Category: Club News

by Rob Jones

A Tribute to Kal

Kal and Herts players at the Hawks v Raptors derby, June 2015

The members of Herts Baseball Club — and the wider British baseball community — will come together on Saturday for a memorial to our team-mate and friend Kal Dimitrov.

Kal, who was 43, passed away suddenly last Sunday after being taken ill during a league game.

On Saturday, everyone is invited to gather at our Grovehill ballpark in Hemel Hempstead from 11 o’clock. This is the chance for people both inside and outside the club to send their love to his family, and to say goodbye to Kal.

At 12 minutes past 12, there is to be one minute’s applause in celebration of his life — both his enormous contribution to British baseball and his place in our hearts.

Kal’s number 12 jersey will be retired at the memorial. We ask for everyone who comes along to bring a baseball shirt if they can, so these can be laid out to cover the diamond in tribute. These may be Herts jerseys, or from any other club.

Herts has been touched by the response from across the baseball family to Kal’s sudden passing.  There have been messages of support from Plymouth to Liverpool, Southampton to Oldham — as well as from the Essex Archers, who were caught up in Sunday’s tragic events.

The Dimitrov family has been particularly moved by tributes from youth players who had been welcomed and encouraged by Kal when they joined Herts. They described him as a great mentor and a true friend, and said they would always consider Kal a family member.

He was never part of the formal set-up of the Little League, but worked incredibly hard to make it a success and his warmth and enthusiasm was crucial.

A book of condolence will be available to sign on Saturday. Friends who were alongside Kal for his 13 years at Grovehill will share some of their memories.

Food will be available, and people should feel free to bring along drinks or other refreshments. This is a desperately sad occasion for us all, but our aim is to remember and celebrate someone whose warmth, humour and friendship provide our strongest memories.

We understand that you will not all be able to make it, but we also know that you will think of Kal wherever you are.

The memorial for Kal Dimitrov will start from 11am at Grovehill Ballpark, Washington Avenue, Hemel Hempstead, HP2 6NH

Hemel Hempstead

 

 

by Rob Jones

Kal Dimitrov 1971-2015

Kal

It is with enormous sadness that Herts Baseball Club has to announce the loss of one of our family. Kal Dimitrov passed away on Sunday afternoon after he was taken ill suddenly during a game at the Essex Archers.

Over the course of more than a decade, Kal was a catcher, coach, umpire and manager for several Herts teams. This year, he had been co-manager of the Herts Raptors in the Single-A league. He had also done invaluable work behind the scenes with club organisation, and with the growing youth leagues.

But more than all of that, Kal Dimitrov was a dearly-loved friend to us. His character, humour and spirit lifted every baseball occasion, and he inspired and encouraged countless players. We will miss him dreadfully.

Our thoughts are with Kal’s family, including his brothers Aspi and Ilya who also have such a place at the heart of our baseball club.

On Saturday, we ask anyone who knew Kal to come down to Grovehill ballpark in Hemel Hempstead any time from 11 o’clock for ceremonies to retire his number 12 shirt at 12 noon. We will hold a minute’s applause at 12:12 as we remember the smile he brought to the game. Please bring a baseball shirt – Herts or any other — so we can lay them out on the diamond as a tribute. 

The BBF has kindly agreed to postpone all Herts baseball games due to take place this weekend  – the Raptors at the Mariners; the Hawks at the Bucks; the Eagles against the Knights; and the Falcons against the Essex Arrows.

In the long term, the club is pledged to provide a fitting memorial to someone who gave us all so much.

by Herts Baseball News Editor

First games played at Herts’ new baseball diamond in London

The first games at the new West Hendon Ballpark in London were played on Monday, 25 May. Four youth teams with boys and girls from 8 to 15 years of age took part in these games. In the Under-15 games London Sports came out on top versus the Herts Cardinals, while in the Under-10 games the Mets and Herts picked up a win each in their doubleheader.

This project is part of Herts Baseball Club’s expansion into North West London to give the local community an opportunity to play baseball. The project is partly funded by the £10,000 grant awarded by Sport England.

The project has also received the support of other parties including the London Borough of Barnet, BSUK, and Dr. Matthew Offord, Member of Parliament for Hendon, who said “Sport England has made a tremendous bequest to our area by making this award. Baseball is not a traditional game of the UK but there is not only a great appetite for different type of sports but it also presents an opportunity for people of different backgrounds to come together and be united in the games. I look forward to visiting the diamond and perhaps swinging a bat myself.”

The club’s expansion and creation of a second ballpark is in line with BaseballSoftballUK’s “Played in every Park” vision.

“We are very excited to be bringing baseball to North West London and we hope to repeat the success of our existing programme in Hemel Hempstead which would mean that boys and girls, men and women of all ages, from beginners to elite players, will be able to play this fantastic sport, stay fit and healthy and become part of the Herts Baseball family and the wider British Baseball community” said Herts Baseball president Aspi Dimitrov.

There are various open baseball events coming up this summer which the whole community can get involved in. For more information about playing baseball with Herts at this new venue in North West London or at the club’s other branch in Hemel Hempstead contact us.

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Herts looking for paid baseball coaches

Earlier this month Herts Baseball Club announced plans for the expansion of the Club. As part of this, the Club plans to invest into coaching and various other projects thanks to programmes such as London Sport and Herts Sports Partnership’s Satellite Clubs. This is opening up a number of opportunities for coaches from around the United Kingdom and other countries to get involved in this development and earn self-employed income at the same time.  There are projects which last just a few days or a week, and others which cover several weeks or the full baseball season.

Furthermore, there are various other non-coaching roles including communications director, game day venue manager, public announcer and others.

For a full list of the projects and roles which the club is looking to fill (click here).

If you require further details, please contact us.

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Repair of vandalised areas at Grovehill Ballpark to commence with support from Herts County Councillors

Herts Baseball Club has received support from Hertfordshire County Councillors in its project to repair the vandalised areas at Grovehill Ballpark.

Over the last few years Herts Baseball Club suffered some severe vandalism causing damage to fencing including outfield, perimeter fencing and dugouts. The cost of repair amounts to several thousand pounds, which means that club cash reserves set aside for development projects will need to be redirected towards repairing the vandalised areas.

A recent application by Herts Baseball Club to the Hertfordshire Locality Budget Scheme has been successful and Councillors Ian Reay, Richard Roberts and Andrew Williams have contributed a total of £1,000 from their Locality budgets to support this project.

“We are grateful to all the Councillors for supporting this project and for being so helpful throughout this process” said club president, Aspi Dimitrov. He added that “the club is confident that the project will deliver enormous value to the community”.

The club invited companies to bid for the contract. This process was completed a few weeks ago and the project is expected to commence in the next few weeks with projected completion date between 27 March and 11 April 2015, which would be just in time for the 2015 league opening day on 12 April.

The club has been receiving support from the Hertfordshire Constabulary to reduce risks of future vandalism and will also be working closely with the local community around Grovehill to achieve this.

by James Dwyer

Herts Baseball appoints new Communications Director

Herts Baseball Club has continued to strengthen its front office ahead of the 2015 season with the appointment of James Dwyer as Communications Director and board member.

James has a strong background in journalism, marketing and communications and will bring these skills to the club to help develop existing links with local and national media, as well as communications within the club and the wider baseball community across the country.

James combines his skills and experience in communications with a passion for baseball and particular focus on growing the popularity of the game in the UK.

On his appointment, James said: “I am delighted to be joining one of the country’s most successful baseball clubs and look forward to seeing further growth and development throughout next season and beyond. As baseball becomes more popular in the UK and more people express an interest in playing, clubs such as Herts Baseball face an exciting opportunity to increase the number of people involved and be at the forefront of developing the game. Combine that with the fact that Herts is one of the most successful clubs in the country and the future looks incredibly bright and hopeful – and I am thrilled to be part of it.”

Club President Aspi Dimitrov said: “In 2014 we managed to maintain our position as one of the leading clubs in British baseball when it comes to media coverage. We did this despite the fact that the Communications Director position remained vacant.  With James’ appointment on the board we are now in a strong position not only to stay at the top but to explore new opportunities and enhance our media coverage further.”

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Herts Baseball AGM details announced

Herts Baseball Club has confirmed that its 18th Annual General Meeting will take place on Sunday, 23 November 2014.

Following one of its most successful seasons in 2013, this year Herts teams have seen more losses than wins on the field of play. Despite this the club has continued its success off-the-field and with two high-profile off-season player signings already announced, the club is in a good position to bounce back in 2015. The AGM will provide a deeper understanding of the club’s present position, and will set out the plans for 2015 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, but speaking ahead of the event, club President, Aspi Dimitrov, said that “Herts Baseball Club is at a stage where some pivotal decisions are about to be made and if we get them right we could see the club make big strides in the next few years”.

As part of the meeting, club members will elect members of the Board to fill the positions which will be vacated as part of the annual retirement of Board members. The positions which will be up for election at this AGM are Club Secretary, Third Team Manager, Fourth Team Manager, Youth League Commissioner, Head of under-14 Baseball, Head of U-12 Baseball and Communications Director.  Nominations for Board members are currently invited and those who are interested to put their name forward or second a nomination can contact the club for more details.

The Most Valuable Players of the various Herts adult and youth league teams will also be announced at the event.

Although only 2014 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 2015 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. The venue is the Gadebridge Community Centre.

DATE: Sunday, 23 November 2014

TIME: Registration starts at 12:45pm, the AGM will commence at 1:00pm (expected to end at around 4:45pm)

VENUE: The Halsey Hall, Gadebridge Community Centre, The Nokes, Rossgate, Gadebridge, Hemel Hempstead, HP1 3LF (Directions and Map)

 

by Herts Baseball News Editor

3 Herts players hope to help GB qualify for the U19 European Championships

Herts players Jake Caress, Tom Armstrong and Will Zucker are preparing to play in crucial games for the Great Britain Under-19 National Team this week.

The team has arrived in Croatia for the U19 European Championship qualifying tournament. Their opponents will be Hungary, Lithuania and Switzerland in the group stages. If they win or finish second they progress through to the semi-finals where they will play against the winner or the runner-up of the other group which comprises Belarus, Croatia, Poland and Slovakia.

The two winning semi-finalists will meet in the final and the winner of the tournament will advance to next summer’s U19 European Championships.

Ahead of these games GB U19 Manager, Will Lintern, was upbeat about the team’s chances. “We have a very strong team. This is the most prepared group of young men we have ever had, their commitment and dedication puts us in a great position to win the tournament get back into the European Championships” said Lintern.

SCHEDULE
Tue, 15 July, Hungary vs Great Britain
Wed, 16 July, Great Britain vs Lithuania
Thu, 17 July, Switzerland vs Great Britain
Fri, 18 July, Semi-Finals
Sat, 19 July, Final

Keep up-to-date with news from Croatia by following Herts Baseball Club on twitter and facebook.

by Herts Baseball News Editor

New Era for Herts Baseball

Herts Baseball Club has chosen New Era as its official baseball cap supplier. New Era is an international brand with sports heritage that dates back over 90 years. Best known for being the official on-field cap for Major League Baseball and the National Football League, New Era is the brand of choice not only for its headwear collection, but also for its accessories and apparel lines for men, women and youth.

The brand is worn as a symbol of self-expression by athletes, artists and celebrities around the world. The Company is headquartered in Buffalo, USA and operates facilities in Canada, Europe, Brazil, Japan and Hong Kong.

The decision to choose New Era was made by Herts Baseball Club last year and the first stock arrived in the UK this week. The Herts Baseball Shop headed by Mark Caress is making last minute preparations and the caps will be available to buy at the shop this weekend.

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Fans and players will be able to choose from three of New Era’s baseball cap models. The 59FIFTY cap is New Era’s signature fitted cap. It is a structured cap with a flat visor, that has the ability to curve. The 59FIFTY cap has a full crown and six panels. The cap has eight rows of visor stitching and a button on top. The 39THIRTY is a casual cap with a stretch fit. It is a structured cap with a pre-curved visor. The 39THIRTY has a contoured crown and six panels. The 9FORTY has more of a classic, collegiate feel. It is a structured cap with a pre-curved visor.

All the models carry the club’s traditional letter “H” on the front which is done with raised embroidery. The New Era logo is on the left side of all the models. The 59FIFTY and 39THIRTY models also have Herts embroidered on the back of the cap similar to the designs adopted by many of the MLB teams.

For more information about the new Herts Baseball caps and details how to buy, contact us.

by Herts Baseball News Editor

Leading the Raptors into the new season

The Board of Herts Baseball are delighted to confirm the appointment of Rob Jones (above left) and Geoff Thomas as the co-managers of the Herts Raptors.

The Raptors will play in the Single-A League for 2014 after the BBF rejected their application to be promoted to Double-A.

This managerial role has been vacant since the club’s AGM last November.  On advertising the role, a large number of candidates expressed an interest, which gave the Board some real encouragement in the commitment at the club.  However, it also left them with a lot of thinking to do and choices to make!

The club now believe that, in Rob and Geoff, they have the right men for the job.

Rob Jones has considerable experience, having been with Herts since the early days when the club had only one team.  Rob has played a key role in the remarkable growth of Herts Baseball.

As a player, Rob was 2005 Batting Champion with the Herts Falcons second team playing in Division 1 (now AA) and in 2008 was Batting Champion for the Herts Raptors (Single-A league) and in the same season was awarded the Outfield Gold Glove.

Geoff Thomas is a knowledgeable player, with over 10 years playing experience.  Geoff has been a member of the Herts Eagles for the last 2 seasons, having previously played and been on the Board at Bristol.

Together, Rob and Geoff have outlined their vision for developing a team culture and have a strong coaching ethic to ensure the players understand all aspects of the game.

The timing of the appointment is key as the managers of the adult league teams will shortly be going through the process of determining their preliminary 2014 rosters.  The Raptors will be active in the Spring League series, commencing on 22 March with a home fixture against London Musketeers.

All at Herts Baseball are behind Rob and Geoff for a great season ahead.