Category: Club News

Outcome of disciplinary proceedings
by Herts Baseball News Editor

Outcome of disciplinary proceedings

Herts Baseball Club has confirmed that, in accordance with its constitution and club regulations, it investigated an umpire report related to player conduct during a Hunlock Series game on 9 October 2022.

A disciplinary panel considered the report and imposed a ban on Mike Wakelam for failing to respect the decisions of the game official and engaging in public criticism of the official. The ban means that Mike Wakelam had to miss the remaining Hunlock Series games and will also be banned for the first two BBF regular season games of the 2023 season.

The club reiterated that, over the years it has had very few disciplinary matters to deal with but, it is still important to increase awareness among its members about observing the club and BBF codes of conduct.

Herts publishes AGM details
by Herts Baseball News Editor

Herts publishes AGM details

AGM NOTICE

In accordance with the Club’s Constitution, this is a notice of the upcoming 26th Annual General Meeting of Herts Baseball Club.  The AGM will take place as follows:
 
DATE
Sunday, 27 November 2022

TIME
10:30am (AGM expected to end at around 12:30pm-1:00pm)

VENUE
This year’s AGM will be held online via Zoom. Club members will receive an email with details how to join the Zoom call.

JUNIOR MEMBERS
Under the Club’s Constitution, members under the age of 14 on 31 December 2022 are classified as Junior Members and do not have voting rights at General Meetings. Regardless of this, if you are under the age of 14, you and your parents are very much invited to attend the AGM, especially as so many of the parents of our youth members are involved as players, coaches, volunteers and members of staff.
 
POTENTIAL NEW MEMBERS
Although only 2022 club members have the right to vote at this AGM, the meeting is very much open to potential new members who are considering joining the club in 2023.  This is a good opportunity for new players, volunteers and members of staff to learn more about the club and meet its members.  If you fall into this category and wish to attend the AGM, please contact the club.
 
OBSERVERS
The meeting is also open to observers who are not members of the Club. If you fall into this category and wish to attend the AGM please contact the club.
 
AGM PACK
Ahead of the meeting, the AGM Information Pack will be sent out to 2022 members. It will include information such as the AGM agenda, 2022 annual report, election details and more. 
 
ELECTION OF 2023 BOARD MEMBERS
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:  
BOARD POSITIONS (appointment term in brackets)

  • President (term ends 31.10.2025)
  • Secretary (term ends 31.10.2025)
  • Facilities Manager – Grovehill (term ends 31.10.2025)
  • Manager (NBL)2 Falcons (term ends 31.10.2025)
  • Manager (Triple-A)2 Cardinals (term ends 31.10.2024)
  • Manager (Single-A)2 Hawks (term ends 31.10.2025)
  • Manager (Single-A)2 Raptors (term ends 31.10.2023)
  • Manager (Single-A)2 Londoners (term ends 31.10.2024)
  • Manager (Single-A)2 Eagles (term ends 31.10.2025)
  • Head of U15-Hemel (term ends 31.10.2024)
  • Head of U13-Hemel (term ends 31.10.2023)
  • Head of U11-Hemel (term ends 31.10.2025)
  • Head of U15-London (term ends 31.10.2024)
  • Head of U13-London (term ends 31.10.2024)
  • Head of Softball (term ends 31.10.2023)

Notes:

2 The leagues which Herts teams will enter in 2023 will not be known until after the AGM. The Club may also decide to add or remove teams from the BBF leagues depending on the number of players registering for 2023. If the club enters fewer teams than expected, one or more of these board positions may be removed after the AGM.
 
Current Board members are eligible to stand for re-election. All members are invited to consider any of the Board positions and put their names forward for one or several of them. 
 
Being a board Member is an excellent opportunity to be involved in shaping the future of Herts Baseball Club. If you are considering applying for any of the positions, but are unsure about it, you can get in touch with current or past board members who can give you more information about what the role involves and what to expect, if elected. If you require more information about any of the above board positions please contact the club.
 
HOW TO CONFIRM YOUR CANDIDACY
If you decide to run for any of these board positions please confirm your candidacy by posting a message in the Herts Baseball Online Forum. If you have difficulties accessing the forum with your username and password please contact the club.
 
NOMINATION PROCESS
Nominations require two votes – nomination and second.  Nominations of Board members can be received at any time, including during the AGM. Nominations can only be accepted from persons eligible to vote at the AGM. To nominate or to second a candidate, post in the Herts Baseball online Forum.
 
BOARD AND STAFF MEMBER REBATE
Ahead of the Board elections, a reminder that, in consideration of the time and effort which Board members give in performing their Board roles and which effectively means that they are unable to enjoy the full benefit of their membership, they will be entitled to a membership fee rebate. The Board reviews the rebate system from time to time. Here is an example of how it is likely to be applied during the upcoming season:

  •  members of the Board are expected to be entitled to a rebate of around 50% or more of the respective membership fee payable by them during the year. 
  • if one Board role is held by two or more individuals, such individuals can share the rebate between them as the burden of performing the role is shared between them.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
In accordance with article 14.3 of the Club’s Constitution “Additions to, or alterations of the constitution shall be submitted to the Secretary not less than 10 (ten) days before the date of the meeting. No resolution involving an amendment to the constitution may be proposed or amended from the floor of a meeting.” If any members wish to propose a constitutional amendment please send it by contacting the club by 23:59 on 17 November 2022, at the latest. You can find a copy of the Constitution on the club’s website (click to view).

Watford Sun-Rockets founder has passed away
by Herts Baseball News Editor

Watford Sun-Rockets founder has passed away

We are sad to hear that the founder of the Watford Sun-Rockets, Peter Ash, passed away recently. 

He led the team to a national championship win in 1969 over the Liverpool Trojans – 8-7 after extra innings. This was the only Hertfordshire team to reach the NBL final until 2012 when the Herts Falcons lost in the final to the Harlow Nationals 6-3.  

Peter Ash was also selected by the Great Britain National Team and went on to win a silver medal in the 1967 European Championships in Antwerp, Belgium.

Herts Baseball Club was informed about the sad news by his granddaughter who saw this article from 2012. She is trying to find out as much as possible about him and his club. 

If any of our readers happen to have any further information about the baseball career of Peter Ash and the Watford Sun-Rockets, please contact us and we will forward it to his family.

Brent Cross Town funding to enhance baseball experience and activities at Basing Hill Ballpark
by Herts Baseball News Editor

Brent Cross Town funding to enhance baseball experience and activities at Basing Hill Ballpark

Herts Baseball Club has confirmed that the Brent Cross Town Community Fund has awarded them £2,632 to fund the purchase of a baseball pitching machine for Basing Hill Ballpark.

Phase Two of Basing Hill Ballpark project nearing completion

Herts Baseball Club established its north west London branch in 2019. The playing field had deteriorated over many years. It was last used by football teams more than 15 years ago. The club ran two successful crowdfunding campaigns raising over £40,000 to level and resurface the field with new grass and also to install the baseball elements including the backstop, infield perimeter fence, infield cutouts and pitcher’s mound.

The club is now aiming to expand and enhance the baseball activities on offer for the local community. In addition to adult and youth league games, the club wants to bring the experience closer to the standard enjoyed in other countries where there are baseball batting practice places in every neighbourhood.

The BATA-2 is the type of pitching machine which the club will be looking to add to Basing Hill Ballpark.

This funding from Brent Cross Town will be used to purchase a pitching machine which will enable the club to offer an even better product and experience to children and adults to try baseball and fall in love with the game.

by Herts Baseball News Editor

A Guide to Responsible Baseball Betting

Whether you are an avid fan of a US team and back them to win every match, or place the odd MLB bet now and then, ensuring you remain in control of your betting sessions is essential. As baseball betting continues to increase in popularity here in the UK, knowing how to remain in control when placing bets is paramount.

In this guide, we cover the most useful safe gambling strategies, tips, and tactics. So, if you’re trying to deal with a gambling problem or are worried about a friend or family member’s gambling activities, the following information will be of use.

Responsible gambling advice 

If you are passionate about remaining in control of your gambling, these tips will ensure you stay on the right track: 

  • Set a time limit: Limiting the amount of time you spend on online betting sites is a worthwhile task. This will reduce the risk you face of becoming addicted to online betting. 
  • Set a betting budget: It is important that you have a betting budget in place, ensuring you are not overspending and putting yourself and your family at financial risk. 
  • Take regular breaks: Taking regular breaks from gambling is an advisable move. This will make sure you are making sensible decisions and allow yourself time to regroup before logging back into your betting site. 
  • Only gamble when you are in the right headspace: Gambling when you are stressed, upset or intoxicated is ill-advised. This is because not being in the right headspace can cloud your judgement and lead you to make rash gambling decisions. 
  • When the fun stops, stop: All bettors must remember that gambling is a form of entertainment, not an avenue to generate money. This is why when gambling stops being fun and entertaining, you must log out of your betting account. 

Telltale signs of problem gambling

There are many signs that you are not gambling responsibly. These include: 

  • You are spending more and more money on online betting 
  • Friends and family members have passed comment on your gambling 
  • You find refraining from gambling hard or impossible 
  • You are spending an increased amount of time on betting
  • You are placing riskier bets with long odds
  • You are constantly seeking betting tips and free bets
  • You are loaning money to fund your gambling habits

Top responsible gambling services 

If you have taken the above tips on board and are still concerned about the amount of time and money you are spending then there are some responsible gambling services you can utilise. Many of these can be actioned via your chosen betting account. 

  • Deposit limit – A deposit limit is a feature that allows bettors to establish a deposit limit for themselves, allowing them to only gamble a specific amount of their own money. This restriction can be set on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.
  • Loss limit – By establishing a loss limit, you are telling your betting site how much money you are willing to lose. As a result, the amount of actual money you may lose from deposits is limited. 
  • Time-Out – By making use of your gambling site’s Time Out feature you can lock yourself out of your account for a certain amount of time, restricting your access to betting products completely. 
  • Self-exclusion – Self-exclusion is a feature whereby gamblers can exclude themselves from gambling activities on all betting sites for at least 6 months. This option can usually be found on the ‘responsible gambling’ page of a website. Players can also enforce Self Exclusion via GamStop.

Leading safe gambling charities and organisations 

In the UK, we boast an incredible support network when it comes to gambling-related harm. If you are seeking professional help, the below organisations are there to aid you back to health and support you emotionally. 

  • GamCare – GamCare is a national organisation that helps those who have been harmed by gambling. It offers both free telephone counselling and face-to-face group sessions. GamCare can be contacted via phone – 0808 8020 133. 
  • Gamblers Anonymous – Gamblers Anonymous refers to itself as a “fellowship” dedicated to assisting compulsive gamblers in their recovery. Users can access details of local meetings on the Gamblers Anonym    ous website; gamblers anonymous.org.uk
  • GamStop – GamStop gives consumers the option to join the National Self Exclusion Program, which allows them to exclude themselves from all online gambling activities for six months, one year or five years.
  • The Samaritans – The Samaritans provide a wide range of services to people who have been affected by gambling. These include counselling, mentoring and emotional support. The well-known charity works closely with the UK Gambling Commission to educate people about the dangers of gambling. Gamblers have the option to talk to a Samaritan on live chat at samaritans.org.

This responsible gambling guide has been developed by betting.bet; a UK online online betting sites portal. Betting.bet is part of a larger network of brands which also includes free bets comparison site, freebets.ltd.uk and casino sites portal, casinosites.ltd.uk.

Phase Two of Basing Hill Ballpark project nearing completion
by Herts Baseball News Editor

Phase Two of Basing Hill Ballpark project nearing completion

The key components of the second phase of the Basing Hill Ballpark project have now been completed.

The first phase of the project was to level and resurface the playing field with new grass.  That was implemented last September and October by the contractor Inscapes and it was time to move to phase two.

The club, with the help of Sport England, club members and the wider community successfully reached the £20,068 crowdfunding target in April and the London Borough of Barnet planning department granted the planning permission for the project to commence.

Over the last three months the club secured the services of several fantastic contractors. Galldris Group, who have been busy across the street with the huge Brent Cross Town development, implemented the excavation of the infield cutout areas around the bases and the pitcher’s mound.

Working on a very tight budget, the club relied on its own members and volunteers to do the heavy lifting of laying the 20 tonnes of sub-base and 40 tonnes of infield mix onto the cutout areas.

They somehow managed to avoid disruption to the youth and adult league schedules by squeezing all of this work into the five days between two weekends packed with games.

The first games on the new infield was the Triple-A League clash between the Herts Cardinals and the Cambridge Monarchs on 26 June, pictured above.

The mound clay blocks were installed on the pitcher’s mound and the batters’ and catcher’s boxes a week later.

Today, the installation of the baseball backstop was completed by contractors Tate and Tonbridge Fencing.

The last remaining task in this phase of the project is the installation of the spectator rails on the first and third base side of the infield. With steel and fuel prices rising, the cost of this increased by 30% which pushed the total project cost above the amount which was raised and the club is now looking for solutions either to raise more funds or find a fencing contractor who is able to install the spectator rail fencing panels at a lower price, or hope that inflation will correct itself in the coming months but that looks highly unlikely at the moment.

Although the 2022 BBF regular season is over, players will have a chance to play at the upgraded Basing Hill Ballpark before 2023 as the first Hunlock Series game day is scheduled to be played there on Sunday, 2 October.

Players have started registering for the 2022 Hunlock Series
by Herts Baseball News Editor

Players have started registering for the 2022 Hunlock Series

The 2022 BBF regular season will be coming to an end this weekend but, whether your team makes it to the Playoffs or not, arguably the best part of the season is still to come.

Every year, just when the MLB season enters its most exciting stage, players come to the ballpark for a competition in memory of Herts Baseball Club’s number 36, the late Kyle Hunlock.

SERIES FORMAT

This is the sixteenth year of the Hunlock Series. In its inaugural year in 2006 two teams were involved, the Falcons and the Hawks. The format of the competition has evolved since then. The club has over 120 registered adult players this year and a good number of new players are expected to register to play in the Series. As players sign up over the next few weeks we will know how many teams will enter the Series this year.

SCHEDULE

It will be played over three Sundays on 2, 9 and 16 October. This is later than in previous years due to BBF adult and youth postseason playoffs being played over all four weekends of September.  If Herts adult teams are eliminated in the early rounds of the Playoffs one of the Hunlock Series game days may be moved to 18 September.

VENUES

Games will be played at both Grovehill Ballpark and Basing Hill Ballpark.

WHO CAN PLAY?
Any players aged 14 and over on 31 December 2022 are eligible to play in the Hunlock Series.

THE DRAFT

As in previous years, the teams will be selected by the team managers during the Hunlock Series Draft. Who will be the first round picks? How will Single-A league players and newcomers perform alongside NBL and Triple-A players?

Over the years we have seen how decisions made during the Draft can shape the outcome of the Series before a pitch has been thrown. The managers will have to make carefully calculated decisions if they are to put together a team which can compete for the Hunlock Series title, otherwise they face miserable few weeks.

With all of the club’s managers and coaching staff observing these games, players who have been pushing for promotion to a higher league team will have the perfect opportunity during the Hunlock Series to make a claim to play on the bigger stage in 2023.

NEW PLAYERS

The club has also received enquiries from many potential new members over the last few weeks and this event is the ideal opportunity for them to come and play and help them decide whether to join the club for the 2023 season. .

HOW TO REGISTER

All Hunlock Series players will be drafted into teams. To be eligible for the Draft you will need to update your availability for ALL the Hunlock Series dates in the online Clubhouse by Tuesday, 6 September. If you miss the deadline or the first one or two weeks of games, don’t worry. You will still be eligible to play but will have to be assigned as a free agent after the Draft.

If you already have a Clubhouse account you can update availability by logging on with your existing username and password. Click here to go to the Clubhouse.

If you do not have a Clubhouse account but wish to play in the Hunlock Series, please register here and select “Play Hunlock Series” in the membership category list. After registering you can log on and mark your availability.

To be eligible to play in the Hunlock Series, players must be 14 years of age or above on 31 December 2022.

ENTRY FEE
2022 Herts club members do not have to pay an entry fee as the Hunlock Series is part of their membership package. If you don’t have a Hunlock Series team shirt, you can buy one before your first game. The cost is expected to be around £8. You can also exchange a team shirt if you are drafted in a different colour team.

New players or players from other clubs can play by paying the £18 entry fee which includes a free Hunlock Series shirt of the team which has drafted them.

ENQUIRIES FROM NEW PLAYERS

For more details about playing in the Hunlock Series, contact us.

Herts receives BSUK grant for the upgrade of Grovehill Ballpark
by Herts Baseball News Editor

Herts receives BSUK grant for the upgrade of Grovehill Ballpark

Herts Baseball Club has been awarded a grant of £2,851.63 by BaseballSoftballUK (BSUK).  The club has separately raised £3,000 and the total amount of £5,851.63 will be invested into upgrading its Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead.

The work on the project has already commenced with the installation of the pitching mounds on the two diamonds using clay mound blocks which will provide a more stable and durable structure in line with baseball regulations.

The next steps in the project involve a number of procedures to enhance the grass playing surface including verti-draining, top dressing, aeration and fertilising on both diamonds. The club is consulting with the contractor to determine the optimum time to implement these procedures – either in the autumn after the end of the baseball season or in the spring for the start of the 2023 season.

Grovehill Ballpark was opened in the early 1990s. The facility expanded its capacity with the building of the second diamond in 2010 enabling it to host high-profile events such as the National Baseball Championships, Herts Spring League, Herts Futures Tournament, Hunlock Series, and others. This year over 100 adult and youth league games are scheduled to be played at the ballpark and this project will make the ballpark even better.

Herts is one of seven recipients of the 2022 Facilities Fund, with £10,558.24 being directly invested in grassroots facility development projects this year.

As part of BSUK’s Two Sports, One Ambition Strategy launched in August 2020, BSUK reaffirmed its commitment to help grassroots baseball and softball organisations across the UK to become stronger, safer and more sustainable. A key part of the commitment was creating the Facilities Fund to support Chartered clubs and leagues to develop and improve their facilities, with BSUK committing £50,000 over five years, starting last year, to allow clubs and leagues to use the investment not only to support facility development but also act as a lever to attract further match funding.

Chris Rawlings, Head of Development at BaseballSoftballUK, commented on the submissions, remarking, “This year’s submissions were just as strong as last year’s, and the selection committee had a very tough task in awarding funding. This is a further step towards improving facilities across the United Kingdom, and we are very proud of all the clubs who submitted for the fund this year.”

Coach Monte Brooks is coming back to the UK to work with Herts players
by Herts Baseball News Editor

Coach Monte Brooks is coming back to the UK to work with Herts players

In June 2019 the head coach of The Master’s University baseball team, Monte Brooks, was a special guest of Herts Baseball Club and Herts players had the unique opportunity of being coached by him.

He will be coming back to the UK and he will once again be working with the Herts adult and youth teams at the club’s two branches in Hemel Hempstead and in London. The two events which he will be taking part in are:

  • 6pm, Wednesday, 1 June, Grovehill Ballpark, Hemel Hempstead
  • 6pm, Thursday, 2 June, Basing Hill Ballpark, London

Brooks has just completed his 26th season as head coach of The Master’s University baseball team in the USA. He is the program’s all-time leader in wins with a record of 790-535. He has led the Mustangs to four NAIA World Series appearances (2000, 2013, 2016, 2017) and three regular-season GSAC titles.

As a player, Brooks was drafted by the San Diego Padres in 1987 with whom he spent four seasons in the minor leagues and later coached in the Padres organisation before his appointment with Master’s University.

Players who have developed through The Master’s University have gone on to be drafted by MLB clubs. One of them is Conner Menez (pictured above) who was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 14th round of the 2016 MLB Draft. Shortly after Coach Brooks’ visit to London in 2019, Menez made his MLB debut for the Giants where he played until last year. This season he was signed by the Chicago Cubs and with rumours going around that the 2023 MLB London Series will feature the Chicago Cubs and the St Louis Cardinals, Herts fans may have the opportunity to see Menez in action at the London Stadium.

Coach Brooks’ area of expertise is working with hitters and infielders so his visit to the club is a fantastic opportunity for players from the various Herts teams.

The sessions are open to all current Herts members as well as new players who are considering joining the club. If you are not a current club member and wish to take part in one of these sessions, please contact us.

Herts Baseball Club looking for volunteers and paid coaches to host the pilot MLB First Pitch school baseball event in Hemel Hempstead
by Herts Baseball News Editor

Herts Baseball Club looking for volunteers and paid coaches to host the pilot MLB First Pitch school baseball event in Hemel Hempstead

As part of Major League Baseball’s investment in the UK and the London Series, a pilot programme in association with the Youth Sport Trust was introduced where a hub of around 15 schools is created in a number of regions to run the MLB First Pitch programme. One of these hubs is in Hemel Hempstead and the surrounding area. 

The programme culminates with an end-of-school-year baseball event bringing all the schools from the hub together.  Herts Baseball Club was approached to host the end of year baseball festival scheduled for the summer of 2021, however that event could not take place due to Covid restrictions in schools.

Grovehill Ballpark has previously hosted baseball and softball events as part of the Herts School Games

Steps are being taken now to stage this event this summer on Tuesday, July 12, at Grovehill Ballpark, the home of Herts Baseball Club in Hemel Hempstead. The event is likely to feature a skills session from 9:30 to 12:00 and games from 12:30 to 14:45. It is expected to cover students aged 9 to 11 – school years 5 and 6.

The club is inviting Herts club members or players and coaches from other clubs who would be interested and available to act as event staff volunteers and as paid coaches on that day. The fee for the coaches will range between £12.50 and £23.75, depending on the role and the level of the coach.  For more details and to express interest contact us.