National Amateur Baseball Federation Tournament News On the web at www.nabf.com October 1, 2015 • Bowie, Maryland • Price $1.00 101st Year Pedro Alvarez Grad of the Year Pittsburgh Pirates all-star Pedro Alva- rez began catching the attention of scouts while a youth playing for the NABF cham- pion Bayside Yankees in New York City. Alvarez played for the Bayside Yan- kees for three years (2003-05), where he helped the Yankees win the 2005 NABF 18U Senior World Championship in Jack- son, Mississippi in 2005. He was Bayside’s cleanup hitter and third baseman. "He was a leader, on and off the fi eld," said Bayside Yankees President and Senior Head Coach Marc Cuseta. Alvarez was a 2005 graduate of Hor- ace Mann High School in Riverdale, NY. He also was a three-time All American at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennes- see and played for Team USA in 2006 and 2007. "Pedro was one of the top three or four hitters to ever wear a Bayside Yankees uni- form and that includes the 63 BY alums St. Louis Dodgers win second title in three years who have reached the Major Leagues in the At Mercy Field in Toledo, the St. Louis Dodgers celebrate winning their second Nation- program's illustrious 35-year history," said al Amateur Baseball Federation College Division World Series championship in three Cuseta. years with a team dousing of Gatorade. See story on page 7. (Photo by Scott Grau) "But more importantly, he is perfect gentleman, a loving husband (to his wife Kelli) and soon (in October) will be an 101st Annual Meeting adoring father. He is the epitome of what the Bayside Yankees represent, both on and off the baseball fi eld," Cuseta continued. New century starts in Baltimore Today, Pedro Manuel Álvarez Jr. (born NABF grad Pedro Alvarez. (Photo cour- (continued on page 9) tesy of Dave Arrigo/Pittsburgh Pirates) The 101st Annual Meeting of the Na- tional Amateur Baseball Federation will be held Friday, November 6th and Saturday, November 7th at the Doubletree by Hilton Baltimore-BWI Airport. NABF Graduates of the Year The Doubletree is located adjacent to BWI-Thurgood Marshall Airport and less 1968 Bill Freehan (Detroit Tigers) 1990 Barry Larkin (Cincinnati Reds) than 3 miles from the BWI Amtrak station, and they offer a 24-hour complimentary 1969 Pete Rose (Cincinnati Reds) 1991 Steve Farr (New York Yankees) shuttle to both places. 1970 Bernie Carbo (Cincinnati Reds) 1992 Marquies Grissom (Montreal It is also conveniently close to area at- 1971 Ted Simmons (St. Louis Cardinals) Expos) tractions including downtown Baltimore Orioles Park at Camden Yards in down- 1972 John Mayberry (Kansas City 1993 Paul O’Neil (New York Yankees) (Inner Harbor shops and dining; M&T Bank town Baltimore. (courtesy mlb.com) Royals) 1994 No selection (MLB Players Strike) Ravens Stadium; Oriole Park at Camden 1973 Sal Bando (Oakland Athletics) 1995 Charles Nagy (Cleveland Indians) Yards; Horseshoe Casino), historic down- Camden Yards Sports Complex. 1974 Jim Wynn (Los Angeles Dodgers) 1996 Brian Jordan (St. Louis Cardinals) town Annapolis (shopping; dining; U.S. A special rate of $109 per night, in- 1975 Frank Tanana (California Angels) 1997 Jeff Reed (Colorado Rockies) Naval Academy), and Arundel Mills Mall cluding a breakfast buffet for one person 1976 Rick Manning (Cleveland Indians) 1998 Scott Rolen (Philadelphia Phillies) (shopping; dining; Maryland Live Casino). per room, per day has been reserved for 1977 Kenton Tekulve (Pittsburgh 1999 Paul Byrd (Philadelphia Phillies) The Directors’ meeting will be held the the NABF. (Other fees may apply for ad- morning of Friday, November 6th. A dinner ditional people you wish to bring with Pirates) 2000 Pat Burrell (Philadelphia Phillies) for the Offi cers and Directors will be hosted you.) Please call 1-800-232-TREE (8733) or 1978 Lary Sorenson (Milwaukee 2001 Billy Koch (Toronto Blue Jays) by the Maryland State Baseball Association 410-859-8400, or visit www.doubletree.com Brewers) 2002 Roy Oswalt (Houston Astros) on Friday evening. and enter dates of stay. After you enter the 1979 Willie Horton (Seattle Mariners) 2003 B.J. Surhoff (Baltimore Orioles) The meeting for all NABF franchise dates, you have an option to enter a group/ 1980 Britt Burns (Chicago White Sox) 2004 Brian Roberts (Baltimore Orioles) member Delegates will be held the morn- convention code. Our code for special rates 1981 Tom Paciorek (Seattle Mariners) 2005 Mark Tiexiera (Texas Rangers) ing of Saturday, November 7th, followed by for NABF members is NABF. 1982 Leon Durham (Chicago Cubs) 2006 J.J. Putz (Seattle Mariners) a luncheon and awards presentation in the 1983 Robert Bonnell (Toronto Blue 2007 Jake Peavy (San Diego Padres) afternoon at approximately 1 p.m. Trips to Bowie, Maryland 20718 705 P.O. NABF Jays) 2008 Gavin Floyd (Chicago White Sox) downtown Baltimore are planned for the 1984 Jack Perconte (Seattle Mariners) 2009 Zack Grienke (Kansas City Royals) afternoons of Thursday, November 5th and Friday, November 6th. 1985 John Franco (Cincinnati Reds) 2010 David Price (Tampa Bay Rays) Camden Yards, home to the Baltimore 1986 Jesse Barfi eld (Toronto Blue Jays) 2011 Johnny Damon (Tampa Bay Rays) Orioles, is the fi rst of the "retro" major 1987 Brian Fletcher (Texas Rangers) 2012 David Freese (St. Louis Cardinals) league ballparks constructed during the 1988 Allen L. Anderson (Minnesota 2013 Michael Lance Lynn (St. Louis 1990s and early 2000s, and remains one of Twins) Cardinals) the most highly praised. It was completed 1989 Dave Dravecky (San Fransisco 2014 Sonny Gray (Oakland Athletics) in 1992 to replace Memorial Stadium. The Giants) 2015 Pedro Alvarez (Pittsburgh Pirates) park is situated in downtown Baltimore, a few blocks west of the Inner Harbor in the INSIDE THIS ISSUE... Youth Baseball Network Championship Series has arrived... See pages 2, 15 At left, Wildwood (St. Louis) Dodger fans celebrate a College Division World Series championship, the Dodger's second in three years. (Photo by Scott Grau) 2 NABF TOURNAMENT NEWS OCTOBER 1, 2015 CONTACT US Charles M. Blackburn, Jr. Executive Director, NABF Franchise Membership Chairman P. O. Box 705, Bowie, MD 20718 TEL: 410-721-4727 FAX: 410-721-4940 E-mail: [email protected] OFFICERS & DIRECTORS President Vincent DiLauro New Haven, Connecticut 1st Vice President Derek Topik Brandon, Mississippi Buffalo Battistoni Diesel champions in Battle Creek A Buffalo Battistone Diesel infi elder makes an over the shoulder catch in his team's 7-3 Major Division World Series champion- 2nd Vice President ship victory over the Lombard Orioles in Battle Creek. Above right, the Diesel celebrate their championship. In a slugfest, the Glenn "Buzz" McNish Diesel pounded 16 hits in the championship, and the two teams combined for 27 hits. See story on page 6. (Photos by Art Frith) Knoxville, Tennessee Youth Baseball Network Plans Underway 3rd Vice President Youth network's Connie Brown Boston, MA – There’s no rest for those “Branson is the ideal city for youth who want to be successful. sports,” continued Vieira. “Between the Gil Vieria to speak Troy, Ohio With the inaugural Youth Baseball Net- family atmosphere, multiple entertainment work (YBN) National Championship com- venues for both children and adults, plus pleted less than a month ago in Branson, the added beauty of the Ozark Mountains, at NABF meeting Immediate Past President Missouri, YBN has started planning for we hope to call Branson our home for many Thomas Stout next year’s championship. years to come.” Gil Vieira has The YBN National Championship is However, while Vieira is very happy worked diligently Altoona, Pennsylvania a unique and prestigious tournament. It’s with the inaugural year, he knows there are over the past two an invitational youth baseball ‘tournament improvements to be made. years to bring about of champions’ consisting of several major “We’ve begun planning numerous the successful 2015 2015 NABF Directors youth baseball organization’s 12U national changes and improvements,” Vieira con- Youth Baseball Thomas Stout champions. fi rmed. “The fi rst order of business is de- Network National Championship Se- Altoona, Pennsylvania In 2015, champions from American termining the location of the Champion- Amateur Baseball Congress (AABC), Ama- ship in 2016.” ries, held in Bran- teur Athletic Union (AAU), Continental Current plans are to play the champi- son, Missouri. Robert Chiara Amateur Baseball Association (CABA), onship at the new Ballparks of America Vieria will be a Dizzy Dean Baseball, and National Amateur complex in Branson, which is scheduled speaker at the 101st Gil Vieria Malverne, New York Baseball Federation (NABF) competed for to open spring 2016. However, backup NABF national the coveted national championship, along plans are being discussed should it not be meeting Friday, November 6th and Sat- J. Patrick Eaken with a host Branson-area all-star team. ready. urday, November 7th at the Doubletree Youth Baseball Network Founder and In addition to fi nalizing the host com- by Hilton Baltimore-BWI Airport. Perrysburg, Ohio CEO, Gil Vieira, said that the inaugural plex, YBN hopes to increase the champion- At the YBN National Champion- event was a major success and that Bran- ship to eight teams in 2016. Vieira could ship Series, champions from American Amateur Baseball Congress (AABC), Scott Ruark son was well received by those in atten- not confi rm the organizations he’d like to dance. add, though he plans to identify the partici- Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), Con- Struthers, Ohio “We were very pleased with our fi rst pants in the coming months. tinental Amateur Baseball Association YBN National Championship,” said Vieira. “Our plans have always been to be an (CABA), Dizzy Dean Baseball, and Na- tional Amateur Baseball Federation John Mengelkamp “The feedback from organization leaders, eight-organization championship,” added coaches, players and families was extreme- Vieira.