Category: Softball League

Contest to determine Herts team logos

Herts Baseball Club gave names to three of its teams last month and it is now time to create the team logos. The club is running a contest to design a logo for all 7 of the Herts baseball teams playing in the various BBF leagues. They are Herts Falcons, Herts Ravens, Herts Hawks, Herts Raptors, Herts Eagles, Herts Harriers and Herts Cardinals.

Four of the seven teams have existing logos and these will be considered against any new entries which are submitted as part of this contest, therefore some of the Herts teams may retain their current logos.

The Herts Baseball brand is increasing in value and the addition of the individual team brands will further enhance the club’s identity, marketing and commercial opportunities primarily from selling team-branded merchandise at the club shop.

The club is hopeful that its members and fans will come up with logo designs and concepts which can be adopted and become part of a recognisable family of Herts Baseball brands for the next 100 years and beyond. Contestants do not have to be members of Herts Baseball Club. Entries can be submitted by any individuals (see link to full terms and conditions below) including students who may or may not be specialising in art design.

Entries must be submitted by 23:59 on 31 March 2013.

Winning designs will be announced on the Herts Baseball Club website and each winner will receive a Herts baseball cap (adjustable strap model).

For full terms and conditions of the contest and for details on how to submit your entry, click here.

 

2013 has arrived

2013 has arrived and over the coming days and weeks we will be publishing details of the upcoming season for Herts Baseball Club, following all the news from the club and from around the British leagues, the latest player transfer rumours, interviews with the people in the news and more.

If you require more details about joining the club as a player, manager, coach, umpire, scorer, member of front office staff or in any other capacity please contact us.

 

 

October Softball at Grovehill Ballpark

This summer Herts Baseball Club made its first steps towards adding the one missing component – Softball.

Before winter sets in the club plans to add one more softball event.  The plan is to schedule it on a Sunday, either 7 or 14 October at Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead as part of the Hunlock Series which is a competition involving 80+ Herts baseball players, so baseball and softball teams are expected to create a nice atmosphere at the ballpark. The softball game will be played in the morning and will be followed by the Hunlcok Series baseball games in the afternoon.

Herts Baseball Club is inviting those who want to play in this exhibition softball game to complete a short online feedback form which will enable the club to see player availability, form the teams and schedule the game in the most convenient time slot. Playing in this game is free of charge and equipment will be provided. Players must be 14 years of age or above.

The club is encouraging those who sign up to invite relatives, friends or colleagues from work to sign up as well.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OCTOBER SOFTBALL AT GROVEHILL BALLPARK

 

Herts looking to add softball programme

Over the last 16 years Herts Baseball Club has built an impressive baseball programme and is currently one of the leading clubs in the United Kingdom. Herts have thriving adult and youth baseball programmes and high grade facilities but the one big component which has been missing has been a softball programme.

hertsbaseball.com had the opportunity to chat with club president, Aspi Dimitrov, about the prospect of softball being played in Hertfordshire.

hertsbaseball.com: We understand that the club is exploring the option to add softball. How did this idea come up?

Aspi Dimitrov: Although baseball is the multi-billion dollar sport watched by millions on TV around the world, a large proportion of people like to show their passion for baseball by playing softball which is the more recreational version of the game. During MLB’s All Star week celebrities and former baseball players get together for the MLB All Star Softball Game and it is the ideal way to get male and female players of all ages and ability playing together. Herts has baseball teams playing in all senior and youth leagues of British Baseball so we are already able to accommodate players of various abilities and ages into our baseball teams, however adding softball would enable us to make the game appealing for an even wider audience.

hertsbaseball.com: When did the idea of adding softball come about?

Aspi Dimitrov: The club has been eager to add softball for many years now and is something which the Herts Executive Board has discussed on many occasions. The main obstacle which has stopped us from making it possible has been that we need one or two members who would be able to give up some of their spare time to drive the project forward. We have so many members but they are all baseball-mad so they have been reluctant to give up their baseball time.

hertsbaseball.com: How do you plan to overcome this hurdle?

Aspi Dimitrov: We are hoping to organise several softball events this year and this may attract these key members who can provide the platform which we can build on. We already had one softball event on April 1 which was part of the 2012 NBL Opening Day celebrations at Grovehill Ballpark. It went very well. We managed to attract enough players for 4 softball teams. The majority were parents and family members of our youth team families and there were others who came to the ballpark for the first time to give softball a try.

hertsbaseball.com: What is the club hoping to achieve with the softball programme?

Aspi Dimitrov: Softball is very popular and in fact there are more softball teams than baseball teams in this country. The majority of softball teams and leagues are located in central London. There are no softball programmes in Hertfordshire at present. Hertfordshire County, North West London and the surrounding regions are a huge untapped market so there is potential for substantial growth. It is an exciting opportunity. If we find the right people to set up the administrative infrastructure we may be able to double the size of Herts Baseball Club in the next 4 or 5 years and create a large regional softball league here in Hertfordshire. Many softball leagues play their games on weekday evenings so if we can achieve this we can look forward to having baseball and softball league games being played at Grovehill Ballpark every day of the week.

hertsbaseball.com: So what is the next step in the project?

Aspi Dimitrov: We are very fortunate that this summer BSUK will be running softball taster sessions in St. Albans which is just a few minutes away from our ballpark. These will take place every Wednesday evening from 7:00pm to 8:30pm. These sessions will continue for a period of 8 weeks. The first session is on Wednesday, June 20. We have already started recruiting softball players, coaches, and facilitators and this BSUK project will hopefully attract enough new members to enable us to start the softball programme here at Herts. For more details about these softball taster session click here.

 

 

NBL Opening Day baseball extravaganza for the whole family this Sunday

Ceremonial first pitch - 2012 season will open this Sunday
If you happen to be anywhere around Hemel Hempstead this Sunday, you wouldn’t want to miss the baseball gala at Grovehill Ballpark.  This is the Opening Day of the 2012 National Baseball League (NBL) season as the Herts Falcons face the Bracknell Blazers, but there will be so much more as part of this special day.  
EVERYONE PLAYS
The show begins with a softball tournament for the whole family.  The teams will feature members of the Herts youth teams, but very importantly it will see their parents, other family members and friends join in the fun similar to the MLB All-Star Celebrity and Legends Softball Game. The club is also inviting supporters and friends of the club to get involved in this game by simply coming down to the ballpark wearing sporty clothing. For more details and to sign up for the softball tournament contact the club.
HSL CONTINUES
At the same time on the adjacent diamond the Herts Spring League (HSL) continues with 6 more teams in action starting from 10am and finishing at 7pm.
THE MAIN EVENT
The softball tournament will be followed by Awards presentations to the Herts youth team players and then the Opening Game of the 2012 NBL season, national anthem and all.  Can the Herts Falcons get off to a winning start? Everyone connected with the club is optimistic that this year the team would be able to compete in the title race and, who knows, perhaps the NBL trophy will return to Hertfordshire.  It has been 43 years since the Watford Sun Rockets lifted the NBL trophy beating the Liverpool Trojans 8-7 in extra innings in the 1969 NBL Final.
HOT DOGS
The baseball season cannot start without hot dogs at the ballpark.  Fans and players will be able to enjoy not just hot dogs, but all sorts of other snacks including freshly made Krispy Kreme donuts, hot and cold beverages and more.
WEATHER
Will the sunny warm weather stay with us for the weekend’s event? If the event has to be postponed due to rain, this will be announced on hertsbaseball.com, and to all followers of Herts Baseball on twitter and facebook.  Click here to follow us on Twitter or to like us on Facebookand you will receive a weather alert if the event is cancelled.
THE DAY’S SCHEDULE
  • · 9:45am Softball Tournament participants (young and old, male and female) report to ballpark
  • · 10:00am Softball Tournament begins
  • · 10:00am Herts Hawks vs London Mets U17 (HSL-AAA)
  • · 12:00pm Herts Little League Awards Presentation
  • · 1:00pm Milton Keynes Bucks vs Cambridge Royals (HSL-AAA)
  • · 1:20pm The National Anthem
  • · 1:22pm Ceremonial First Pitch
  • · 1:30pm Herts Falcons vs Bracknell Blazers (NBL 2012 Opening Game)
  • · 4:00pm Herts Falcons vs Bracknell Blazers (Game 2)
  • · 4:00pm Essex RedBacks vs Sidewinders (HSL-AAA)
VENUE
For venue address and directions click here.