Batter Up!
For Australian baseball fans, November is the best time of year!
The World Series is in full swing, the Claxton Shield commences this weekend in Australia and the summer season for junior and senior community-level club baseball has been in session for over a month.
The 2009 World Series sees a standoff between the powerhouses of the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies. The Yankees have a staggering 26 World Series titles to their credit and the Phillies are defending the title after winning their second ever World Series last year, the first being in 1980. Both are clubs with a long history in American Baseball, the Yankees were established in 1901 going through several relocations and name changes before becoming the New York Yankees in 1923. The Phillies have the distinction of being the oldest continuous club in North America with the same name and being affiliated with the same city, having being established in 1883.
The Yankees are currently leading the series 3 games to the Phillies 2, with Game 6 scheduled for this morning (Australian time). Who will win through to claim the rings this year?
Meanwhile, back in Australia, preparations are underway for the 2009 Claxton Shield. This is currently the highest level of competition available to Australian players, aside from the Baseball World Cup or the Olympic Games, seeing teams from 5 states (NSW, QLD, VIC, SA and WA) compete across the country right through until February. Games begin this weekend in Geelong and Sydney.
Community baseball clubs around the country are currently running competitions for both senior and junior players; most have competitions that actually run year-round. There’s nothing quite like a friendly game of ball on a warm summer afternoon. It may be worthwhile checking with the Australian Baseball Federation to see if there’s a club near you!
If you haven’t quite figured it out by now, I like baseball! I have been playing the game for close to ten years, spectating for even longer and am an avid supporter of the game at all levels. It is quite simply; to me at least, the best game out there!
What about you? Have you ever watched or played a game of baseball? Or maybe you have been thinking that it looks interesting but never really thought about it further? Leave your thoughts below!
Kate
Community Manager
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Please contact me about the Sydney baseball seasons anytime. I played one short season with Baulkham Hills back in 1978. The only person I can remember from those teams is Barry Moore.
I knew Dick Shirt & Bobby Castle from Auburn, as several others from Manly, Parramatta-Bankstown, Ian Anderson from Sydney U. etc.
I helped discibe games with Joey Aitro at Auburn Stadium and wrote many baseball articles about the local baseball scene in many community newspapers. Norm Perry and I had a 30-minute Baseball Program every Saturday morning on 2KY Broadcasting Station, the first baseball program in Australia.
It would be nice if someone remembered me as it would be nice to renew old friendships.
Thanks for your time,
Jay L. Carlton
225 St. Regis Lane
Florissant, Missouri 63031-6750
U.S.A.