach along for this very successful weekend. Our thanks to him for all his work.

The final word goes to Chris Squires, in answer to a question from one of our kids about why he chose to play baseball.

“Baseball is a sport where you are not just improving for yourself, everything you do helps the team. If you improve as a defender, that helps every pitcher you play with. If you improve as a hitter, that helps all your fielders. It’s not just about you.”

“And I have always loved baseball.”

That’s all good with us.

 

by Herts Baseball News Editor

British baseball players and coaches to work with former Miami Marlins pitcher this August

Herts Baseball Club is preparing to welcome Chris Squires, a pitcher who eight years ago was drafted by the Miami Marlins. He will be visiting the United Kingdom in the first week of August and Herts will be making the most of the opportunity by running a number of events and clinics which will give players from Herts and from other British baseball clubs a chance to work with him to polish their mechanics and generally to improve their game.

The 30-year-old spent three seasons in the Marlins organisation playing for the club’s various Minor League affiliates. In the last 3 seasons he has been with the Dornbirn Indians in the Austrian League, where in 2016 he played alongside Herts Falcons player-manager, Cris Hiche. Despite being only 30 years of age he is already heavily involved in a coaching capacity working with both adult and youth teams.

Chris Squires interview on the day he was drafted by the Miami Marlins in June 2010

The first event will be from 6pm to 8pm on Friday, 3 August, at the club’s venue in North West London. On the following day, Saturday, 4 August, the action moves to Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead. Apart from clinics with coach Chris Squires, the day will include a Home Run Derby, games, food, drinks and a lot more. In addition, at 5pm on Saturday coaches will be able to join Chris Squires for an informal evening to chat about throwing and pitching mechanics, pitcher development, mental aspects of pitching, and his experience playing in professional baseball. This will take place at the Hilton Hotel in Watford. On Sunday 5 August, coach Squires will run private lessons, one-to-one (£15 per hour for one player) or in small groups (£20 per hour for groups up to 4 players). Contact us if you are interested to book a private lesson with coach Chris Squires.

These events are for adult and youth players. See event timetable below for more details. With exception of the private lessons on Sunday, all other sessions on Friday and Saturday are free entry.

 

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Friday, 3 August (venue Hampstead Heath Extension, NW London)

6:00pm-8:00pm: Training session with Chris Squires – for Adult (ages 14 to 55+) and Youth players (ages 8 to 17)

 

Saturday, 4 August (venue Grovehill Ballpark)

09:45 – 12:00: Training session with Chris Squires and Herts Falcons Manager Cris Hiche – for U13 and U11 youth players (ages 8 to 12)

12:15 – 12:45: Home Run Derby, food and drinks

13:00 – 16:00: Training session with Chris Squires – for Adult (ages 14 to 55+) , U17 and u15 players (ages 13 to 17) Note: U17 and U15 players report at 12:00pm

16:00 – 16:15: Wrap-up.

17:00: Evening Coaches Meeting:  (venue Hilton Hotel, Watford) An informal evening to chat about throwing and pitching mechanics, pitcher development, mental aspects of pitching, his experience in pro-ball, and more.

 

Sunday, 5 August (venue Grovehill Ballpark)

09:00-14:00: One-to-One or small groups private lessons with Chris Squires (Contact us for more details and to book a place for these private lessons)

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Baseball is coming to North West London ahead of New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox

In a press conference on 8 May 2018 London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, and MLB Commissioner, Rob Manfred, announced that one of the most legendary rivalries in sport will come to London on 29 and 30 June next year when the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox will play in a two-game regular-season series at the London Stadium, the centrepiece of the 2012 Olympic Games. This announcement has prompted Herts Baseball Club to accelerate the timetable for the creation of a baseball programme and venue in North West London. Over the years the club has had a lot of inquiries from this area from players keen to try the sport, but it’s been hard for them to get to Hertfordshire.

The games in London are 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. They will present a unique opportunity to grow the game of baseball and softball in this country and London in particular, and Herts Baseball Club is determined to make the most of this occasion.

The Club has been based at Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead since it was founded in 1996. In 2013 the club recognised that in order to accommodate the growing number of new players who want to play baseball, it needed to expand. “Around 30% of our members are based in North West London and our data also showed that we receive many enquiries from potential new members from that part of London, however many of them have not been able to start playing because the public transport connections from North West London to our ballpark in Hemel Hempstead are very poor” said Club President, Aspi Dimitrov. He added that “currently there is no other club located in the North West quadrant of London which offers adult and youth baseball so the natural progression for the club was to expand by establishing a baseball programme in this densely-populated area.”

In view of the impending arrival of the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox in 2019, the implementation of the project has been speeded up and the club has announced a series of events in North West London which will give the local community the opportunity to come and try baseball. Events have already commenced with open sessions for boys and girls, men and women of all ages at Hampstead Heath Extension. For details of upcoming sessions and how to take part click here. Those who enjoy these sessions and wish to play on a more regular basis will have the opportunity to join the Herts adult and youth teams playing in the various leagues of the British Baseball Federation.

 

Hampstead Heath is the picturesque setting for baseball in NW London this summer.

Baseball has been reinstated as an Olympic sport for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the news of MLB’s arrival in London next year is an opportunity which Herts Baseball Club is relishing.

For more information about the project, the club or playing baseball with Herts contact us.

by Rob Jones

Bigger and better: the baseball year at Herts

2017 was a year which saw Herts add new elements to its already impressive array of sporting possibilities. There was the arrival of softball, the development of a Rec League, and a new summer tournament which we hope will become a regular fixture. So, as the club prepares for next week’s AGM to start planning 2018, let’s look back over 2017.

The Herts Hawks led the way again for the club in the BBF leagues. After winning it all unbeaten in Single-A in 2016, they stepped up a division and continued on a tear.

Last year’s sluggers Gilberto Medina and Jon Lewys were still on board. The team had also been strengthened by the arrival of Michael Cresswell from the Raptors, and Ernie and EJ Ayala, a father and son combination well known in British baseball circles but new to Herts.

The Hawks kicked off with a 21-9 victory at Farnham Park against the Daws Hill Spitfires, the defending champions of Double-A. They survived a fightback to beat the Richmond Dragons, then extended the winning streak further by beating the London Marauders.

The Hawks taking on the Latin Boys

The run of victories was at 23 when they faced off against the East London Latin Boys, who were also undefeated on the season at that point and were leading the league. Herts took the first game of a double header, but then lost 14-8, their first defeat since September 2015.

Latin Boys and Sidewinders were the only sides to get the better of the Hawks in the regular season, and they qualified for the playoffs with a 17-4 record.  There they faced their old rivals the Tonbridge Wildcats. They went down 11-7, beaten with both bat and ball by the Tonbridge phenom Christian Sacareanu.

In the top division, the National Baseball League (NBL), the Herts Falcons were bolstered by  the return of Cris Hiche from a season playing ball in Austria — and by the late addition of former national champion Jarrod Pretorius.

They started the season with a sweep of the Brighton Jets, powered by home runs from Pretorius and Darren Meintjes. There was an early bump in the road with a controversial incident in the game at the Southampton Mustangs – which remains unresolved — then struggles for form and quality.

There were further wins over the London Capitals and Brighton, but the season high point was a hard-fought 5-2 victory over Southampton in July. Zack Longboy took the win, a complete game four-hitter. The Falcons continued to blood their young talent throughout the year, ending with a record of 7-19.

The Herts Single-A team, the Raptors, narrowly missed the playoffs. They were quick out of the blocks, with 2 wins out of their first 3. One of a raft of talented rookies, Ben Sinclair, made his mark with 2 home runs and a triple in the victory over the Old Timers.

Raptors facing the Norwich Iceni

The team came close against quality opponents such as London and Cambridge, but suffered a run of defeats to put them in a hole. Luckily for team spirit, the trip to Norwich to get hammered by the eventual champions was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone!

Veterans such as Ken Pike and John Kjorstad – added to improving newcomers Tom Carson and James Emblow – helped the Raptors fight back in the late summer.  A nail-biting win against the Essex Archers was a highlight.

The playoffs were still an option as they faced the 11-2 Guildford Millers at Grovehill in their final game. The occasion got the close, quality contest it deserved, and just one run separated the teams as late as the sixth inning. The Millers went on to win 15-13, holding off a strong Herts rally. Raptors ended the season 7-7, the second consecutive year at .500 or above.

Youth baseball continued to flourish at Grovehill, the Herts Red Kites (Under-17s) having another strong season under the tutelage of Andrew Fulford. The developing core of players not only won games, but played the game the right way. That was honoured at the National Baseball Championships, where they won the sportsmanship award.

Herts Red Kites (Under-17s)

The Red Kites also won the inaugural Kal Cup which was played in August in memory of our friend and team-mate Kal Dimitrov who died suddenly in 2015. Many former Herts players came out of retirement to compete as Kal’s Knights, while the Essex Archers also joined us for the event. Falcons manager Lee Manning, who served as Commissioner, said Herts hoped to make the Cup an annual event.

The Herts youth movement also saw a successful year for the Under-13s, and leaps and bounds of improvements for the Under-11s, where many any of the players were still new to baseball in the Spring. They performed well in games against Brighton, Guildford and Forest Glade, and were able to start winning by the year’s end. U-11 Coach Dana Myzer said they had matured, grasped the game, and became better sportsmen and team-mates.

There was also continued growth for the Under-8 programme – these guys and girls had more fun than anyone when they got to practice sliding into the bases!!

And all of these age groups took part in the Herts Futures Tournament in September. 17 teams, featuring some 200 players and coaches, were involved. There were wins for the Red Kites, for London Sports, Brighton and the London Mets – but most importantly everyone had a good time.

Softball was part of the Herts stable of sport this year for the first time. Tireless efforts by Mark Caress and others saw the first indoor sessions in the Spring, which attracted dozens of people.

The Buzzards played their first tournament in May at Farnham Park and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. There were also games during the summer in a Milton Keynes league.

Softball the Buzzards way

The final major addition — of what seems like a long list this year! – was the Rec League at Grovehill on summer Saturdays. This gave players the chance to show up when they could, for a time-limited game in a relaxed atmosphere. Cris Hiche helped drive the idea, which was ideal for new players wanting to try the sport of baseball without a big commitment, but also good for existing and past members who could now keep in touch.

2017 ended in traditional fashion with the Hunlock Series, in which every Herts player from every level — as well as newcomers and anyone from across the baseball community — gets drafted into new teams for a tournament.

It’s always a blast, with games just one inning long to recreate the drama of the ninth over and over again. The Blue Rockers came from nowhere to win the closest contest in history.

Fortunately, by the time the memories of a sun-kissed Grovehill fade away, the prospect of new baseball starts to appear. Herts will be running a range of adult and youth teams this year, and members are already registering. See you on the diamond!

 

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Adult and youth players now registering for the 2018 Herts baseball and softball season

The wait is over. Player registration for the 2018 season has commenced.

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.

The first Spring Training session for the softball players is at 10am on Sunday, 18 February. The first few sessions will be held indoors at the modern sports facilities of John F Kennedy School in Hemel Hempstead. 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. 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.

ADULT BASEBALL LEAGUES

Last season three Herts teams entered the BBF senior baseball leagues. The next two weeks will be critical to see how many players will register to play for Herts in 2018 and on the basis of this the club will decide how many teams to enter before the 16 January league entry deadline. The club was close to entering four teams last season. How many will they enter this year?

KEY DATES – ADULT TEAMS

4 February – Adult team players report for first Spring Training indoor session

4 March – Adult teams return to Grovehill Ballpark for the first time in 2018

17 March – Start of the 2018 Herts Spring League (subject to confirmation of the BBF League Opening Day)*

8 April* – BBF League Opening Day (subject to confirmation)

May – Start of Midweek Evening Baseball

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 2018. Many of our youth players will be moving up to the next age group to face a different challenge in 2018. 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 16 from complete beginners to experienced players.

KEY DATES – YOUTH TEAMS

4 February – U17, U15, U13 and U11 players report for first Spring Training indoor session

March – First session at Grovehill Ballpark for the youth teams

April – U8 players report for their first session

April – U17, U15, U13, U12, U8 Season Opening Day

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

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

September – National Youth Baseball Championships (U17, U15, U13, U11)

September – Herts Futures Tournament (U17, U15, U13, U11, U8)

HOW TO REGISTER FOR THE 2018 HERTS BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL SEASON

Herts Baseball Club has commenced the 2018 registration process for adult and youth members. For those who already have a Herts Online Club House 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 an online account will be able to register as members by completing this form.

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Herts Baseball Club 2018 AGM details announced

Herts Baseball Club has confirmed that its 21st Annual General Meeting will take place on Saturday, 13 January 2018.

In 2017 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 2018 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:

• Secretary
• Manager First Team – Herts Falcons
• Manager Second Team – Herts Hawks
• Manager Third Team – Herts Raptors
• Youth League Commissioner
• Head of U13 Baseball
• Head of U11 Baseball
• Head of U8 Baseball
• Head of Softball
• Communications Director
• IT Director
• Facilities Manager

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

Although only 2017 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 2017 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 Gadebridge Community Centre.

DATE: Saturday, 13 January 2018
TIME: Registration starts at 11:00am, the AGM will commence at 11:10am (expected to end at around 2:45pm)
VENUE: Galley Hall, Gadebridge Community Centre, The Nokes, Rossgate, Gadebridge, Hemel Hempstead, HP1 3LF (Directions and Map)

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Herts Red Kites win inaugural Kal Cup

The Herts Red Kites won the inaugural Kal Cup, a baseball tournament in memory of our friend and team-mate Kal Dimitrov who died suddenly during a league game between the Herts Raptors and Essex Archers in 2015.

The tournament featured mostly Single-A League teams including both the Essex Archers and the Herts Raptors. The lineup also included Kal’s Knights, a team made up of veterans who played alongside Kal during his 14 years at the club.

On day one of the competition, the teams faced each other in a league format. The organisers opted for the single-inning format in these group games, a concept which Herts fans are familiar with from the Hunlock Series. In a change from the usual baseball system of counting wins and losses to determine the group standings, teams were awarded three points for a win, one for a tie and no points for a loss, perhaps influenced by the fact that the Premier League football season kicked off this weekend.

The Herts Red Kites, which is the club’s Under-17 team managed by Andrew Fulford, dominated the group games picking up 5 wins and a draw out of their 8 games. That was enough to put them in first place in the final Group Standings, one point above Kal’s Knights. That earned the Herts Red Kites a considerable advantage on Sunday as they could sit back and wait during the first round of double-elimination games while all the other teams knock each other out.

Before Sunday’s game, on Saturday evening each team had a representative in the Home Run Derby. The lineup of batters included a good number of power-hitters with many home runs to their names over the course of their careers, so it was surprising that the derby produced very few home runs. The MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the NBL in 2012, Jarrod Pretorius, proved too strong for the rest and won it.

Pretorius was a member of the Babalas Barracudas, who struggled on Saturday winning only 1 of their 8 games. Their chances were further hindered when they lost their first game on Sunday 3-0 to Kal’s Knights. There was no room for error as one more loss would mean that they would be eliminated. An outstanding performance by Iain McCrimmon on the mound helped them secure a 2-0 win eliminating the Essex Archers despite an excellent performance from their own pitcher Humberto Goncalves.

It seemed like everyone was wearing Kal’s number 12 this weekend

Herts Raptors had a strong start on Sunday but the resurgent Barracudas knocked them out of the Cup with an 11-2 win.

The number one seeded Herts Red Kites came up against Kal’s Knights for a place in the Final and continued their dominant performance from the previous day winning 7-5.

Kal’s Knights were not out of the Cup yet. They had a second chance to book a place in the final if they could beat the Babalas Barracudas. The large number of games played was taking its toll not only on the Knights but also on the Barracudas, as some of the players on both sides were playing baseball for the first time after announcing their retirement from baseball years ago. Both teams submitted a joint request to the tournament’s Commissioner, Lee Manning, to merge the two teams for the Final and face the Herts Red Kites whose young players had hardly broken sweat all weekend. The fact that they were wearing different colour uniforms did not matter that much as the jerseys of both teams had Kal’s number 12 on their back. The request was accepted but even that wasn’t enough to derail the Herts Red Kites who went on to win the Final 11-4 and lift the Kal Cup, a crystal trophy which was made thanks to the kind personal donation of British Baseball Federation President, Gerry Perez.

View full 2017 Kal Cup Scoreboard

One of these three caps is edible – Heather Cooke produced another outstanding array of cakes for the Kal Cup

The first Kal Cup proved to be a very fitting way to remember not only Kal but other members of the British baseball community that we have lost including Phil Chesterton (Essex Arrows), Norman Wells (Liverpool Trojans), umpires Dave Smith and Ted Gerard-Thesingh, among others. The event was another example of the incredible power of baseball to bring people together. Some of the players on show made their return to the diamond for the first time in many years. There were others who were playing their first ever baseball game.

“We aim to make this an annual event” said Commissioner, Lee Manning. He added that “the club hopes to find a free date in the 2018 British baseball calendar in discussions with the BBF”.

Kal’s brother, Aspi Dimitrov, thanked everyone involved for creating this wonderful event in Kal’s name. He said: “I know how much work Lee and everyone at the club put into this and I want to express the gratitude of the whole Dimitrov family for all the support and kindness from everyone at Herts and the wider baseball community not just at the weekend but over the last two years.”