Category: Club News

by AspiDimitrov

CONGRATS TO MAGNIFICENT GB BASEBALL TEAM

Hertfordshire Baseball Club wishes to congratulate our Great Britain National Baseball Team who took the Silver Medals at the 2007 European Championship in Barcelona.

Apart from the silverware, this achievement has very exciting implications for British Baseball. By virtue of finishing second, the GB Team has qualified for the World Championship and the final qualifying stage for the 2008 Olympic Games.

This incredible achievement against some of the giants of European baseball also means that Great Britain may be invited to the next World Baseball Classic, which is the showpiece event of international baseball including some of the biggest stars of Major League Baseball some of whom earn more than David Beckham.

Special congratulations go to the GB Head Coach, Stephan Rapaglia, who over the years has been very supportive of the Hertfordshire Baseball Club.

by AspiDimitrov

SOARING FALCONS SHOT DOWN BY PILOTS

[ BOX SCORE ]
[ PHOTO GALLERY ]
[ POST-GAME VIDEO RECAP ]

The Herts Falcons lost 8-5 to the Humber Pilots in the Final of the British Baseball’s Division 1 and missed out on the title.

After five months of exciting baseball clashes across the country, the 2007 British Baseball Season culminated with its showpiece event, the Final4. The Herts Falcons reached the Final after crushing their opponents in the Southern Section of Division 1. The Northern Section was won by the Humber Pilots who also managed to beat the Milton Keynes Hurricanes in a classic Semi-Final game winning 2-1.

Expectations were high in the Falcons camp ahead of the big game, but they were visibly stunned by the Pilots as early as the first inning when they found themselves trailing 5-0. It took the team from Hertfordshire several innings to regain their composure. In the 5th inning they managed to hit back with 4 runs making the score 6-5. All of a sudden a miraculous come back seemed to be within the Falcons’ grasp.

A game which started in a disastrous way for them, could now turn out to be one of the most memorable comebacks in the club’s history. But it wasn’t to be. The Falcons lost in the end 8-5. Credit has to be given to the Humber Pilots who played the game with great desire and in the right spirit.

Due to the very high expectation which the Falcons put on themselves this was a very disappointing end of the season for them and their travelling fans, but overall this was a great year for the team. The Club now awaits confirmation from the British Baseball Federation that the Falcons have been promoted and will be back in the British Baseball Premier League in 2008.

At the Premier League level, the title was won by the Richmond Knights who beat the Essex Arrows in the final, while the National League (Great Britain’s top baseball league) was won by the London Mets who beat the Croydon Pirates.

by AspiDimitrov

SEPTEMBER BASEBALL FEVER IN HERTFORDSHIRE

The 2007 British Baseball Regular Season may be over, but we have a great lineup of Postseason baseball coming up this September.  It will include not only the Herts Falcons and the Herts Hawks but also Hertfordshire Little League kids as well.

 

2007 POSTSEASON SCHEDULE

(Events for the kids are shown in red)

 

Saturday, 1 September

·         11:00 6th Little League Summer Camp

·         12:00 Herts Falcons vs Strathclyde, Semi-Final, Division 1 Final 4

 

 

Sunday, 2 September

·         14:00 Herts Falcons vs Milton Keynes Hurricanes or Humber Pilots (if Falcons win on Saturday), Final, Division 1 Final 4

 

Sunday, 9 September

2007 Kyle Hunlock Series Weekend

·         10:00am to 12:00pm Little League exhibition game(s).  All Little League kids and parents are invited.  (No need to pay Summer Camp fee.  Participation is FREE)

·         12:00 Photocall – Falcons, Hawks, Little League kids and parents together. 

·         12:30 to 15:00 GAME1 Falcons @ Hawks

·         15:30 to 18:00 GAME2 Falcons @ Hawks

 

 

Sunday, 16 September

2007 Kyle Hunlock Series Weekend

·         10:00 to 12:00pm Little League exhibition game(s). 

·         12:30 to 13:30 HOME RUN DERBY

·         13:30 to 16:00 GAME3 Hawks @ Falcons

·         16:30 to 19:00 GAME4 Hawks @ Falcons

 

Sunday, 23 September

2007 Kyle Hunlock Series Weekend

·         10:00 to 12:00pm Little League exhibition game(s). 

·         12:30 to 15:00 GAME5 Hawks @ Falcons (if necessary)

·         15:30 to 18:00 GAME6 Falcons @ Hawks (if necessary)

 

Sunday, 30 September

2007 Kyle Hunlock Series Weekend

·         10:00am to 12:00pm Little League exhibition game(s). 

·         12:30 to 15:00 GAME7 Falcons @ Hawks (if necessary)

 

Food and Drinks:

Hot dogs and cold drinks will be sold at the halfway point of the kids’ game (11:00) and between the first and the second games of the day’s Falcons vs Hawks Series.

 

Price List: Hot Dog (Price £0.50), Cola or fruit juices (Price £0.50), Beer (Price £TBC). 

by AspiDimitrov

SCHOOL’S OUT… LET’S PLAY BALL!

[ PHOTO GALLERY ]
[ WATFORD OBSERVER ARTICLE ]

Grovehill Ballpark is the home of the two Division One teams, the Herts Falcons and the Herts Hawks, but last Saturday it became the home of the next generation of Hertfordshire baseball players.

Boys and girls aged between 7 and 12 from around Hertfordshire and the surrounding regions joined the first ever Baseball Little League Summer Camp organised by Hertfordshire Baseball Club with the support of BaseballSoftballUK, the development agency for baseball and softball in the United Kingdom which is funded by Sports England, the agency that delivers the Government's sporting objectives.

Eleven coaches from the club and BSUK introduced the kids to the main aspects of the game: batting, throwing, catching, fielding, base running etc. Halfway-through the day players, parents and coaches gathered for an enjoyable picnic together while watching a Home Run hitting display by current Herts Falcons Home Run leader, Andy Cornish.

After the picnic it was gametime! The players were divided into four teams, the Yankees, the Red Sox, the Mets and the Blue Jays and played two games on two separate diamonds. Every youngster who took part received baseball cards of current baseball stars. Throughout the day the players also had the chance to enjoy the MLB Roadshow which came to Hertfordshire to support the event. It included various fun baseball challenges including a pitching tunnel with a radar gun to measure the speed at which the kids were pitching.

The response from the children and their parents was tremendous and the feedback after the event indicates that the kids are already looking forward to next Saturday’s Baseball Camp.

It was very touching that some parents even approached members of the club with an offer to help not only during the Summer Camps but also volunteered to assist in promoting and spreading the news of this Youth baseball programme to help attract as many children as possible in order to achieve the target of creating 4 brand new teams which will take part in the Hertfordshire Baseball Little League planned for 2008.

The next Summer Camp is next Saturday and every Saturday after that until 1 September.

Hertfordshire Falcons Baseball Club wishes to thank BSUK (www.baseballsoftballuk.com), the MLB Roadshow, baseball supplier Forelle (www.forelle.com), Dacorum Council, the Ambulance and Police Departments as well as all of the club volunteers.
www.baseballsoftballuk.com
www.sportengland.org
by AspiDimitrov

FALCONS GO 2-1-1 AT ANNUAL LONDON TOURNAMENT

The Herts Falcons put on a performance this weekend which almost resembled Cincinnati’s “Big Red Machine” of the 1970s. The team battled through two days of gruelling baseball action to come out with an overall record of 2 wins, 1 loss and 1 draw (time limit).

The International London Tournament has been Great Britain’s biggest baseball annual event for many years. This year there were 16 teams taking part from all around the UK, France and Ireland. 12 of the 16 teams were either in the National League or the Premier League so prior to the event it was fair to say that the Falcons were ranked outsiders. They were also drawn in the most difficult group with the reigning British National League Champions, the Richmond Flames, 2004 and 2005 Champions, the Croydon Pirates, and the 2003 Champions, the Windsor Bears.

The Herts team was a combined squad of Herts Falcons and Herts Hawks players, the two Hertfordshire teams.

In the first game, the Falcons faced the Richmond Flames, and despite a valiant effort, were overwhelmed by Richmond’s pitching and hitting.

The second game proved to be the main event of the day – the Falcons hosted the Windsor bears at the Central Field. The game was played in front of a large audience and had the added benefit of the field PA system, which gave a “Major League” feel. The actual game met and exceeded the fans’ expectations. The Falcons took a firm 4-0 lead, which they took into the 5th inning. However, starting pitcher Aspi Dimitrov was visibly running out of steam, despite leaving the game with a no-hitter for 4 and a 1/3 innings.

Reliever, Lee Manning, came in at a very short notice and performed magnificently to minimize the damage of the two runners left on by Dimitrov. Despite his efforts, the Bears fought tirelessly, driving in 6 runs in the 5th and 6th innings to take a 1-run lead and set up a “grand finale” in the bottom of the 6th. Two singles from Lee Manning and Yuji Endo put both the tying and winning runs on base. Up stepped slugger Marty Cullen, with the eyes of the crowd agog with anticipation. His massive line drive to the left field fence brought the winning run in to end this “classic”, and the crowd erupted.

This win earned the Falcons the coveted 11 o’clock start, avoiding the often (and with good reason) maligned 9:00 am start (under the stringent disciplinarian regime instituted by caretaker manager Jason Greenberg, that would have meant reporting for duty at the field at 7:30 am).

The razzmatazz culminated in the Home Run Derby on day one, which involved sluggers from each of the participating teams. The Falcons representative was hard-hitting Kimiyoshi Saionji, the Falcons’ very own Hideki Matsui. He was able to go through to the second round, and only some sudden wind gusts and dodgy last-minute manipulation of the home plate positioning (to favour righties), robbed him of a place in the final round of the 2007 Home Run Derby. The Falcons management are mulling over submitting an official complaint for the loss of the substantial sums that could have been generated from potential (however unlikely) t-shirt sales and other commercial opportunities.

On the second day, the Falcons faced the Great Britain Juniors (Under 18’s National Team) and the Great Britain Cadets (Under 16’s National Team). In the first game the Falcons held a good lead to the end, only for some clutch GB Junior hitting to tie the game and, due to the time limit rule in force in the tournament, the game ended in a 6-6 draw. This was the worst possible scenario for both teams, as they damaged each others’ chances of winning the trophy.

In the second game versus the GB Cadets, manager Greenberg was able to deploy a squad made up predominantly of Herts Hawks players. The future stars of Great Britain baseball performed creditably and were able to pull back from trailing at the beginning of the game to tie it up in the 5th. However, an astute managerial decision was made to bring in closer, Yuji “Lights Out” Endo, who came in and ended all hopes of a GB Cadets come-back. He struck out 5 batters in his 2 and 1/3 innings of pitching.

The Tournament Final was between the Richmond Flames and the Milton Keynes Hurricanes, with Richmond ending up as the 2007 London Tournament winners. The Frank Brady Trophy went to the Essex Arrows, mainly due to the masterful performance of former Falcon, Paul Raybould.

All in all, this was a great tournament for the Herts Falcons, who now have to put their minds back on the vital remaining League games of the season with promotion to the Premier League at stake

Disclaimer: Any resemblance between the Herts Falcons and the Cincinnati Reds, whether implied in this article or otherwise, is purely coincidental.

by AspiDimitrov

HERTFORDSHIRE LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL SET TO COMMENCE

The Hertfordshire Baseball Club is about to begin what may prove to be one of the largest youth baseball projects in the United Kingdom. This is being done with the generous support of BaseballSoftballUK (BSUK), the development agency for baseball and softball in the United Kingdom which is funded by Sports England, the agency that delivers the Government's sporting objectives.

Over a period of two weeks in July, nearly 20 training sessions at as many schools around Hertfordshire will take place. It is estimated that this will provide over 1,000 boys and girls the opportunity to play the game of baseball. The sessions will be run by licensed coaches provided by BSUK alongside coaches from the Herts Falcons and the Herts Hawks.

Over the years the Herts Baseball Club has been receiving regular enquiries from parents looking for a club where their children would be able to play baseball. Unfortunately, the club has had to turn them away as there was no youth baseball programme in Hertfordshire. The aim of this long-term project is to ensure that this will never happen again and that the kids in Hertfordshire will have a club where they will be able to play the game and most importantly, to have fun in a structured, well organised ‘team’ environment.

The two weeks of school training sessions will be followed by Summer Baseball Camps every Saturday from 28 July until 1 September.

The summer camps will be held at Grovehill Field, which is one of the UK’s best baseball facilities and home of the Herts Falcons and the Herts Hawks. The Summer Baseball Camps will be open not only to students from the schools visited by the club but also to all kids in and around Hertfordshire County.

All these events will build up to 2008 when plans are in place to start the inaugural season of the Hertfordshire Baseball Little League involving newly established teams from around Hertfordshire.

If you are interested to take part in the Summer Baseball Camps or any of the other events, please contact the Herts Baseball Club for more details and read our Frequently Asked Questions about Herts Little League Baseball, located in the LITTLE LEAGUE section of our webpage. Parents are encouraged to get involved as well and they also have the opportunity to play baseball with our adult teams, the Herts Falcons, Hawks and Raptors (14 years of age or older) affiliated to the Hertfordshire Baseball Club.

by AspiDimitrov

FIRST-EVER FALCONS-HERTS SHOWDOWN A GRAND CLUB SUCCESS

[ PHOTO GALLERY ]

[ GAME 1 BOX SCORE ]
[ GAME 2 BOX SCORE ]

GAME REPORT (by Ross Davies): The Herts Falcons won the battle of the birds, as they took both games against the newly-christened Herts Hawks in an historic occasion for the club. It was the first game between the two Hemel Hempstead-based sides since the club branched into two teams, and experience told on the day as the Falcons swept the Hawks in the double-header.

The Falcons, playing as hosts, took the initiative early on in the first game, as they raced into an early lead. Bruce Dullea, on the mound, was pitching consistently, and the home side’s bats fired from the off against the Hawks’ Larry Martillo to open up a sizeable deficit. Mark Hoffman came on to stem the flow of runs, but some excellent batting, most notably from Andy Cornish, who finished 3-for-3 with five RBIs, meant a premature ending to the first game as the slaughter rule came into play after five innings.

The Hawks would have been forgiven for letting their heads drop for the second game, but that wasn’t the case as Aspi Dmitrov took to the mound and pitched like a man possessed. Going into the fourth inning the game was tied at three each, and the Hawks were in with a real shout of an upset. However, a combination of poor batting and basic fielding errors cost them dear, and the Falcons capitalised, rattling off seven runs in two innings to put the game to bed.

In truth, the second game gave glimpses of what the Hawks were capable of, and there would have been the odd nervous moment in the home camp when the scores were level. But the efficient batting and faultless fielding proved the difference in the end, in particular from new shortstop Yuji Endo, whose athleticism was enough to lift the team on its own.

by AspiDimitrov

FIRST EVER HERTFORDSHIRE DERBY IN BRITISH BASEBALL LEAGUE HISTORY

 

Baseball history will be made this week when the Hertfordshire Baseball Club hosts the first ever Herts Baseball derby.  The Herts Falcons will clash against the Herts Hawks at Grovehill Field, Hemel Hempstead. 

 

Both teams have been building up to this game ever since the 2007 League schedule was published.  The Falcons come into the game as the odds-on favourites to win both games.  Over the last few weeks Falcons players have gone on record to say that they will administer an embarrassing beating which the Hawks will remember for years to come.  The war of words escalated to such an extent that the club’s internet Forum has been overloaded with page after page of pre-game exchanges.

 

The Hawks have kept quite in the pre-game build up, probably fearing the worst, but no matter how much the odds are stacked against them, in baseball miracles do happen and a miracle is what the Herts Hawks will need if they are to stand any chance of even staying close to the Falcons.

 

The two teams have met 6 times in the past but only in non-league exhibition games as part of the “Kyle Hunlock” Series last September.  The Falcons won those Series 4-2 and off-the-record they would probably claim that they handed the two wins out of pity for the Hawks and to extend the season by a week or two.

 

The Hertfordshire Baseball Club invites all baseball and non-baseball fans to come along and witness baseball history being made this Sunday and maybe to enjoy a picnic in the pleasant surroundings of our home field.  Game 1 starts at 12:00.  For directions to our field please click here (http://www.hertsfalcons.co.uk/field ).

 

by AspiDimitrov

“HERTS DERBY WEEK” SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Wednesday, 6 June, 6:00pm, Wednesday Night Practice – last preparations before the big game.  This and future Wednesday Night sessions are open to non-members who may be interested in joining the club or to give baseball a go.

 

Friday, 8 June, 6:30pm, Slugfest Night – all members of the Herts Baseball Club will have a night at the Northwick Park Batting Cages (Free of Charge) with food and drinks. Directions:http://www.northwickpark.com/directions.html

 

Sunday, 10 June, Judgement Day – Herts Hawks @ Herts Falcons

10:00am, Herts Falcons Pre-Game Batting Practice

10:45am, Herts Hawks Pre-Game Batting Practice

11:30am, Photocall: 2007 Team photos

11:40am, Herts Falcons Pre-Game Infield/Outfield Practice

11:50am, Herts Hawks Pre-Game Infield/Outfield Practice

12:00pm, Ceremonial First Pitch – thrown out by family members present.

12:05pm, GAME 1

~2:30pm, GAME 2

~5:00pm, Post Game Celebrations (To be confirmed) – possible options drinks with barbecue and/or pizza delivery etc, and/or a softball game involving friends and family members

by AspiDimitrov

CLUB ADOPTS NEW NAME FOR SECOND TEAM

Since its founding in 1996, the Herts Baseball Club has been growing steadily. It is the only baseball club in Hertfordshire and has always aimed to promote the game of baseball and to provide the residents of Hertfordshire (as well as the surrounding counties and North West London) the opportunity to play this great game in friendly surroundings and to be members of a well managed sports organisation which welcomes everyone regardless of age, gender, nationality and race, etc.

Due to increasing membership, in 2005 the club formed a second team which is now competing in Division 1 of the British Baseball League alongside the first team of the Herts Baseball Club. Since its formation, the second team has been competing under the name Herts Falcons 2.

On 3 June 2007, the members of the club agreed that it is time for the second team to be given its own name to recognize the fact that it is now a fully fledged member of the British Baseball League.

After several rounds of voting, the members of the Herts Falcons Baseball Club have made a decision and the team will now be known as the Herts Hawks.

In conjunction with this, the Club is also happy to unveil the new logos which will be adopted by the Herts Falcons and the Herts Hawks.