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Baseball in the United Kingdom

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about American code of baseball in the UK. For the traditional codes, in England, see English baseball. For those in Wales, see Welsh baseball. For historical use of the term baseball, see Origins of baseball.

Baseball in the United Kingdom
CountryUnited Kingdom
Governing bodyBritish Baseball Federation
National team(s)Men's national team
Women's national team
First played1862
National competitions
  • British Baseball Federation
    National League,
    AAA,
    AA and
    A divisions

Baseball is a growing minor sport in the United Kingdom, with an estimated 22,500 people playing in 2020.[1]

The sport is governed by the British Baseball Federation, which runs a multi-tier national league. There are also independent regional leagues, and around 20 universities field teams. At various times in history, there have been professional teams, most notably the 1890 National League of Baseball of Great Britain.

In 1938, the Great Britain national baseball team won the Baseball World Cup, and were runners-up in the 1967 and 2007 European Baseball Championship.[2] As of 2020, Great Britain competed internationally at under 12, under 15, under 18, under 23 and senior levels. The under 23 team placed fifth at the 2019 European Under 23 Baseball Championship.[3]

Despite relatively low numbers of participants today, historically there have been a number of players born in the United Kingdom who have played in U.S Major League Baseball (MLB),[4] Of over 90 players who have played in MLB[5] Danny Cox, Lance Painter and Bobby Thomson being the most notable. Thomson hit the Shot Heard 'Round the World that took the New York Giants to the World Series in 1951.

Major League Baseball players born in the United Kingdom

[edit]

Over 90 players born in the four constituent nations of the United Kingdom and pre partition Ireland have played professionally in Major League Baseball. That does not include players born outside the United Kingdom but of British heritage, or players who have played in MLB and represented the Great Britain national baseball team, but who were born outside the United Kingdom.

See also: Category:Major League Baseball players from the United Kingdom

Inductees to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

[edit]

Henry Chadwick, born in Exeter, was a sportswriter, baseball statistician and historian, often referred to as the "Father of Baseball", for his early reporting on and contribution to the development of the game. He edited the first baseball guide to be sold to the public. He is credited with creating box scores, as well as the scoring abbreviation "K" that designates a strikeout. He is also said to have created the statistics of batting average and earned run average (ERA).

Tom Connolly, born in Manchester, was a umpire in Major League Baseball. He officiated in the National League from 1898 to 1900, followed by 31 years of service in the American League from 1901 to 1931.[6] In over half a century as an American League umpire and supervisor, he established the high standards for which the circuit's arbiters became known, and solidified the reputation for integrity of umpires in the major leagues.

Harry Wright, born in Sheffield, was described by fellow Hall of Fame inductee Henry Chadwick as "the father of professional base ball".[7] Although not born in the United Kingdom, George Wright is another inductee of United Kingdom heritage. George is the brother of Harry, and his parents were born in England.

Cornelius McGillicuddy, better known as Connie Mack, was a catcher, manager, and team owner. The longest-serving manager in Major League Baseball history, he holds records for wins (3,731), losses (3,948), and games managed (7,755). Mack was born in Brookfield, Massachusetts, in what is now East Brookfield on December 22, 1862.[8] His mother, Mary McGillicuddy, was an immigrant from Belfast,[9] his father was from pre-partition Ireland.

John McGraw, born in Truxton, New York, was player and manager who, for almost thirty years, was manager of the New York Giants. His parents had emigrated from pre-partition Ireland around 1850. Also with parents who emigrated from pre-partition Ireland, Roger Bresnahan was nicknamed "the Duke of Tralee" and was a player and manager in US Major League Baseball. As a player, Bresnahan competed in MLB for the Washington Senators, Chicago Orphans, Baltimore Orioles, New York Giants, St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs. Bresnahan also managed the Cardinals and Cubs.

Charles Radbourn, nicknamed "Old Hoss", was a pitcher who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for Buffalo, Providence, Boston (National League), Boston (Player's League), and Cincinnati. He was born in New York, to parents who had emigrated from Bristol.

Another Hall of Famer who can trace his ancestry back to the United Kingdom is former British national team coach Trevor Hoffman, whose mother was English and whose grandfather was a professional footballer with Southend United.[10]

Major League Baseball players who have represented the United Kingdom

[edit]

Either through being born in the United Kingdom, via ancestral links to the United Kingdom, or qualifying via being born in a Commonwealth member nation, a number of players with MLB experience have represented the United Kingdom internationally, via the Great Britain national baseball team. The most notable recent player is Jazz Chisholm Jr.

See also: Category:Great Britain national baseball team players

History

[edit]

Origins

[edit]
For a fuller context of the traditional codes of baseball in the United Kingdom see English baseball and Welsh baseball

It is argued that modern American baseball can trace its roots to 18th century Britain,[11][12][13] with the earliest known mention and illustration of the game appearing in John Newbery's A Little Pretty Pocket-Book in 1744. The earliest known rules were printed in 1796, in Germany, as "Das Englische Base-ball".

Although early codes of baseball may have originated in the United Kingdom, the American code of baseball, as North Americans would understand it, started to be played in the UK as early as the 1870s and it was fully developed by 1890, when the professional 1890 National League of Baseball of Great Britain was established. Since the 1870s, many exhibition matches between North American teams have been staged in the United Kingdom,[14] culminating in the MLB London Series in 2019, which sold out 120,000 tickets in less than an hour.[15] As a result, a small number of MLB teams have fan clubs in the United Kingdom.[16]

American influence in the 19th century

[edit]
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In the 1870s, baseball teams from the United States, including the Boston Red Stockings and Philadelphia Athletics, toured the United Kingdom, in an effort to popularise the sport,[17] but with limited success. At that time, John Wisden and Co. were the most famous supplier of essential baseball equipment, "as used by the baseball clubs now in England in all their matches", which shows that organised clubs did exist in England in some form as early as the 1870s.[18] Wisden remains a prominent name in international cricket today.

In 1888, the President of St. Louis, on returning to the United States from their European tour, remarked that "England is now educated up to American sports", and encouraged other American baseball club presidents to continue promoting the game in England.[19] Later in 1888, John Barnes, of the Western League St. Paul club, discussed his plans to travel to England to establish a "baseball syndicate" in London, Birmingham and other large cities.[20]

In 1889, the wealthy Albert Goodwill Spalding used his position as a former star player and as a leading sporting goods supplier to arrange yet another tour of the United Kingdom by American baseball stars, including the Chicago White Stockings,[21] building on the earlier tours in the past decades. As with previous tours, the cricket establishment of England was used to promote baseball, with the Prince of Wales one of the "very large number of spectators" to witness the game at the Oval,[22] and over 8,000 attended a game at Lord's cricket ground.[23] On arriving at Bristol, Spalding paid tribute to the English cricket star W. G. Grace,[24] "the best known Englishman in the world".

Derby Baseball Club group photo
Derby Baseball Club were one of Britain's leading baseball teams in the 1890s

That tour led to a number of new baseball clubs springing up, such as York Baseball Club, formed at Stotts Refreshment Rooms in Parliament Street as early as March 1889.[25] The most notable of the new clubs was formed 1890, in Derby, as Ley's Recreation Club, by Francis Ley, a local man who had experienced the game on a trip to the United States. Following their first ever game (as Ley's Recreation Club) Ley began to appeal for "professionals aged 20 to 25" and "cricketers who can field smartly" to attend Ley's Recreation Centre to form a club, in March 1890[26] and Ley's Recreation Club became Derby Baseball Club. Despite evidence showing clubs such as York were formed slightly earlier than or at the same time as Derby, when discussing Derby in 1890, Ley erroneously claimed "we were really the first club formed in Great Britain".[27]

Ley, who certainly had "introduced baseball amongst his employees"[28] and was instrumental in providing superb facilities at Derby, was not in attendance in October 1889, when noted supporters of a new National League of Baseball of Great Britain met at the Criterion, London, to formally establish the new baseball association, though he was elected as a provisional officer. Representatives of Preston North End, Gloucester County Cricket Club, Essex County Cricket Club, Staffordshire County Cricket Club, Aston Villa and the National Rounders Association all were represented and elected as officers to the association, with Newton Crane elected to the chair.[28]

The new association quickly moved to establish a headquarters at 38 Holborn Viaduct, London, from where it would agree on and promote a set of rules by which the new National League would be played.[29] By July 1890, it was estimated that there were over 90 baseball clubs in England alone, with Derby Baseball Club being widely believed to be the best professional club in England.[30] Yorkshire proved to be a surprising hotbed of baseball by 1890, when it was reported that "there are more baseball clubs in Yorkshire than in any other county in England."[31] It was not totally unexpected when the Secretary of Essex County Cricket Club, Morton Peto Betts, resigned his position to take up the role of Secretary of the newly formed Baseball Association of Great Britain, in July 1890.[32]

Aston Villa, now known exclusively as a football club, won the only professional baseball championship in 1890. The competition was hindered by poor weather and disappointing crowds, and made a loss for its investors.[33] Aston Villa's win was not without controversy, however, with both Aston Villa and Preston North End being found guilty of cheating during the season.[34] For much of the season Derby Baseball Club did lead the championship, but pressure from other teams in the league over the number of American players on the Derby team, as well as low attendances, led to Derby being expelled before the end of the season although, despite evidence to the contrary, the club insisted they had "retired" as champions.[35]

In response to the accusations against Derby of employing too many talented American baseball players, Ley wrote letters to editors of newspapers to state "Derby Baseball Club is the only one of the four League clubs to have not imported professional players from America", and went to lengths to point out the lack of support Spalding provided to Derby compared to the other clubs in which he was a major shareholder.[27] Ironically, given the finger pointing at Ley for employing too many Americans, of the various American baseball players sent across to coach and play baseball in England in the 1890 season, the most prominent was arguably Preston North End captain Leech Maskrey, who had played Major League Baseball. In August 1890, the Preston club organised a presentation for their captain, who was returning to the United States.[36] Meanwhile, Spalding turned his attention to establishing collegiate baseball in the United Kingdom[37] with very little success.

In March 1890, Edinburgh Northern Baseball Club began to meet for practice[38] and Spalding's influence was obvious when The Spalding Baseball Club of Aberdeen sprang to life in July 1890, their headquarters being at 59 Princes Street.[39] By August 1890, the financial backing of Spalding resulted in two local rivals emerging in Aberdeen, the Spalding Baseball Club and Aberdeen Baseball Club, who played at The Links. The two competed for the Spalding 50-guinea Challenge Cup[40] and the right to take on the University Baseball Club of Edinburgh, evidence of Spalding's desire to establish collegiate baseball in the United Kingdom. Wales, possibly due to the continued popularity of British or Welsh Baseball, was slower to adopt the American game. In April 1893, Cardiff Central were formed, and claimed to organise "the first game of American baseball played in South Wales." They were based at Grangetown.[41]

The Golden Age and Postwar Decline

[edit]

Baseball's peak popularity in Britain was in the years immediately preceding World War II. A resurgence of professional baseball occurred in parts of the United Kingdom during the 1930s, but the outbreak of war led to a decline. In that era, professional baseball teams often shared grounds with football and rugby league clubs, and drew crowds of up to 10,000 spectators per game. In 1933, in response to a challenge from Major League Baseball's National League President, John Haydler, the wealthy British gambling tycoon, Sir John Moores, established the National Baseball Association and continued to fund the establishment of amateur and professional leagues in England.

Once again, American and Canadian expatriates swelled the rosters of the semi-profesional clubs, with a number of the Canadian professionals going on to represent the Great Britain national team.[42] During this golden age, UK baseball achieved a major milestone in 1938, with the victory of the Great Britain national baseball team over the United States, in the Baseball World Cup. The series was created by Sir John Moores, with the 1939 Amateur World Series competition initially being named the John Moores Cup.

With the backing of Sir John Moores, a Great Britain team was given financial support to compete in the 1939 series, in Havana, as defending champions. In doing so, they would have become the first national representative team to compete outside the United Kingdom,[43] but the outbreak of the World War II interrupted the development of British baseball. The team withdrew from the competition, and the sport entered into decline. Following the War, in July 1951, Wolsley Athletic (Birmingham) became the first baseball team from the United Kingdom to play in continental Europe, in an official game in Belgium.[44]

At present

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In 2021, 90 teams from 48 baseball clubs were actively participating in leagues, and 1,500 adult and junior (under 18) players playing in clubs based across a wide geographic area of the island of Great Britain. Despite being a constituent nation of the United Kingdom, domestic baseball in Northern Ireland is affiliated to Baseball Ireland, for practical reasons. Northern Ireland's only team, the Belfast Northstars, play in the Irish Adult League. Despite that quirk, Northern Irish-born players, such as P.J. Conlon, are able to qualify to play for both Ireland and the United Kingdom internationally.

The British Baseball Federation (BBF) is the governing body for baseball in the UK and the baseball leagues. The season runs from April until August. Affiliated baseball clubs pay an annual affiliation fee to be a member of the BBF and play in the BBF Leagues and Junior Leagues. There are three leagues independent of the British Baseball Federation: the Scottish National League, run by Baseball Scotland, the Northern Baseball League containing mainly teams based in Northern England, and the South West and Wales Baseball League, representing some of the teams in the South West of England, as well as one team in Wales. There is also a full Great Britain Baseball Programme which comprises the Great Britain Baseball Academy,[45] junior national teams and Great Britain 'Seniors' Baseball Team.

The BBF league format is divided into the national divisions, consisting of four tiers from the National League, down to the Single-A league. At the end of the season, all divisions compete in post-season tournaments, in which the top teams from each conference play knock-out matches, with the winning teams then progressing to the Championship Series. The Championship Series of the National League is best of three, whereas the AAA, AA and A championships are single games.

The Independent leagues compete against the teams in their own leagues and, in 2017, the first Independent leagues finals weekend was held at Hull, which consisted of semi-finals between the champions of the Independent leagues and a final held the next day. That was followed by an England v Scotland friendly All-Star game.

Baseball in universities

[edit]

University baseball in the United Kingdom has also been growing, with 75 teams from 35 universities currently participating in the sport. The university season runs from September to May, typically the off-season for baseball. Between 2013 and 2019, the National Champion was decided by the BaseballSoftballUK (BSUK)-run National University Championship, which was run as a bi-annual event. In 2020, the sport was admitted into the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) system, with a new national championship being held at the Farnham Park National Baseball & Softball Complex.[46] Initially, it was supposed to take place in 2021,[47] but the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, delaying the launch of the new National Championship until the 2021-22 season

In 2023, the University of Central Lancashire made UK baseball history by offering two students, Aflie Hill and Nathan Simmons, scholarships to play baseball. As far as is known, it was the first time that had happened in the UK.[48]

List of National Champions

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National University Championships (BSUK)

[edit]
Season Winners Comments
2014 (March) University of East Anglia
2014 (October) University of East Anglia
2015 (March) Loughbrough University
2015 (October) Loughbrough University
2016 (March) Loughbrough University
2016 (October) Durham University
2017 (March) University College London
2017 (October) Loughbrough University
2018 (March) Postponed
2018 (June) Durham University
2018 (October) Loughbrough University Known as the Autumn Open University Challenge
2019 (March) Loughbrough University

Sources:[46]

BUCS National Championships

[edit]
Season Winners Score Runners-up Comments
2021-22 Loughbrough University 7-4 University of East Anglia Blues [49]
2022-23 Loughbrough University 5-3 University of Central Lancashire ,[50] Semi-Finals and Finals postponed to 3rd May due to weather
2023-24 Durham University 13-2 University of Southampton

National Baseball Champions

[edit]
Season Winners Score Runners-up Comments
1890 Aston Villa Preston North End Baseball Club No playoff
1892 Middlesbrough 25–16 St. Thomas's
1893 Thespian London 33–6 Darlington St. Augustine's
1894 Thespian London 38–14 Stockton-on-Tees
1895 Derby Baseball Club 20–16 Fullers
1896 Wallsend-On-Tyne 16–10 Remingtons
1897 Derby Baseball Club 30–7 Middlesbrough
1899 Derby Baseball Club 14–3 Nottingham Forest
1900 Nottingham Forest 17–16 Derby Baseball Club
1906 Tottenham Hotspur 16-5 Nondescripts
1907 Clapton Orient 8–7 Fulham
1908 Tottenham Hotspur 6–5 Leyton
1909 Clapton Orient 6–4 Leyton
1910 Brentford 20–5 West Ham United
1911 Leyton 6–5 Crystal Palace
1934 Hatfield 13–12 Albion
1935 New London 7–1 Rochdale Greys
1936 White City 9–5 Catford Saints
1937 Hull 5–1 Romford Wasps
1938 Rochdale Greys 1–0 Oldham Greyhounds 15 innings
1939 Halifax 9–5 Rochdale Greys
1948 Liverpool Robins 13–0 Thames Board Mills
1949 Hornsey Red Sox 10–5 Liverpool Cubs
1950 Burtonwood Bees 23–2 Hornsey Red Sox
1951 Burtonwood Bees 9–2 Ruislip Rockets
1959 Thames Board Mills 12–4 East Hull Aces
1960 Thames Board Mills 6–1 Liverpool Tigers
1962 Liverpool Tigers 8–3 East Hull Aces
1963 East Hull Aces 8–3 Garringtons
1965 Kingston Aces 4–2 Stretford Saints
1966 Stretford Saints 3–1 Liverpool Aces
1967 Liverpool Yankees 4–2 Beckenham Bluejays
1968 Hull Aces 4–1 Hull Royals
1969 Watford-Sun Rockets 8–7 Liverpool Trojans 11 innings
1970 Hull Royals 3–1 Hull Aces
1971 Liverpool Tigers 8–3 Hull Aces
1972 Hull Aces 6–4 Hull Royals
1973 Burtonwood Yanks 23–3 Hull Aces
1974 Nottingham Lions 5–3 Hull Royals
1975 Liverpool Tigers 5–3 Nottingham Lions
1976 Liverpool Trojans 5–4 Spirit Of '76
1977 Golders Green Sox 9–5 Hull Aces
1978 Liverpool Trojans 14–12 Crawley Giants
1979 Golders Green Sox 9–7 Hull Aces
1980 Liverpool Trojans 12–1 Hull Aces
1981 London Warriors 23–1 Hull Aces
1982 London Warriors 16–7 Liverpool Trojans
1983 Cobham Yankees 10–3 Hull Mets
1984 Croydon Blue Jays 9–8 Hull Mets
1985 Hull Mets 10–8 London Warriors
1986 Cobham Yankees 12–5 Hull Mets
1987 Cobham Yankees 6–0 Southglade Hornets
1988 Cobham Yankees 16–1 Burtonwood Braves
1989 Enfield Spartans 15–9 Sutton Braves
1990 Enfield Spartans 22–3 Hull Mets
1991 Enfield Spartans 9–7, 2–4, 4–1 London Athletics Spartans won 2 games to 1
1992 BBF Leeds City Royals Humberside Mets Awarded championship by walkover
1992 NL London Warriors 23–0, 5–4 Enfield Spartans Warriors won 2 games to 0
1993 BBF Humberside Mets and Chicksands Indians Title decider not played
1993 NL London Warriors 2–1 Enfield Spartans
1994 BBF Humberside Mets 2–3, 10–0, 8–0 Essex Arrows Mets won 2 games to 1
1994 NL Enfield Spartans 8–5 Waltham Forest Angels
1995 Menwith Hill Pirates 3–2, 7–6 London Warriors Pirates won 2 games to 0
1996 Menwith Hill Pirates 14–9, 11–23, 18–12 London Warriors Pirates won 2 games to 1
1997 London Warriors 11–5, 31–12 Kingston-upon-Hull Cobras Warriors won 2 games to 0
1998 Menwith Hill Patriots 13–5, 17–15 London Warriors Patriots won 2 games to 0
1999 Brighton Buccaneers 16–4 Windsor Bears
2000 London Warriors 11–7 Brighton Buccaneers
2001 Brighton Buccaneers 8–5 Windsor Bears
2002 Brighton Buccaneers 5–1 Windsor Bears
2003 Windsor Bears 9–4 Brighton Buccaneers
2004 Croydon Pirates 12–10 Windsor Bears
2005 Croydon Pirates 11–4, 10–9 Brighton Buccaneers Pirates won 2 games to 0
2006 Richmond Flames 7–11, 8–5, 9–0 Croydon Pirates Flames won 2 games to 1
2007 London Mets 7–2, 11–1 Croydon Pirates Mets won 2 games to 0
2008 London Mets 11–4 Richmond Flames
2009 Bracknell Blazers 16–4 Richmond Flames
2010 Richmond Flames 10–1 Bracknell Blazers
2011 Harlow Nationals 13–3 Lakenheath Diamondbacks
2012 Harlow Nationals 6–3 Herts Falcons
2013 Southern Nationals 12–7 Southampton Mustangs
2014 Essex Arrows 5–1, 5–4 London Mets Arrows won 2 games to 0
2015 London Mets 6–2, 11–2 Southampton Mustangs Mets won 2 games to 0
2016 Southampton Mustangs 0–1, 7–3, 9–4 London Mets Mustangs won 2 games to 1
2017 London Mets 15–14, 6–0 Southampton Mustangs Mets won 2 games to 0
2018 London Mets 16–1, 11–1 Herts Falcons Mets won 2 games to 0[51]
2019 London Mets 14–4 London Capitals
2020 London Mets 9–1 London Capitals
2021 London Mets 8-5 London Capitals
2022 London Mets 9–4 London Capitals [52]
2023 London Mets 3-5, 5-0, 14-0 London Capitals Mets won 2 games to 1
2024

Championships by Region

[edit]
Region Number of
championships 		Towns/Cities
London 36 London (36)
North West 16 Liverpool (9), Warrington (3), Preston (1), Rochdale (1), Stretford (1)
Yorkshire and the Humber 14 Hull (9), Harrogate (3), Halifax (1), Leeds (1)
South East 10 Cobham (4), Brighton (3), Bracknell (1), Southampton (1), Windsor (1)
East of England 7 Harlow (2), Purfleet (2), Bedford (1), Waltham Abbey (1), Watford (1)
East Midlands 5 Derby (3), Nottingham (2)
North East 2 Middlesbrough (1), Newcastle (1)
West Midlands 1 Birmingham (1)
Scotland –
South West –
Wales –

Current League System

[edit]

Because baseball is not a professional sport in the United Kingdom, the league structure changes every season. In 2024, the format was the following:

Level

League(s)/Division(s)
BBF and Affiliated Leagues
1 BBF National Baseball League

6 teams from 5 clubs

2 BBL Higher Division
4 teams from 4 clubs

BBF Triple-A Division - "A"
7 teams from 7 clubs

BBF Triple-A Division - "South-West"
4 teams from 4 clubs

3

BBF Double-A - "A"
5 teams from 4 clubs

BBF Double-A - "B"
7 teams from 3 clubs 		BBF Double-A - "C"
4 teams from 3 clubs 		BBF Double-A - "D"
4 teams from 4 clubs
4

BBL Lower Division
8 teams from 5 clubs

East of England Baseball League
5 teams from 4 clubs

BBF Single-A - "A"

6 teams from 4 clubs

BBF Single-A - "B" 5 teams from 4 clubs BBF Single A – "C"
7 teams from 7 clubs 		SWWBL Wessex
5 teams from 3 clubs 		SWWBL Severn

5 teams from 4 clubs

Independent & Separate Leagues
1 Scottish National League - AAA
6 teams from 4 clubs

West Midlands Baseball League
9 teams from 8 clubs

Westcountry Baseball League
6 teams from 6 clubs 		North East Baseball League
5 teams from 4 clubs 		Women's Baseball League

8 teams from 8 clubs

2 Scottish National League - A
5 teams from 3 clubs

2024 Clubs

[edit]

Note: This list does not contain clubs which failed to opt in to the 2024 league system and are officially listed as inactive. Youth teams are also not included.

Club Team Name City/Area Ballpark League Tier Club Founded
   
   
Aberdeen BC 		Granite City Oilers Aberdeen, Aberdeen George W. Chalmers Field SNL - AAA S1 2013
   
   
Belles Baseball 		Belles Baseball Slough, Berkshire Farnham Park WBL W 2021
   
   
BC Vėtra 		BC Vėtra Increase Saltford, Somerset Saltford Sports Club BBF - NBL 1 2018
   
   
Birmingham BC 		Birmingham Metalheads Birmingham, West Midlands Marston Green Recreational Ground WMBL - East R 2021
Birmingham Bats WMBL - West R
   
   
Bournemouth Bears BC 		Bournemouth Bears Increase Ferndown, Dorset Ferndown Leisure Centre BBF - NBL 1 2018
Bournemouth Bears 2 Increase BBF - AA - D 3
Bournemouth Bears 3 New entry SWWBL - Severn 4
   
   
Bracknell B&SC 		Bracknell Inferno Increase Bracknell, Berkshire Westmoreland Drive BBF - AAA - SW 2 1992
Bracknell Phoenix New entry BBF - A - C 4
   
   
Brentwood BC 		Brentwood Stags New entry Brentwood, Essex Stags Ballpark BBF - A - B 4 2024
   
   
Brighton BC 		Brighton Brewers Brighton and Hove, East Sussex Waterhall Playing Fields BBF - AA - C 3 2016
Brighton Aces New entry BBF - AA - C 3
Brighton Jets BBF - A - C 4
   
   
Bristol BC 		Bristol Badgers Keynsham, Somerset Somerdale Pavilion BBF - AAA - SW 2 2008
Bristol Bats BBF - AA - D 3
Bristol Buccaneers SWWBL - Severn 4
Bristol Bats SWWBL - Severn 4
   
   
Cambridge Baseball 		Cambridge Lancers Increase Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Dave Adams Field BBF - AAA - A 2 2011
Cambridge Monarchs EEBL 4
Cambridge Royals EEBL 4
   
   
Cardiff Merlins Baseball 		Cardiff Merlins AAA Increase Cardiff, Cardiff Pontcanna Fields BBF - AAA - SW 2 2018
Cardiff Merlins A SWWBL - Severn 4
   
   
Cornish ClayCutters BC 		Cornish ClayCutters St. Austell, Cornwall St Mewan School Field SWWBL - Wessex 4 2017
Cornish Pioneers New entry SWWBL - Wessex 4
   
   
County Durham Spartans BC 		County Durham Spartans Staindrop, County Durham Staindrop Academy NEBL R 2017
   
   
Croydon Pirates Baseball 		Croydon Pirates AAA Sutton, London Roundshaw Grounds BBF - AAA - A 2 1981
Croydon Pirates A BBF - A - A 4
   
   
Edinburgh BC 		Edinburgh Diamond Devils Edinburgh, Edinburgh Bobby Thompson Field SNL - AAA S1 1985
Edinburgh Cannons SNL – AAA S1
Edinburgh Knights SNL – A S2
Edinburgh Angels New entry SNL – A S2
   
   
Edinburgh Rays BC 		Edinburgh Rays Edinburgh, Edinburgh Morgan Playing Fields NEBL R 2023
   
   
Essex Baseball 		Essex Arrows Waltham Abbey, Essex and Chelmsford, Essex Townmead Leisure Park and Melbourne Park BBF - NBL 1 1983
Essex Saxons New entry BBF - AAA - A 2
Essex Archers BBF - AA - A 3
Essex Redbacks Decrease BBF - A - B 4
   
   
Exeter Spitfires BC 		Exeter Spitfires Exeter, Devon Chadwick Field Westcountry R 2000
   
   
Formosa Islanders BC 		Formosa Islanders Hammersmith and Fulham, London Wormwood Scrubs BBF - AA - B 3 2023
   
   
Glasgow Baseball Association 		Glasgow Comets Glasgow, Glasgow Tolcross Field SNL – AAA S1 1997
Glasgow Galaxy SNL – AAA S1
Glasgow Comets (A) SNL – A S2
Glasgow Galaxy (A) SNL – A S2
   
   
Guildford B&SC 		Guildford Mavericks Guildford, Surrey Christ's College BBF - AA - D 3 1992
Guildford Millers BBF - A - C 4
   
   
Harwich Town BC 		Harwich Town Bay Area Blues Harwich, Essex Low Road Field EEBL 4 2021
   
   
Herts Baseball 		Herts Cardinals Barnet, London Basing Hill Park BBF - AAA - A 2 1996
Herts Ducks BBF - AA - A 3
Herts Hawks BBF - AA - A 3
Herts Eagles BBF - A - A 4
Herts Buzzards New entry BBF - A - B 4
Herts Ravens BBF - A - B 4
   
   
Hull Scorpions BC 		Hull Scorpions Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire Eastmount Recreation Centre BBL - Lower 4 –
   
   
Hurricanes BC 		Hurricanes Baseball Increase Waltham Forest, London Salisbury Hall Playing Fields BBF - AAA - A 2 2023
Hurricanes Baseball 2 BBF - A - C 4
   
   
Kent Buccaneers BC 		Kent Buccaneers Decrease Hadlow, Kent Williams Field BBF - AA - C 3 2018
   
   
Kent Mariners BC 		Kent Mariners Decrease Medway, Kent Hoo Sports Field BBF - A - C 4 -
   
   
Kernow Baseball CIC 		Truro Blue Jays Truro, Cornwall - Westcountry R 2022
   
   
Leeds Locos 		Leeds Locos Otley, West Yorkshire Wharfemeadows Park BBL - Lower 4 2020
   
   
Leicester Blue Sox 		Leicester Blue Sox Leicester, Leicestershire Western Park WMBL - East R 2006
Leicester Diamonds WBL W
   
   
London Mets B&SC 		London Mets Haringey, London and Enfield, London Finsbury Park and Enfield Baseball Field BBF - NBL 1 1988
London Capitals BBF - NBL 1
London Metros BBF - AAA - A 2
London Meteors BBF - AA - B 3
London Mustangs Increase BBF - AA - B 3
London Sidewinders BBF - AA - B 3
London Mercury New entry BBF - A - A 4
London Minotaurs BBF - A - A 4
Limehouse Cutters New entry Canal 5
Suez Tomb Raiders New entry Canal 5
London Mayhem Increase Canal 5
London Mayhem (W) New entry WBL W
   
   
Long Eaton Storm 		Long Eaton Storm Increase Long Eaton, Derbyshire West Park Leisure Centre BBL - Higher 2 2014
Long Eaton Storm Chasers New entry WMBL - East R
   
   
Manchester BC 		Manchester As Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester Wythenshawe Park BBL - Higher 2 1947
Manchester Bees BBL - Lower 4
Manchester Jetts New entry WBL W
   
   
Milton Keynes BC 		Milton Keynes Bucks Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire Woughton on the Green BBF - AA - A 3 1986
Milton Keynes Bucks 2 BBF - A - B 4
   
   
New Forest BC 		New Forest Thunder Increase Eastleigh, Hampshire Wide Lane Sports Ground BBF - AAA - SW 2 2022
New Forest Knights SWWBL - Severn 4
   
   
Newcastle Nighthawks BC 		Nighthawk Talons Newcastle, Tyne and Wear Gosforth Sports Association NEBL R 2017
Nighthawk Wings NEBL R
   
   
Newton Brewers 		Newton Brewers Bishopsteignton, Devon Michaels Field Westcountry R 2015
   
   
Northants BC 		Northants Centurions Northampton, Northamptonshire St Crispin Community Centre EEBL 4 -
   
   
Norwich Baseball 		Norwich Iceni Norwich, Norfolk The Hewett Academy BBF - AA - A 3 2017
Norwich Warriors EEBL 4
Norwich Iceni Queens New entry WBL W
   
   
Oxford Kings BC 		Oxford Kings Oxford, Oxfordshire Oxford Kings Ballpark BBF - AA - D 3 1998
   
   
Plymouth Mariners BC 		Plymouth Mariners Plymouth, Devon Wilson Field Westcountry R 2000
   
   
Richmond B&SC 		Richmond Roebucks New entry Richmond upon Thames, London Flood Field BBF - AAA - A 2 1992
Richmond Knights Decrease BBF - AA - B 3
Richmond Dragons BBF - AA - B 3
Richmond Barons BBF - A - A 4
Richmond Dukes BBF - A - A 4
   
   
Sheffield Bladerunners 		Sheffield Bladerunners I Sheffield, South Yorkshire Forge Valley BBL - Lower 4 1985
Sheffield Bladerunners II BBL - Lower 4
   
   
Sheffield Bruins BC 		Sheffield Bruins Sheffield, South Yorkshire Thorpe Green Park BBF - NBL 1 2018
Sheffield Kodiaks BBL - Higher 2
Sheffield Bruins Women WBL W
   
   
South Coast Pirates BC 		Hastings Pirates Hastings, East Sussex Bexhill Park BBF - A - C 4 2018
   
   
Stourbridge Titans BC 		Stourbridge Titans Stourbridge, West Midlands Gibson Field WMBL - West R 2011
   
   
Taunton Muskets BC 		Taunton Muskets Taunton, Somerset Muskets Field SWWBL - Wessex 4 2014
Taunton Pistols New entry SWWBL - Wessex 4
   
   
Tayport Breakers BC 		Tayport Breakers Tayport, Fife Tom Waddell Memorial Baseball Field SNL - AAA S1 2020
Tayport Breakers (A) SNL - A S2
   
   
Telford BC 		Telford Giants Telford, Shropshire Meadow Recreation Ground WMBL - West R 2020
Telford 26ers WBL W
   
   
Tonbridge Baseball 		Tonbridge Wildcats Tonbridge, Kent Borley Field BBF - AA - C 3 1982
Tonbridge Bobcats BBF - A - C 4
   
   
Trojans BC 		Liverpool Trojans Sefton, Merseyside and Runcorn, Cheshire Norman Wells Ballpark and John Mills Ballpark BBL - Higher 2 1946
Bootle Trojans New entry BBL - Lower 4
Halton Trojans BBL - Lower 4
   
   
Warwickshire BC 		Stockton Grizzlies Stockton, Warwickshire The Den WMBL - East R 2022
   
   
Wellington Khaki Sox BC 		Wellington Khaki Sox Wellington, Somerset Wellington Rugby Club Westcountry R 2021
   
   
Weston Jets BC 		Weston Jets Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset Hutton Moor SWWBL - Wessex 4 2018
   
   
Wolverhampton BC 		Wolverhampton Wolves Wolverhampton, West Midlands Colton Hills Community School WMBL - West R 2019
   
   
Worcester BC 		Worcester Sorcerers Worcester, Worcestershire Merlin Field WMBL - West R 2019
   
   
Wragby BC 		Wragby Warhammers Wragby, Lincolnshire Hammer Park BBL - Lower 4 2021
   
   
Yeovil Whirlwinds BC 		Yeovil Whirlwinds Yeovil, Somerset Bradford Abbas Sports Club Westcountry R 2018
   
   
SWWBL 		SWWBL Serpents New entry Taunton, Somerset Taunton Green WBL W 2024


See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Baseball & softball participation England 2016-20". Statista. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  2. ^ Sulat, Nate (26 July 2013). "Why isn't baseball more popular in the UK?". BBC News. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  3. ^ Morosi, John Paul (5 March 2020). "Classic, London Series growing game in UK". MLB. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  4. ^ Katz, Gregory (27 June 2019). "Baseball hasn't taken off in Britain, despite deep roots there". Global News. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  5. ^ Lynch, Steven (9 April 2013). "Britain's Baseball Stars". ESPN. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  6. ^ "Tommy Connolly". Retrosheet. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  7. ^ "HARRY WRIGHT". Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  8. ^ Davis, Ted (2000). Connie Mack: A Life in Baseball. San Jose, CA: Writers Club Press. p. 3. ISBN 978-0-595-12112-0.
  9. ^ Macht, pp. 22-23
  10. ^ Bloom, Barry (22 September 2016). "Hoffman honors British ties as coach". Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  11. ^ Hooper, Simon. "Did baseball begin in 18th-century England?". CNN. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  12. ^ "Major League Baseball told: Your sport is British, not American". 11 September 2008. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  13. ^ "UK - England - Surrey - Baseball's UK heritage confirmed". BBC News. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  14. ^ Lucy Sherriff (19 June 2015). "MLB Players Want To Come And Play Baseball In London. So Why Don't They?". The Huffington Post UK. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  15. ^ Waldstein, David (26 June 2019). "Baseball in London? It's a Real Thing, Even When the Yankees Aren't Visiting". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  16. ^ Matthew Thomas. "About Angels in the UK". Angels in the UK. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  17. ^ "American Baseball Players". The Buckingham Express. 8 August 1874. p. 6.
  18. ^ "Cricket, Football and Baseball". Sporting Life. 5 September 1874. p. 4.
  19. ^ "Circular Notes". Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News. 10 March 1888. p. 6.
  20. ^ "Sporting Notes". Rugby Advertiser. 10 November 1888. p. 3.
  21. ^ "America's National Game: Baseball Players on Tour". Sporting Life. 13 February 1889. p. 5.
  22. ^ "Baseball in London". Eastern Morning News. 13 March 1889. p. 3.
  23. ^ "Baseball". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 14 March 1889. p. 8.
  24. ^ "The American Baseball Players". Yorkshire Evening Press. 16 March 1889. p. 4.
  25. ^ "A Baseball Club for York". York Herald. 30 March 1889. p. 16.
  26. ^ "Wanted". Derby Daily Telegraph. 26 March 1890. p. 3.
  27. ^ a b "Sports and Pastimes: Notes and Gossip". Lancashire Evening Post. 13 July 1890. p. 4.
  28. ^ a b "A Baseball Association Formed". Derby Daily Telegraph. 10 October 1889. p. 3.
  29. ^ "Baseball in England". Sporting Life. 4 December 1889. p. 7.
  30. ^ "Baseball". Dundee Evening Telegraph. 2 July 1890. p. 3.
  31. ^ "Odds and Ends". Dundee Evening Telegraph. 16 July 1890. p. 3.
  32. ^ "Cricket". 17 July 1890. p. 10.
  33. ^ Kendrick, Mat. "Aston Villa: The day the claret and blues won the baseball league". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  34. ^ "The Baseball Championship: Aston Villa the Winners". Sporting Life. 3 September 1890. p. 1.
  35. ^ "Derby Baseball Grounds: Notice". Derby Daily Telegraph. 4 August 1890. p. 3.
  36. ^ "The North End Baseball Team". Preston Herald. 27 August 1890. p. 5.
  37. ^ "Baseball Team to Visit England". Pall Mall Gazette. 28 February 1890. p. 4.
  38. ^ "Baseball in Edinburgh". Edinburgh Evening News. 5 May 1890. p. 3.
  39. ^ "The Spalding Baseball Club". Aberdeen Press and Journal. 12 July 1890. p. 3.
  40. ^ "Baseball in Aberdeen". Aberdeen Press and Journal. 5 August 1890. p. 3.
  41. ^ "Local Sporting Notions". South Wales Echo. 15 April 1893. p. 2.
  42. ^ "The 1938 Amateur World Series in Liverpool: How Britain beat America at Baseball". Liverpool Echo. 3 October 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  43. ^ "England Baseball Team to Tour". Leeds Mercury. 30 July 1938. p. 11.
  44. ^ "Short Jabs". Sunday Mirror. 22 July 1951. p. 16.
  45. ^ "MLB - Baseball in Europe is about to take off". Espn.com. 13 September 2011. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  46. ^ a b Staff. "Development | Universities". www.baseballsoftballuk.com. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  47. ^ "Historic: baseball and softball become university sports in United Kingdom". World Baseball Softball Confederation. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  48. ^ Staff. "UCLan's Hill, Simmons Make History as first British Baseball Scholar-Athletes". www.baseballsoftballuk.com. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  49. ^ Staff. "Inaugural BUCS Baseball & Softball National Championships - By the Numbers". www.baseballsoftballuk.com. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  50. ^ Staff. "Double, Double! Loughborough repeats as BUCS National Baseball Champions". www.baseballsoftballuk.com. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  51. ^ Jones, Rob (9 September 2018). "Falcons fall at the last; Mets take NBL title". Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  52. ^ "NBL 2022". British Baseball Federation.
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