Adult baseball league opens 16th season

Adult baseball league opens 16th season

By BRIAN PAFUNDI

League fees, $190. Equipment and accessories, $45. Ice, water and muscle ointments, $15. Sliding into second for an RBI double, priceless.

For the men of the Gainesville Men's Adult Baseball League, the benefits of playing a game they love clearly outweigh the financial costs required to participate, though these costs do provide the

Robbie Borelli of the Gainesville Braves takes a swing as the rain falls in a late season game against the Gainesville Bandits in 2007.                                   photo-BRYAN PAFUNDI

league's primary source of funding. "The budget is designed to simply meet the costs of playing baseball and organizing the league," according to Randy Ealy, league founder. "The fees cover administrative costs, insurance, umpires, field fees, and baseballs."

The league, a local affiliate of the national Men's Adult Baseball League, opened its 16th season on Sunday, April 20th, with games taking place in Gainesville, Newberry and Ocala. Ten teams, among the most in league history, took to the diamond, including three from Ocala. The squads include returning franchises the Bombers, Braves, Bandits, Blue Sox, Beavers and Razorbacks along with newer teams like the Raiders, Tasers, Mets and Lightning.

According to Ealy, the average player is likely to be in their twenties and in college with players also being drawn from local high schools upon graduation. In addition, plenty of players somewhere between thirty and even over fifty pepper most rosters, rounding out a well balanced mix of young and old.

Past players in the league have included a number of former Gator baseball players "as well as some other local celebrities and two major leaguers," said Ealy, who added that Gainesville High graduate and former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Marty Janzen and current Atlanta Brave pitcher Mike Hampton each toed the rubber for the Gainesville Men's Adult Baseball League.

Local high schools, including long-time partner Eastside High in Gainesville, and Santa Fe Community College provide the league with a place to play. Nine inning games are played on Sunday afternoons with seven inning doubleheaders slated for the middle part of the season. Playoffs typically take place in July.

Check back in May for a mid-season report.