Category: Youth Leagues
TOP BASEBALL ACTION BY GB AND LITTLE LEAGUE TEAMS, HOT DOGS, HOME RUNS, TRIPLE PLAY AND A LOT MORE
Hertfordshire is becoming baseball-crazy. Saturday’s event was yet another confirmation of this. Around 200 fans came to enjoy a great day of baseball at Grovehill Ballpark which started at 9:30am with a special Little League pre-game clinic ran by GB coaches and finished 11 hours later with the GB exhibition games.
The baseball facilities at the home of Herts Baseball Club were being utilized to the full especially around midday. Two Little League games were taking place on the two Little League fields. Little League spectators who were in attendance had the chance to see Zachary Longboy of the Herts Bue Jays turn a triple play, which is one of the rarest plays in baseball. At the same time the GB Junior National Team was taking their batting practice behind the main field, while GB Senior Team Head Coach, Stephan Rapaglia, and his colleagues were putting the twenty or so GB Trialists through various drills to evaluate every aspect of their game.
This was one of the last tests for the GB Junior National Team before the European Championships qualifying. The team is flying to Sweden next week to start their campaign and Head Coach, Liam Carroll will be upbeat about the team’s chances after a good showing today and over the last few games, including a second place finish at the International London Tournament last week.
The GB Trialists’ team included players from various clubs around Great Britain. Players made the trip to Hertfordshire from places as far as Edinburgh, but the longest trip was made by Head Coach, Stephan Rapaglia, who landed from America at 6am on the day of the event.
Before the GB Exhibition game both teams and the Herts Little League players took part in the pre-game ceremony which included a traditional team roll-call. This was followed by the National Anthem performed by 7-year old Mariana Casal, the ceremonial first pitch was thrown by Brian Essery and caught by Roddi Liebenberg, both members of the European Championship silver-medal winning GB Team last year in Barcelona. There was also a “second” ceremonial first pitch. This time the 50 or so Little League players lined up with their balls to pitch to the adult players from the GB Junior and GB Trialists teams.
Among the Trialists were two members of the hosts Herts Baseball Club. Andy Cornish and Dan Kerry received the biggest cheer from the hometown fans. Both performed very well and hopefully they have done enough to impress the GB coaches.
Visit the Herts Baseball gallery for more photos from this special day.
HERTS BASEBALL CLUB ANNOUNCES ALL-STAR WEEK SCHEDULE
One of the great weeks on the baseball calendar is Major League Baseball’s All-Star Week. Herts Baseball Club also tries to recreate this great tradition here in the United Kingdom by running events alongside those which take place on the other side of the Atlantic.
Herts Baseball Club has just announced the events schedule for All-Star Week.
Saturday, 12 July 2008
Members of the Herts AAA, AA and A adult teams will head South for this year’s International London Tournament held in Croydon over two days. Most hotel rooms in that part of London have already been booked as Herts Baseball Club members intend to make an all-out invasion of Croydon. For the first time in its history, the club has entered two teams in what is arguably the biggest adult baseball event in this country. The tournament game schedule will be confirmed a few days before the event. In the evening, following the first day of games, the Tournament will stage the annual Home Run Derby.
Sunday, 13 July 2008
Day 2 of the International London Tournament including the deciding games to determine the winners and the losers.
Monday, 14 July 2008
(TV) 01:00am 2008 MLB Home-Run Derby (Watch it live on MLB.COM)
MLB .COM is currently running some promotional campaigns which offer the opportunity to watch one week of MLB TV free of charge.
Tuesday, 15 July 2008
(TV) 01:05am MLB 2008 All-Star Game, American League vs National league (Watch it live on Channel Five)
Wednesday, 16 July 2008
5:45pm, Herts Raptors will be joined by Milwaukee Brewers Coach, Sam Dempster for a special training session at Grovehill Ballpark. This session is also open to Herts Hawks, Herts Falcons and potential new member of the club. If you are not a member and you would like to give baseball a go please contact us for details how to take part in this special training session baseball@hertsbaseball.com
Thursday, 17 July 2008
4:00pm, Herts Baseball Little League Players will be joined by Milwaukee Brewers Coach, Sam Dempster for a training session at Grovehill Ballpark.
5:45pm, Herts Falcons will be joined by Milwaukee Brewers Coach, Sam Dempster for a special training session at Grovehill Ballpark.
Saturday, 19 July 2008
9:30 – 10:30 – Herts Baseball Little League Clinic run by Great Britain Baseball National Team Coaches
10:30 – 1:00 – Herts Baseball Little League (Yankees @ Red Sox, Blue Jays @ Cubs, Cubs @ Yankees, Red Sox @ Blue Jays)
1:30pm – GB Juniors National Team vs GB Seniors Trialists
Great opportunity for baseball fans in and around Hertfordshire to take a look at some of the best young baseball players in Great Britain.
Sunday, 20 July 2008
11:00pm, AA League: Herts Hawks vs Brentwood Stags, Grovehill Ballpark
3:00pm, Single-A League: Herts Raptors vs Bracknell Blazers, Grovehill Ballpark
BRITAIN’S GOT TALENT? GB BASEBALL HOLDS TRIAL EXHIBITION GAME IN HERTFORDSHIRE
Great Britain Senior National Baseball Team at the Viladecans Baseball Stadium, Barcelona, September 2007
Herts Baseball Club is pleased to announce that the Great Britain National Baseball Programme has chosen Hertfordshire to host a special GB trial opportunity on Saturday, 19 July 2008, which will consist of two games between the GB Junior National Baseball Team (as they enter the final and crucial stage of their preparation for the 2008 European Championships qualifier) and a team consisting of current and would-be members of the GB Senior National Baseball Team. This is the first ever GB Baseball trial to be staged in Hertfordshire and is a wonderful opportunity for baseball fans in and around the county to come and see some of Great Britain’s current and future baseball stars in action.
One or two players from the GB team which famously won the Silver Medal at the 2007 European Championships in Barcelona last year will join other current GB team members taking part in this event. Brian Essery (currently of the London Mets) is scheduled to play, and it is expected that Ian Young (ex-Windsor Bears) will also be able to attend. Essery is a former professional pitcher and he was GB's #1 starter during the 2007 European Championships, while Young made the EC All-Tourney team as a First Baseman. Young was also the tourney's leading hitter in the 2005 EC. Essery, Young, and other current members of the GB Senior National Baseball Team will be joined by UK-based National League and AAA League players for whom this event is serving as a trial opportunity.
Around 20 trialists are expected to take part in these exhibition games and they come from 9 British Baseball League teams. Among them will be two Herts players who will be hoping to impress the GB staff and receive an official call-up to the GB squad. They are 23 year old Andy Cornish from Hemel Hempstead, who is the Joint 2007 Home Run Champion, and outfielder, Dan Kerry from St. Albans, who is the current Herts Home Run leader. Both have been central to the success of the Herts Falcons team that currently leads the British AAA league with an amazing 15-3 record.
Their invitation to participate in the trial is a tremendous boost for the club and proof that the opportunity is there for youth and adult Herts players to progress and possibly play for their country. The future stars of Herts Baseball Club who are currently playing in the Herts Little League will be on hand to witness this for themselves.
The day’s activities will start with a clinic for the Herts Little League to be run by, GB Programme Coaches, followed by the scheduled Little League games.
Event Schedule:
9:30 – 10:30 – Herts Baseball Little League Clinic run by Great Britain National Baseball Programme Coaches
10:30 – 1:00 – Herts Baseball Little League (Yankees @ Red Sox, Blue Jays @ Cubs, Cubs @ Yankees, Red Sox @ Blue Jays)
1:30pm – GB Junior National Baseball Team vs GB Seniors Trialists (Game 1)
3:30pm – GB Junior National Baseball Team vs GB Seniors Trialists (Game 2)
This event is open to the general public and we invite all baseball fans to attendwhat is a very rare opportunity to see some of Great Britain’s Baseball stars right here in Hertfordshire. Admission is free and traditional baseball snacks and drinks will be available to buy at the Ballpark (all profits from these sales will go towards the club’s project to develop a second baseball diamond at Grovehill Ballpark).
Directions to Grovehill Ballpark
If you require additional details please contact us: baseball@hertsbaseball.com
Herts Baseball Club welcomes new players (from complete beginners to professionals) for both the adult league teams and the Little League, so if you are interested in giving baseball a try please contact us.
HERTS LITTLE LEAGUERS BRING PLAYBALL WORLD SERIES TROPHY BACK TO HERTFORDSHIRE
Hertfordshire’s Baseball Little League may have started less than a month ago, but it already has a trophy in its trophy cabinet.
A strong contingent from Hertfordshire invaded Coventry early on Saturday morning for the 10th MLB PlayBall World Series involving 12 teams from around the country. The Herts Little League was represented in this prestigious national event by two All-Star Teams. The Herts Red Sox, which included some of the older Little League players, were drawn in a tough group with the Nottingham Pirates and the Sunderland Giants. The Herts Indians included younger players from the Herts Little League and they faced the Windsor Astros and the Gloucester Orioles in Group C.
Despite being much younger than their opponents the Herts Indians booked their place in the elite AAA bracket with two magnificent wins. The Herts Red Sox lost against the Nottingham Pirates in the final inning which was heartbreaking, but they quickly picked themselves up to take a win against the Sundarland Giants to secure a place in the AA second-tier bracket of the World Series.
The competition moved into the afternoon with the semi-finals and the finals to decide the winners in the respective brackets. The Herts Indians finished 4th in the AAA Finals which is an incredible achievement.
The Herts Red Sox really turned it on in this final stage and swept through the Horsham Padres and then the Horsham Angels, who included two members of the Great Britain Juveniles National Team. With these two wins the Herts Red Sox clinched the PlayBall World Series AA Winners’ Trophy. The Herts Little League was not prepared for this and now has to search for a trophy cabinet and hopes that there will be many more trophies to come. One thing is for sure – the future of baseball in Hertfordshire is looking bright judging by this outstanding performance by the club's next generation of baseball players.
Stay tuned to the Herts Baseball Newswire over the next few days for video and photos from the event.
VIDEO OF THE WEEK FROM THE WORLD OF BASEBALL
Once again many thanks to those who have submitted their candidates for Video of the Week. The following are the videos which made the cut.
AMAZING FOUL BALL CATCH BY…THE BALL GIRL
Submitted by Paul Hawes
Did this really happen? Think about it. When you have made up your mind see the answer by clicking here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qR9rKJlLp8
LITTLE LEAGUERS – INTRODUCTION TO THE GAME OF BASEBALL
Submitted by Ilya Dimitrov
HERTS LITTLE LEAGUE ALL-STARS TAKE ON THE REST OF BRITAIN
This Saturday the Herts Little League takes a break from league action as two Hertfordshire All-Star teams travel to Coventry for the British PlayBall World Series. This event brings together the best baseball youth teams from around the country every year. Teams as far away as Exeter and Sunderland will all be heading to Coventry. It is organised by BSUK in association with MLB and sponsored by Frubes.
This is the first opportunity for the Herts players to play against teams outside the county and it will be very interesting to see whether they will manage to compete against some well established youth baseball clubs such as the Horsham Little League which was created 3 years ahead of the Herts Little League.
The two Herts teams have been allocated names of MLB franchises – the Herts Red Sox and the Herts Indians. In the group stages the Herts Red Sox have been drawn together with the Nottingham Pirates and the Sunderland Giants, while the Herts Indians will face the Windsor Astros and the Gloucester Orioles.
After the group stage the teams then move to the semi-finals and then the finals, but a top finish in the group will be critical if the teams are to challenge for the World Series title.
The event will also include the Pitch, Hit & Run contest as well as the Home Run Derby.
This year’s venue for the PlayBall World Series will beWoodlands School, Broad Lane, Coventry, CV5 7FF. For more details write to baseball@hertsbaseball.com
YANKEES END CUBS UNBEATEN RUN, BLUE JAYS BACK IN THE TITLE CHASE
In the crunch game of the day the first and second-placed teams in the Herts Little League clashed on a sunny day at Grovehill Ballpark. Just when the Herts Cubs were beginning to look untouchable with a 4-0 record, the Yankees delivered a decisive blow winning 4-2. Yankees starter and member of the Great Britain Juveniles National Team, Marty Cullen Jr, pitched 3 solid innings and that was all that the Yankees needed as their bats came through at the right time to put 4 runs on the board.
On Field One the Blue Jays were looking for their first win against the Red Sox. The Jays made some critical acquisitions prior to the game drafting the Owens brothers, acquiring Trent Dyer from the Sox and they were further strengthened by the return of Jack and Sean Bender and of course the return of Blue Jays Coach Bob Bender. Zachary Longboy started on the mound for them and shut down the Red Sox in the first two innings. Entering the final inning the Blue Jays came alive notching 2 runs on the scoreboard. Would this be enough for them to claim their first victory? Longboy was still going strong on the mound, but in the bottom of the last inning he had to face the meat of the Red Sox order. With one out and runners on 1st and 2nd, Mikito Ariga delivered a bases-clearing shot deep into left-centerfield tying the ballgame at 2-2. Up stepped leftie slugger, Charlie Mayhew, with a line drive to bring Mikito in and end the game.
This was the third heartbreaking one-run loss for the Jays this season, but they did not give up. Coach Bob Bender lifted the team quickly for their second game of the day. The Yankees seemed to still be celebrating their earlier win against the Cubs and the Blue jays took full advantage. Four quick runs in the first inning was all they needed. A solid defensive performance restricted the Yankees to one run only in the game, so the Blue Jays had their first win of the season.
LINK TO SCOREBOARD AND CURRENT STANDINGS
Week 3 Player Transactions:
HERTS BLUE JAYS
Drafted Jack Owens (new members)
Drafted Charlie Owens (new members)
Acquired Trent Dyer from the Red Sox
Acquired Lawrence Phipps from the Red Sox
HERTS RED SOX
Traded Trent Dyer to the Blue Jays
Traded Lawrence Phipps to the Blue Jays
HERTS YANKEES
No transaction in week 3
HERTS CUBS
No transaction in week 3
