Author: AspiDimitrov

by AspiDimitrov

HSL WEEK1 BOX SCORES: HERTS EAGLES @ MILDENHALL BULLDOGS

Herts Eagles at Mildenhall Bulldogs
Score By Innings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 R H E
Herts Eagles 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 3 5
Mildenhall Bulldogs 6 4 6 4 3 0 0 0 23 23 1

Mildenhall Bulldogs 23, Herts Eagles 2
Mildenhall Bulldogs Herts Eagles
  ab r h bi   ab r h bi
Chewy p 5 1 2 1 Iwan Evans rf-cf 3 0 0 0
Zip cf 5 1 0 0 Dave Hamilton lf 3 0 1 0
Lester lf 6 3 3 0 Bobby Gould ss 4 0 0 0
Perez 3b 6 4 3 2 Darrin Ward p-1b 4 0 1 1
Blide rf 6 4 4 2 Jonathon Lewys 3b 4 0 0 0
Steve 1b 4 4 3 5 David Baird 2b 1 0 0 0
Barry 2b 5 4 4 5 John Oliver 1b-rf 3 0 0 0
Jon M. c 5 2 2 0 Peter Kikel c 2 1 0 0
John B. ss 4 0 2 7 Paul Auchterlounie cf 1 0 0 0
          (t3) Aspi Dimitrov cf-p 1 1 1 1
TEAM TOTALS 46 23 23 22 TEAM TOTALS 26 2 3 2

E: Jon M., Jonathon Lewys(3), Bobby Gould, Peter Kikel. DP: Mildenhall Bulldogs 1.
LOB: Herts Eagles 5, Mildenhall Bulldogs 6. 2B: Blide(2), Perez, Chewy, John B.. HR:
Barry. SB: Lester(2), Chewy, Blide, Iwan Evans, Aspi Dimitrov. SF: Steve.

Mildenhall Bulldogs IP H R ER BB SO
Chewy W 8.00 3 2 1 5 8
Herts Eagles            
Darrin Ward L 4.00 19 20 10 2 2
Aspi Dimitrov 3.00 4 3 3 0 0

HBP: by Darrin Ward (Steve). . . . . WP: Chewy. PB: Peter Kikel(2). T: 2:45. A: 60.
by AspiDimitrov

HSL WEEK 1 BOX SCORES: HERTS FALCONS @ HERTS EAGLES

Herts Falcons at Herts Eagles
Score By Innings 1 2 3 4 5 R H E
Herts Falcons 0 1 4 0 2 7 6 1
Herts Eagles 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 6

Herts Falcons 7, Herts Eagles 1
Herts Falcons Herts Eagles
  ab r h bi   ab r h bi
Luis Goncalves ss 3 1 0 0 Iwan Evans cf 2 1 0 0
Carlos Casal rf 3 2 2 0 Dave Hamilton lf 2 0 0 0
Kimiyoshi Saionji 2b 3 2 1 0 Brandon Deal 2b-ss 2 0 0 0
Andy Cornish c 3 2 2 2 Darrin Ward p 2 0 0 0
Peter Kikel p 2 0 0 1 Lee Manning c 2 0 0 0
Marc Martinez lf 3 0 0 0 John Oliver 1b 1 0 0 0
Nick Goetz 3b 2 0 0 0 Nick Russell ss 0 0 0 0
Marty Cullen 1b 2 0 1 0 (b3) David Baird 2b 1 0 0 0
Jamie Munn cf 2 0 0 0 Paul Auchterlounie rf 1 0 0 0
Mahendra Prasad xh1 2 0 0 0 (b3) Jonathon Lewys rf 1 0 0 0
          Greg Bochan 3b 2 0 0 0
TEAM TOTALS 25 7 6 3 TEAM TOTALS 16 1 0 0

E: Nick Goetz, Brandon Deal(2), Nick Russell(2), Darrin Ward, Lee Manning. LOB: Herts
Falcons 4, Herts Eagles 6. 2B: Andy Cornish, Marty Cullen. SB: Carlos Casal(2), Marty
Cullen, Brandon Deal, Dave Hamilton, Iwan Evans.

Herts Falcons IP H R ER BB SO
Peter Kikel W 5.00 0 1 1 4 6
Herts Eagles            
Darrin Ward L 5.00 6 7 1 1 2

HBP: by Peter Kikel (Brandon Deal), by Peter Kikel (Darrin Ward). . WP: Peter
Kikel(2). PB: Lee Manning(2). Balk: Peter Kikel. T: 1:45. A: 120.
by AspiDimitrov

HSL WEEK1 BOX SCORES: HERTS FALCONS @ MK BUCKS

Herts Falcons at MK Bucks
Score By Innings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Herts Falcons 2 0 0 1 3 0 3 9 8 3
MK Bucks 1 0 0 1 2 1 1 6 9 7

Herts Falcons 9, MK Bucks 6
Herts Falcons MK Bucks
  ab r h bi   ab r h bi
Luis Goncalves c-ss 3 2 1 1 Tom McVay p-xh4-ss-2b 2 1 0 0
Carlos Casal 2b 5 1 2 2 Olly Calcutt lf-ss 2 1 0 2
Kimiyoshi Saionji rf 4 0 1 0 Tam Tachinawa c-lf 3 0 0 0
Andy Cornish lf-c 4 0 0 1 Jim Kerr 3b-c 3 0 1 0
Marty Cullen 1b-p 4 1 1 0 Ilawa 2b-xf6-3b 3 1 1 0
Peter Kikel 3b-1b 2 1 1 0 Jon Reynolds cf-xf6 3 2 2 0
Marc Martinez ss 3 1 1 1 Tommy Lloyd ss-p-cf 3 0 2 1
(t5) Mahendra Prasad lf 1 1 0 0 Chase White xh7-1b 3 0 0 0
Jamie Munn cf 4 1 1 1 David Lloyd rf-xh5-p 2 0 1 1
Nick Goetz p-3b 2 1 0 0 Bryan Clarke xh1-p 2 0 1 0
          John Tyas xh2-xh1-2b-1b 1 0 0 0
          Rhys Bowey xh3-xh2-rf 1 1 0 0
          Ernie Ayala xh4-rf-p 2 0 1 0
TEAM TOTALS 32 9 8 6 TEAM TOTALS 30 6 9 4

E: Carlos Casal(2), Marc Martinez, Jim Kerr(2), Olly Calcutt, Tam Tachinawa, Tom
McVay, Tommy Lloyd, Chase White. LOB: MK Bucks 7, Herts Falcons 9. 2B: Carlos Casal,
Peter Kikel, Luis Goncalves. SB: Jamie Munn(2), Luis Goncalves, Nick Goetz, Jon
Reynolds(3), Tommy Lloyd(2), Tom McVay, Olly Calcutt, Jim Kerr, Ernie Ayala. CS: Luis
Goncalves, Tommy Lloyd.

Herts Falcons IP H R ER BB SO
Nick Goetz W 5.00 7 4 3 1 5
Marty Cullen 2.00 2 2 1 1 0
MK Bucks            
Tom McVay L 3.00 2 2 1 5 2
Tommy Lloyd 2.00 4 4 1 1 3
Ernie Ayala 2.00 2 3 1 0 1

HBP: by Tom McVay (Kimiyoshi Saionji), by Nick Goetz (Olly Calcutt). . . . . , by
Marty Cullen (Rhys Bowey). . WP: Marty Cullen. PB: Luis Goncalves, Tam Tachinawa(2).
T: 2:45. A: 80.
by AspiDimitrov

FALCONS MANAGER JASON GREENBERG APPOINTED GB TEAM GENERAL MANAGER

This article was first published on www.britishbaseball.org
The Executive Board of the British Baseball Federation has confirmed that Jason Greenberg will be the new General Manager of the Great Britain Senior Baseball Team.

The appointment is the latest development in the BBF's effort to restaff the programme following the resignations of former GM Alan Smith and Head Coach Stephan Rapaglia at the end of February.

However, the Board has asked Alan Smith to serve the senior national team in an advisory capacity to support Jason Greenberg, and Stephan Rapaglia has been invited to continue as Performance Director for the full GB National Teams programme.

Smith and Rapaglia will help to spearhead the search for a new Head Coach for the GB Senior Team.

 
GB Senior Team at the 2009 Baseball World Cup
Other Appointments

The BBF Board has also appointed Head Coaches for the GB Youth Teams.

Paul Vernon, also the BBF Southern Youth Leagues Commissioner, will carry on as the Head Coach of the GB Junior Baseball Team, while Will Lintern will remain as Head Coach for the GB Cadets.

European Championships

These staffing decisions have been made against the backdrop of this summer's European Baseball Championships in Stuttgart, Germany from July 23 to August 8. The BBF has informed the Confederation of European Baseball (CEB) that Great Britain is committed to fielding the strongest team possible at the tournament.

But the composition of the squad, how much money is available for travel and what kind of pre-tournament opportunities the team can afford to take part in are just some of the questions that Jason Greenberg must now confront together with Alan Smith, Stephan Rapaglia and the as yet unnamed Head Coach.

GB vs. Holland at the 2009 Baseball World Cup
Urgent Business

Preparations for this summer's national team competitions have been the first order of business for the new BBF Board that was elected at the AGM on February 28. The new National Teams Programme Official, Marty Cullen, wasted little time in assembling a committee to address the issues and conduct a search for a new General Manager and Head Coach.

Sitting on the committee with Cullen, Alan Smith and Stephan Rapaglia are BBF President Mark Salter and James Pearce, BBF Development Official and MLB's World Baseball Classic Tournament Director.

Background

It was Alan Smith who recommended Jason Greenberg to the Board as his possible successor.

Greenberg works in London as a full-time employee in the BSUK Operations Department. He is a US/UK dual national who grew up playing baseball near Seattle, attended Williams College in Massachusetts and holds a Masters degree from Kings College London and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

Since 2005, Greenberg has been a member of Herts Baseball Club in Hemel Hempstead, serving as Adult Programme Director and Manager of the Herts Falcons since 2008.

“The GM appointment is a great honour and an immense responsibility,” Greenberg said. “I have so much respect for the magnificent work that Alan and Stephan have done since taking over the GB Senior Team six years ago. They have left very, very big shoes to fill — and it was heartening to learn that they have agreed to stay on as consultants to the programme.

“It is imperative that we field a competitive team in Stuttgart,” Greenberg continued. “Alan and Stephan led Britain to a world ranking of 21st place and it is our goal, at the very least, to maintain that level of success. Nothing would propel GB baseball to the next level of international recognition as quickly as a high EC placing and, if all goes well, a bid to compete at the 2013 World Baseball Classic when the field expands to 24 teams.

“The ripple effect of competing on that kind of world stage will benefit every UK team, both at the adult and youth levels, by helping more and more people in Britain to get excited about baseball.”
GB Senior Team at the Belgian Trials, 30-May-2009
Daunting Task

Of course, just getting the GB Team to the European Championships this July will require a daunting fundraising drive by the GB programme.

The BBF National Teams Committee has set a target of £50,000 to be raised over the next four months, or roughly £500 a day. Such a sum would allow players to travel to Stuttgart from locations in Europe and North America, as well as provide for a pre-tournament training camp consisting of practice sessions and exhibition games.

“I must be mad to take up this job when there is so little time to fundraise and prepare,” Jason Greenberg said. “And I have no illusions — it will be a massive uphill battle just to get to Stuttgart, let alone with a squad that can compete with the best teams in Europe.

“But I have confidence in my ability to plan and help coordinate the efforts of all the great people who are now involved in making this dream a reality. No one could do this alone, and having Alan and Stephan as part of the team and having Marty, James and Mark guiding this work at Board level will help immensely.

“These are bright, capable volunteers who all share the same vision for baseball in this country. So I'm inspired and encouraged and proud to be working with them.”
by AspiDimitrov

SAM DEMPSTER ELECTED TO THE WHITBY SPORTS HALL OF FAME

MLB Envoy Sam Dempster, will be an inductee to the Whitby Sports Hall of Fame in Canada on April 24.  Over the years the members of Herts Baseball Club, young and old, have had the privilege to work with Coach Dempster and he has become a part of the Herts Baseball Family.  Herts is in a very good position to know exactly why Sam Dempster is being elected to the Whitby Sports Hall of Fame.

Herts Baseball Club congratulates Coach Dempster and is grateful for his incredible contribution to the club’s growth and success.

The following article was first published on www.britishbaseball.com

 


MLB Envoy Coach Sam Dempster has been coming to the UK as a Major League Baseball Envoy since the summer of 2004, and after each summer spent teaching the British baseball community the “Dempster” way of doing things, Sam has returned to Canada to resume as Head Baseball Coach at Durham College in Ontario.

But on April 24, Coach Dempster will receive a signal honour: induction to the Whitby Sports Hall of Fame at the college.

Deserving Candidate

“Sam is truly deserving of this honour,” said Ken Babcock, Durham College Athletic Director. “His involvement with baseball on many different levels for the past 30 years is extraordinary. From youth minor ball, to his key role in the birth of high school baseball in the Durham Region, to his stellar career as head coach of the Durham College varsity baseball programme to his work as a Major League Baseball scout and also worldwide ambassador for Major League Baseball’s International Envoy programme, Sam has impacted thousands world wide. I can’t say enough about Sam Dempster as a person. He is simply one of the special ones.”

BSUK Regional Coach and GB Cadet Head Coach Will Lintern said, “The ‘Dempster Way’ can best be summarised by the quote he often puts at the end of his emails: ‘If you want to leave footprints in the sand, wear work boots’. Sam Dempster has been an absolute work horse, travelling the length and breadth of the UK to coach kids and adults of all abilities. Many clubs have benefited from the experience and knowledge that Sam has imparted on the baseball field, but no group of players have learned more about the game of baseball than those who have played on the Great Britain Cadet National Team.”

Since Will Lintern became Cadet Head Coach in 2008, Sam Dempster has been one of the team’s assistant coaches at two European Qualifier Tournaments where GB placed second and fifth and has instructed at numerous Cadet camps and practices.

In Canada, Sam Dempster has been the only coach that the Durham College men’s baseball programme has ever known. For the last 18 seasons as Head Coach of the Lords, Dempster has been instrumental in guiding the programme to its current level of excellence.

The team has only had one losing season in those 18 years, and since 1995, the team has qualified for the Ontario Championship finals in all but one year, while Dempster has gone on to compile an impressive overall record of 257-177 and a conference record of 169-108.

The Lords have won the CIBA Ontario Conference championship five times, including four straight wins from 2005 to 2008. Durham’s first conference championship came in 1999.

MLB Award

In January of 2007, Sam Dempster was awarded the Julio Puente Envoy International Coach Award by Major League Baseball at the American Baseball Coaches Association Conference in Orlando, Florida. The prestigious award is presented by MLB for unselfish, dedicated and passionate work in growing the game of baseball.

In addition to his lead role at Durham and his summer work in the UK, Coach Dempster is also an associate Canadian scout for Major League Baseball’s Milwaukee Brewers and was previously a scout for the New York Yankees. He has also co-organised the Ontario Best Ever Clinic for many years and has assisted the Team Ontario programme both north and south of the border.

Back to Britain

This summer, Sam Dempster will return to his role as an assistant role with the GB Cadet National Baseball Team, helping to deliver an enhanced regional practice schedule. The plan is for Sam to run one regional practice in the North and one in the South each week for both the Junior and Cadet teams ahead of their respective European Qualifying tournaments.

Will Lintern said: “Having Sam on the coaching staff is not only a great asset, because I know he will push both the players and the other coaches to excellence, but it also a tremendous privilege and honour to work with a coach of his calibre.”

 

by AspiDimitrov

RECORD-BREAKING YEAR FOR THE HERTS SPRING LEAGUE

Article by Rob Jones

The biggest pre-season baseball tournament in Britain is back, and this year it is even bigger and better than ever. The Herts Spring league will see a record 17 teams travel from as far afield as Leicester and Southampton to hone their skills and compete for the title. Organised by the Herts Baseball Club, it’s Britain’s very own version of the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues currently under way in the US, and it signals that the season is just around the corner.

Herts Baseball Club President Aspi Dimitrov was delighted by the surge in interest: “Every year we have had more teams wanting to play in the HSL. It’s fantastic to have another big jump in the numbers, and I think it’s going to be a great competition.“ He added: “We are also pleased to confirm that BarrysTickets.com have continued their association with Herts Baseball Club and have just been confirmed as the Official Sponsor of the 2010 Herts Spring League. The financial contribution which they are making will be used to improve and maintain facilities at Herts Baseball Club so that all teams coming to play at Herts can benefit.”

Last year’s winners Bracknell will be returning to defend their crown, led by their star slugger Ryan Trask. In 2009, their victory in the HSL was a springboard to taking the National League title, and top teams this year will be hoping to emulate that feat. Bracknell’s opening HSL game is a mouth-watering clash with the Richmond Flames in a repeat of the 2009 National Baseball Championship Final. Ryan Bird’s Richmond Flames will be battling them hard and the host team, the Herts Falcons, will count on flame-throwing Dan Kerry (pictured) to keep the offenses in check. The big guns will be joined by teams from all levels of the British game, including the current AA Champions, the Mildenhall Bulldogs, and the reigning masters of the British Single-A League, the Leicester Blue Sox.

The action will be spread across three weekends – starting on Saturday, 27 March and ending on Sunday, 11 April – and at two excellent venues, Grovehill ballpark in Hemel Hempstead, and Ham Ground in Richmond. The clubs will be split into two groups, HSL Majors and HSL Minors, based on the team rankings going in to the new season – NBL and AAA teams will be joined by the expansion team the Essex Redbacks in the Majors; the AA and A teams will make up the Minors. The winners of two mini-leagues will then go head to head for the Championships.

The Herts Spring League adds a competitive edge to Spring training. It’s the time for managers to work out their winning formula going into the BBF league season. It is an opportunity to evaluate existing and newly recruited players – which players will earn a spot in the pitching rotation and who will be batting where in the batting order? Who will make the first team and who will have to work their way up with the minor league teams? Not forgetting, it’s a chance to size up your rivals for the year ahead. It’s the first big challenge and the first big excitement of the baseball year. Don’t miss it.

 

Visit the official HSL website for more details.

by AspiDimitrov

FIELDS OF DREAMS

For the average person, pulling on a baseball glove or clubbing a home run would be an exciting novelty. So, for those us who get that thrill regularly, what novelty provokes similar excitement?  The answer, it seems, is a mini-digger and a dumper truck.  On a bright Spring Saturday, some of the finest talent that Herts Baseball Club has to offer turned out to help prepare our brand new field, and touch up our existing diamond for the season ahead.   They could barely contain their glee at two life-size Tonka toys to play with. One of them told me that when the call for volunteer drivers went out, his hand had never gone up so quickly.  But this was not just about sandpit play on a grand scale.  This was serious work.  The machines were there to dig out the areas around the three bases, home plate, and the pitchers' mound on the new field, so that several enormous piles of sand and gravel could be poured in.  Marty Cullen, Lee Manning and Dave Westfallen took turns at the controls, taking strides towards turning one small patch of Hemel Hempsted from plain old grass, to a magical baseball diamond.  The germ of the idea was planted years ago; the turf was laid last autumn in a blaze of wet weather glory; and in just a matter of weeks, it should be hosting Herts games. The second field will give the club the room it needs to run four adult teams, as well as a burgeoning Little League project, throughout 2010 and for many years to come.

Over on the original field, the work was less dramatic but no less important. The grass had to be edged neatly, the new Redgra spread evenly, and the mound repaired lovingly, so that it can remain a Hertfordshire landmark. Baseball fields are rare enough in the UK — a field with a full, cut-out infield is even more rare, and with a bit of maintenance it can be a thing of beauty. So Greg Bochan, Mark Hoffman and Phil Hynes were among those who helped it become reality. They used the more mundane tools of shovel and wheelbarrow to five the field a facelift. In the course of the day, more than two dozen baseball  stars put in their time as volunteer groundsmen. This has been the scene of many Herts triumphs — let's hope it can be even better looking when the next triumph comes around.

by AspiDimitrov

WE JUST WANT TO PLAY

Much has been written over the past couple of weeks aboutthe excitement of Spring Training, as Major League players turn out in theFlorida and Arizona sunshine to renew their love affair with baseball. Thepossibilities seem limitless, the season ahead always looks bright andpromising.  But to enjoy all of that youhave to be able to play the game!!  Forthe Herts club, another week's training has been defeated by the bad weather,the second in a row. After a pretty successful pre-pre-season in the gym and onhard courts, the return to the grassy diamond has been something of a bust. Allwhen it seemed tantalisingly close. 

Like many Herts players I have to get my fix where I can. In this instance, asseen in this grainy photo, it was at work, in the middle of a night shift,throwing the ball against a handy wall. Not textbook training, perhaps, but thenext best thing if the weather doesn't want to co-operate. As long as you canput up with the odd curious security guard, and rats chasing each other aroundthe nearby bins, it's a great location.  No, really, it is.

To add insult to inconvenience, the day outside is clear and sunny as I writethis. That's no use now! We need the right weather at the right time. Lastseason we had good luck all summer. Let’s hope the recent burst of bad weatheris the storm before the calm.

by AspiDimitrov

HERTS BASEBALL AWARDED £500 GRANT FOR COACH EDUCATION

Herts Baseball Club has been awarded a £500 coach education grant by the Hertfordshire Community Foundation.  This is the first funding secured by the club for the purposes of training new Herts coaches.

The award will pay for a two-day Level 1 coach education course run by BaseballSoftballUK (BSUK), the national development agency for British baseball.  The Foundation grant will enable eight club members to attend the training programme, undertake a practical assessment and, if successful, earn their entry-level national coaching certification as “Assistant Baseball Coaches”.

Five of the Herts candidates will work directly with the Herts Little League.  David Baird, Carlos Casal, Tim Elkins, Matt Johnston and Marc Martinez will form a significant portion of the 2010 coaching staff for the Herts youth programme.  They will instruct Little League practices, manage and assistant manage squads on game days, and spend time coaching in local area schools and helping the club to build rapport with other youth sport outlets.

The other three Herts attendees are coaches in the adult programme.  Andy Cornish (2009 Hitting Coach) will be joined by newly-elected managers Chris Barnes (AAA Eagles) and Kennet Pike (A Raptors).

Herts Baseball Club is hosting the BSUK-taught course at a local school on Saturday 13 and Saturday 27 February.  Part of the £500 in HCF monies will pay for the venue hire costs, while the rest will cover the course attendance fees for all eight coaches.

In a related development, the Herts adult and youth programme directors have also been awarded coach education bursaries for 2010.  Marty Cullen (Herts Little League Commissioner) and Jason Greenberg (Manager of the National League Falcons) are both completing a Level 3 baseball coach candidacy this spring.  Cullen has been tendered £150 by the Dacorum Community Trust toward his course fees, while Greenberg has received £135 from the CCPR-endorsed Torch Trophy Trust.  Level 3 is the highest tier of formal UK baseball training with course modules and assessments covering every aspect of the sport and spread out over six months' time; the Level 3 course fees total £275 per candidate.

“Herts Baseball Club would like to extend sincere gratitude to the Hertfordshire Community Foundation, the Dacorum Community Trust and the Torch Trophy Trust for their generous support,” said Greenberg.  “Since 2008, Herts Baseball has seen unprecedented growth as the Little League has expanded to include more than 100 children and the adult programme has more than doubled in size, now with a team in each league of the British Baseball Federation.  Coach education is a major goal for our club in 2010, and these grants allow ten coaches to expand their credentials and knowledge base at very little personal expense.  It is – in a word – fantastic.”

The increased number of certified coaches should allow Herts Baseball Club to finalise their ClubMark accreditation, unlocking further opportunities to fundraise and recruit new players.

Hertfordshire Community Foundation exists to tackle deprivation in Hertfordshire and beyond.  It is currently the largest non-statutory grant giver into the county and in the last year (2008/09) has awarded more than £1 million in grants to charities and community groups.  The HCF £500 fund was part of the Comic Relief scheme, which endeavours to enable local people to create lasting change in their communities.

The Dacorum Community Trust is a charity dedicated to helping those most in need within the Dacorum area, by managing and distributing money it raises locally from individuals, companies and organisations.  The Trust was officially launched in 1976.  It was one of the first Community Trusts to be set up giving advice and support to other Community Trusts who have been set up all over the country.

The Torch Trophy Trust has its origins in the 1948 Olympics held in London. Before every Olympic Games a torch relay is organised from Athens to the Host City. Following the 1948 Games, the Torch designed for the last leg of the Relay into Wembley Stadium was presented to the Trust.  TTT provides small Bursaries to assist volunteers in sport and presents Awards to individuals who have been identified as making an outstanding contribution as a volunteer in their chosen sport.

by AspiDimitrov

BBF ANNOUNCES DEAL WITH THE #1 BASEBALL BRAND IN THE WORLD

The following article was first published on www.britishbaseball.org

LONDON (11 February 2010) – The British Baseball Federation (BBF) has signed a contract which confirms Rawlings as the official ball of British Baseball. Six major baseball suppliers were invited to take part in the bidding process. All of them submitted very competitive offers and Rawlings were confirmed as the winner. The contract will run until December 2010.

Rawlings is the number one baseball brand in the world and has been setting the trend in baseball technology since its establishment in 1887. It is because of Rawlings’ dedication to baseball that the “Annual Rawlings Gold Glove Award” bears the name of Rawlings. The Rawlings Gold Glove Award has been presented to players for fielding excellence since 1957. Rawlings sponsors more than half of the current MLB Players. Among them are the world’s biggest baseball stars who are also some of the best paid athletes on the planet. This includes players like Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols (pictured), Derek Jeter, Jose Reyes, Chase Utley and many others.

The Rawlings ROLB model will be designated as the official ball of the National Baseball League (NBL). It features the revolutionary Extra Innings Technology™ (EIT). The patented polymer layer repels moisture, both liquid and vapour, which improves performance and makes it longer lasting compared to traditional baseball technology.

The ROLB1 model will be the official ball of British Baseball’s Minor Leagues (Triple-A, Double-AA and Single-A Leagues) and the Under-16 League. The BBF will also recommend the ROLB1 ball for its Under-13 Competitions.

“It is a tremendous boost for British Baseball to be starting this partnership with the world’s number one baseball brand. The contract represents great value for our member clubs and we look forward to working closely with Rawlings to ensure that they too benefit from this partnership,” said a BBF spokesperson. This news comes just weeks after the BBF announced impressive growth in the number of teams joining the British Baseball leagues which was followed by the news that the National Baseball League will be expanding in 2010.

“Rawlings is looking forward to working with the British Baseball Federation and the Baseball and Softball Shop to bring the latest baseball products, innovations, and technologies to the UK,” said Ralph Robert, Rawlings Director of International Sales. “The BBF is continually working to expand their organization and remain dedicated to promoting Rawlings as the leading baseball supplier in the world.”

The official ball will be supplied to British Baseball clubs by Rawlings’ distributor for the United Kingdom, The Baseball and Softball Shop Ltd. They are one of the largest suppliers of baseball and softball equipment in the UK. Apart from supplying the Rawlings balls for official BBF competitions, British baseball clubs and players can also count on the widest range of Rawlings products including fielding and batting gloves, bats, apparel and footwear, field equipment and more. The Baseball and Softball Shop will be able to offer absolutely any Rawlings product to its customers around the UK. This contract confirms them as BBF’s preferred baseball equipment supplier. Information on how to buy Rawlings products can be found on www.baseballandsoftball.co.uk