Weekend Warriors

By Stephen C. Smith
Publisher
March 21, 2010

 

Merritt Island Marlins pitcher Wes Kretshmer delivers to Tapps of Palm Bay batter Justin Neal in a March 21, 2010 game at Mitchell Ellington Park.

Philosopher Yogi Berra once said, “It ain't over 'til it's over.”

For those who played baseball in high school, college, and maybe even the professional ranks, eventually a time comes when it's over.

Time to grow up and join the real world.

But just was he was right about so many other aspects of life, Yogi's sage advice can be applied as well to those who are still young at heart and want to play the game for the game's sake.

Two adult amateur leagues play in Brevard County, the Brevard County Baseball League and the Brevard County Adult Baseball Association.

The BCBL is the more established league. Run by the county's Parks and Recreation program, the league goes back to 1980 when it was called the Florida Space Coast Baseball League. Among the teams in that league were the Space Coast Rockets, Vero Beach Moorings and Satellite Beach Reds. The league originally belonged to the Stan Musial Division of the Palm Bay Americans, plays in the Roy Hobbs circuit and has won five Roy Hobbs World Series championships.

The BCABA is the upstart circuit in Brevard County. The league belongs to the National Adult Baseball Association. It began play in 2009.

With the BCBL entrenched in Palm Bay and Viera, the BCABA is establishing its own identity by playing at the newly built Mitchell Ellington Park in north Merritt Island. The BCABA has six teams that play on Sundays at 9 AM, 12:45 PM and 4:30 PM.

The BCABA gets more attention from me, frankly, because they're less than a mile from my home. It's a long drive to Palm Bay from north Merritt Island. The county's league is far more established, while the BCABA can benefit from more coverage.

Let's face it, the quality of play isn't exactly major league. Or minor league. Or college.

I've spent the last twelve years covering professional minor league baseball, so I'm used to certain level of play. I have to remind myself that these are players beyond their prime, or some who never even had a prime.

Mental mistakes abound, but sometimes you see hustle, power or velocity which suggests this was a player who once was a standout on the diamond.

Winning is nice, but it's also about fun and camraderie.

Anyone 18 or older can join the BCABA. There's no age limit. A few players are clearly in their 50s and perhaps older. Some appear barely past 18. Yet they're all on the same field enjoying baseball.

Although no women are currently in the BCABA, one joined last year and there's no gender exclusion. I'm certain a woman could hold her own in this league. Through the first two weeks of play, only one batter had homered — Clint Horvath of the Rockledge Rays — and it's only 350 feet to dead center at Mitchell Ellington, so power is certainly not a prerequisite.

Below are a few photos from the two games I've covered so far. I hope to get photos of every team before the season's over. As I process them, you'll find BCABA photos in the SpaceCoastBaseball.com Amateur Players' Digital Photo Gallery.

South Knights pitcher Bryan Moynihan blocks the plate as Viera Athletics runner Mike Hongach tries to score in a March 7 game.

 

Viera Athletics starting pitcher Josh Ferris delivers in their Opening Day game against the South Knights.

 

Merritt Island Marlins catcher Ed Chreighton fields a pop foul in their March 21 game against the Tapps of Palm Bay.

 

Tapps of Palm Bay of right fielder Kevin Keating fields a base hit at the fence.