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NEW RULE CHANGES
HELPFUL TOURNAMENT INFORMATION

 

Current News

2012 NABF Annual Meeting to be in Annapolis East,
Kent Island, Maryland

The 98th Annual Meeting of the National Amateur Baseball Federation will be heldHoliday Inn Express at Kent Island, MD
Friday, November 9th and Saturday, November 10th, 2012 in Annapolis East – Kent Island, Maryland.

The Board of Director’s Meeting is Friday, November 9th and the Delegates Meeting,
for all NABF franchised member associations, is Saturday, November 10th.

All NABF meetings are planned to be held at the Holiday Inn Express, 1020 Kent
Narrows Road, Grasonville, Maryland 21638.  The hotel phone number is (410) 827-4454 or visit their website www.holidaykentisland.com.  NABF Franchise Representatives must mention Code: BAS for NABF Baseball for special room rates.

This event will be hosted by the Maryland State Baseball Association (MSBA).  For additional information, members may contact Charlie Blackburn, President of Maryland State Baseball Association (MSBA) at (410) 721-4727 or nabf1914@aol.com. 
                                               
The Holiday Inn Express is conveniently located to many attractions:

  • Premier Dining 
  • Chesapeake Environmental Center
  • Premium Outlets – Queenstown 
  • Sandy Point State Park 
  • United States Naval Academy
  • Historic Annapolis 
  • St. Michaels, Maryland 
 walking distance
2 miles
5 miles
8 miles
15 miles
15 miles                       
31 miles

The Holiday Inn Express offers Scenic Views of the Chesapeake Bay and a Complimentary Hot Breakfast.

The Guest Room Amenities include High Speed Wireless Internet, Cable Television with HBO, Coffee Maker, Hair Dryer, and Full Size Iron and Ironing Board.

The Holiday Inn Express is thirty five (35) miles from Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI).

2011 NABF AWARDS

Man of the Year Awards
Scott Baldwin, Northville, Michigan
Scott Ruark, Struthers, Ohio

Woman of the Year Awards
Darlene Herwat, Toledo, Ohio
Deb Wallace, Millbury, Ohio
         
John Benedict Sports Journalism Award
Sean McGuire and Camelot Media Group
Birmingham, AL
                                     
NABF Award of Merit
Joseph M. Victor, Brooklyn, New York
                                     
Ronald E. McMinn Award
Vincent “Vin” Di Lauro, New Haven, Connecticut

2011 APPRECIATION AWARDS
Presented to the City of Southaven, as host of the 2011 NABF National Classics Championship Series.  Scotty Baker, Tournament Director, Southaven, Mississippi.

Presented to White House High School Dugout Club, as host of the 2011 NABF National Classics Championship Series.  Mark Mills, Tournament Director, Greater Nashville, Tennessee.

Presented to Virginia Amateur Baseball Inc., as host of the 2011 NABF Sophomore Division National Championship Series.  Mary Love, Tournament Director, Lynchburg, Virginia.

Presented to Northville Baseball/Softball Association, as host of the 2011 NABF Junior Division National Championship Series.  Scott Baldwin, Tournament Director, Northville, Michigan.

Presented to East Tennessee Baseball Association, as host of the 2011 NABF High School Division National Championship Series.  Glenn “Buzz” McNish, Tournament Director, Knoxville, Tennessee.

Presented to Youngstown Class AA Baseball League and Glaciers   Sports Inc., as host of the 2011 NABF Senior Division National Championship Series.  Bob Mingo, Tournament Director, Youngstown, Ohio.
     
Presented to the City of Toledo Recreation Department (Greater Toledo Amateur Sports Foundation) as host of the 2011 NABF College Division National Championship Series.  Aaron Myers, Tournament Director, Toledo, Ohio

Presented to Derby City Baseball, Inc., as the host of the 2011 NABF Major Division National Championship Series.  Michael J. Tewell, Tournament Director, Louisville, Kentucky

 

2011 Individual Recognition Awards

Man of the Year Awards

Scott Baldwin

Baseball – it is a family game.  Often it starts with your father or your father’s father and then it is carried on for generations.  Scott Baldwin is a product of his father.  And his children exhibit the love of the game that their father instilled in them.

Scott played the game at high levels before a knee injury knocked him permanently out of the box.  Shortly after he got married and well before children, he started coaching local travel teams and was immediately elected to the Board of Directors supervising, overseeing the baseball and softball activities of the youth of the community of Northville.

And just like things normally happen, children came and he started coaching his oldest child, Michael, now 21.  And then Drew, 18 and Daniel 14.  And when you have more than one child, sometimes you have to coach more than one team.  And good teams practice, even if you have two or three.

Northville has been fortunate to be able to host the National Amateur Baseball Federation Junior World Series for almost 30 years.  Almost since it began, Scott was involved.  First as a worker, then as a field director, he has been in charge of the home run hitting and skills contest.  He has been honored to throw out the first pitch.  Two years ago, he grabbed the reigns and became the director and spends countless hours in playing fields, arranging hotels, communicating with teams, all for the love of baseball.

You would think after more than 30 years of being intimately involved with baseball on the local and national levels, Scott would start to get tired and would think about turning over the reigns to younger people.  Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, Scott’s youngest child Daniel, at 14, was selected to play on the 16 and under travel team (not coached by his dad), meaning Daniel would be eligible for three more years of World Series.  And Scott, it is a family thing.

Scott’s strength comes from the unbelievable strong, emotional and physical support from his wife Sue, and of course the love of the game.  A family thing.

Scott Ruark

Scott has spent the last 15 years coaching and running various youth baseball organizations and tournaments in the Youngstown, Ohio area.   

In 2007, Scott was selected Man of the Year by the Youngstown Class “B” Baseball League.
As a long standing member of the Youngstown Class “B” League he has served as president of the league for the past 3 years as well as a trustee in the local baseball league in which his son plays. 

He has shifted some attention to coach his son, but is still consumed in the everyday operations of the Youngstown Class B Baseball League.  Scott has been the tournament director for the Senior (18U) and Junior (16U) NABF Regional Tournaments for the past 8 years.  In 2011, he added a Sophomore (14U) Regional, all of which were held at Bob Cene Park.  Scott is a strong supporter of NABF Baseball and the league concept. 

Scott not only oversees all the operations at Bob Cene Park, but is also involved in the Senior and Junior age divisions under the Astro Falcons Baseball Organization.

He is married to the former Kimberly Snyder and has two boys, Evan, 10 years old and Kolten, 6 years old.

In May 2010, Scott completed his Masters in Business Administration from Youngstown State University.  Currently, Scott serves as Controller for Astro Shapes, Inc. and Director of Operations at Bob Cene Park.

Woman of the Year Awards

Darlene Herwat

Darlene was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio.  She graduated from Bowsher High School and received a Bachelor of Science in Outdoor Recreation from Kent State University.  She began her career with the City of Toledo, Recreation Division in 1984 as a Therapeutic Recreation Technician.  Darlene worked with youth and adults with disabilities.  In 2007, she began working as a supervisor in the Recreation Division responsible for Swimming Pools, Ice Rink, Senior Citizen and Athletic programming.  Dar has consistently performed above and beyond the call of duty and has contributed many hours to ensure youth in our community have opportunities to participate in organized sports and activities that contribute to the quality of life for all.

Deb Wallace

Long time Millbury, Ohio resident, Deb is a Lake High School graduate and went on to receive a Bachelor of Science in Health and Sports Studies at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

Deb has volunteered her time to the NABF College World Series as Marketing Director since 2004.  Some of her marketing and public relation contributions include the design and creation of programs, designed event and 50/50 tickets, designed tournament t-shirt, created t-shirt/hat sales sheet, compilation of team information for use in on-air broadcasts, and broadcasted 6 pool play games on the internet.

She is currently employed as a Detail Artist at The Lighthouse Factory where she helps build and paint model lighthouses of all sizes.  Additionally, she is a freelance writer for Press Publications where she writes occasional features stories and a weekly survey segment.

In her free time she enjoys spectator sports, especially baseball, volunteering at the Wood County History Museum, and being active in the Genoa Civic Theater for the last 6 years.

John Benedict Sports Journalism Award

Sean McGuire and Camelot Media Group

The National Amateur Baseball Federation is pleased to recognize Sean McGuire and Camelot Media Group.

As President of Camelot Media Group, Sean McGuire brings over eight years of experience to the National Amateur Baseball Federation’s On-line magazine, “Behind the Seams”.  Sean graduated from Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona.  As an author of more than 150 travel articles, Sean has enjoyed extensive travel to many locales including Mexico and Brazil to name a few. 

The Camelot Media Group represents a new generation of Online Publishing that is forging a new approach to Magazine Publishing. It was founded in 2003 as an advertising sales firm.  Camelot entered the online publishing industry in 2008.  Camelot publishes several online magazines including the NABF’s “Behind the Seams.” 

NABF Award of Merit

Joseph M. Victor

Joe Victor was born on November 1, 1942 in Brooklyn, New York.  After attending Fordham University where he played baseball, graduated summa cum laude and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, he attended Columbia University from which he obtained his PhD in Italian Renaissance history in 1970.

In 1967, Joe became associated with the Brooklyn Cadets, founded by the legendary Jim McElroy, and served this sandlot organization for thirty years as a coach, manager, member of the board of directors and its chairman from1979-1983.  In 1973, he became the youngest member of the board of directors of the Metropolitan New York Amateur Baseball Association, where he held a number of offices, including the Presidency between 1991-1997.  He has also served as a member of the board and officer of both the Greater New York Sandlot Athletic Alliance and the Long Island Connie Mack League.  Continuing his long standing relationship with the Parade Ground League, New York City’s premier sandlot league, Joe Victor currently serves as a member of the board of directors, an officer and the NABF Tournament Director.  In recognition of his achievements as an administrator, Joe was elected to the Parade Ground League Hall of Fame in 1993. He received the Greater New York Sandlot Athletic Alliance’s “Outstanding Service to Youth Award” in 2008.

Joe Victor has a long and distinguished career as a manager and sandlot Program Director spanning over forty years.  In addition to the Cadets, Joe is the founder of the Mill Basin Mariners Baseball Program where he currently serves as Program Director and manager of its unlimited age team.  Equally important is his involvement in youth sports in New York City.  Joe is the Program Director of the East Village Community Coalition Baseball Program which, in partnership with the Lower East Side Pee Wee League, provides a fee free baseball program for inner city boys and girls aged four to eighteen on the lower east side of Manhattan.  In 2011, the program had over 200 participants in its in house program as well as five traveling teams in the age groups between ten and sixteen.  The program is fee free, is staffed by volunteers and relies on personal and corporate donations in addition to the grants provided by the EVCC to fund its activities.  A firm practitioner of Jackie Robinson’s famous remark “The value of a man’s life is determined by the impact he has on others,” Joe has seen generations of his players not only sign professional baseball contracts, but also graduate from high school, obtain college scholarships, graduate from college and successfully enter the academic, business and professional world.

Joe Victor’s association with the NABF dates back more than thirty five years.  He has run NABF Regional Tournaments in Brooklyn as Tournament Director for the last twenty five years, and as a manager has won NABF Regional Tournaments played outside Brooklyn.  He currently runs the Brooklyn, New York NABF Regional Tournaments in the Sophomore, Junior and Senior Divisions.

Ronald E. McMinn Award

Vincent “Vin” Di Lauro

The name Vincent “Vin” DiLauro is a familiar one to Greater New Haven area residents.  Whether he is greeting customers as the third generation president and own of Columbus Auto Body Works, Inc. or cheering on amateur baseball players as president of the West Haven Twilight League, Vin has made community involvement his mission.

The DiLauro family’s commitment to local baseball dates back to 1948 when Vin’s father, Ralph and uncles, John and Dom, sponsored the Columbus Auto Body Bears, as well as local adult fast pitch softball, basketball, baseball and bowling leagues.  Vin’s own involvement in amateur baseball dates back fifty years when he first played ball for the West Haven Twilight League as a youth.  As a member of one of the country’s oldest amateur baseball leagues, Vin played from 1958 to 1960.  In 1996, he became a team sponsor, and has since served as league director, vice president and current president.  In 1998, he received the league’s highest honor, a Gold Bat community award, for his thirty-five year sponsorship of area youth Little League, baseball, and basketball teams, and for his roles as a player, sponsor, manager and officer.  In April 2011, Vin received the Good Sport Award for unselfish dedication to sports in the community from the Connecticut Sports Writers Alliance.

Under Vin’s leadership, the West Haven Twilight League formed a close association with the National Amateur Baseball Federation (NABF) in 1999.  In 2006, he was named a NABF director and he received the organization’s Man of the Year Award in 2008.  As a director, he has helped oversee the organization’s annual regional tournaments and world series tournaments as well the 2006 annual meeting in New Haven and Major Division tournaments in West Haven in 2001, 2003 thorough 2011.  Vin is currently serving as Second Vice President of the NABF.

In addition to his involvement in the sports community, Vin is associated with numerous civic and professional organizations in Connecticut.  He has been active in the Rotary Club of West Haven since 1986, and has served as president and director of district vocational service.  He is the recipient of Rotary International’s Paul Harris Fellow award, and was also recognized by the Jimmy Fund for his community efforts to support the fight against cancer in children and adults at Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

As president of New Haven’s Columbus Auto Body, Vin has helped his successful family-owned company celebrate eighty-three years in business, and he is nationally recognized for his contributions to the auto body industry.  Vin currently supervises twenty employees who provide an array of professional automotive services. From 1968 to 1972, Vin was a board member and president of the Auto Body Association of Connecticut.  He presently serves as chairman of the Political Action Committee of the state’s professional towing association.

A life-long Connecticut resident, Vin is a 1959 graduate of West Haven High School, where he played football and baseball.  He has taken numerous small business related courses at the University of New Haven and Quinnipiac University.  He also served in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserves from 1963 through 1970.

Vin lives in New Haven with his wife, Mary Ellen.  They have three daughters and three grandchildren.

2011 Graduate of the Year

Johnny Damon, Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays

Tampa Bay Rays’ outfielder Johnny Damon has been chosen as the 2011 National Amateur Baseball Federation Graduate of the Year.

As a member of the 1991 High School Division World Series Championship team, Johnny Damon played outfield with the Bates Sporting Goods team and was named the series MVP.

Damon attended high school in Orlando, Florida when during his senior year in 1992, he was rated the top high school prospect in the country by Baseball America and named to USA Today's High School All-America team, and was the Florida Gatorade Player of the Year.

Damon is currently an outfielder and designated hitter with the Tampa Bay Rays. From 2000–2008, he was third among active players in runs (1,008) and seventh in hits (1,590) and stolen bases (392). He is currently second among active leaders in triples (100), five behind Carl Crawford. He is also sixth among active players in career hits with over 2,500.

 

2011 NABF SCHOLARSHIP CANDIDATES

Edward A. Bryner Johns Hopkins University MSBA- Frank Riley League
Matthew Cascello Queens College Parade Ground League
James Cauchi Fordham University Long Island Connie Mack League
Jeremy M. Conley University of Maryland MSBA- Frank Riley League
Frank A. Cordio Boston College Long Island Connie Mack League
Guillermo Dilone University at Albany Long Island Baseball Association
Albert Doerbecker III SUNY- Maritime College Long Island Connie Mack League
Joseph Falcone College of Staten Island Parade Ground League
Matthew Focella Georgetown University Long Island Connie Mack League
Joseph Gismondi Mercy College Federation of Amateur Baseball Leagues
Anthony Guidone Westmont College Chicago Northwest
Peter E. Krysztof St. John Fisher College Buffalo Muny AAA
Michael McFarland Catholic University of America MSBA- Frank Riley League
Aaron M. Mills Lebanon Valley College Blue Ridge League
Charles E. Neely Saint Leo University Florida Collegiate League
Taylor J. Peed University of S. C. – Aiken MSBA- Frank Riley League
Max Rosing SUNY – Cortland Parade Ground League
Shane Spies University of Rio Grande Ohio Independent Collegiate Baseball League
Robert Wisnewski Kings College Long Island Connie Mack League

 

IMPORTANT DEADLINES (For Franchise Member Organizations)

Nov 1 through May 15 of Current Year - Membership Renewal
Franchise membership fees due $250 (league associations)
Tournament fees due: $350 Regional Play
$400 Direct to World Series
Penalty fee $25 after May 15th (May 15th deadline for franchise and tournament fees, see Article II, Sections 2B and 4 of Rule Book) Leagues having 8 or more Teams in ANY age group may send a second team to a tournament for $400.00.
June 1 Registration of your league and teams due (Rule 6.09). Players and teams registered in more than one NABF Association must see Rule 3.11a and Rule 3.11b.
July 1 A copy of your current year league playing schedule due (Rule 6.13 ).
July 1 Player certification list due (Rule 4.02 ) for eligibility of players full names per each team from each league must be submitted by July 1, or not less than 15 days prior to the report date for the assigned Regional or World Series site. (Review all rules under sections 3.00 , 4.00 , 5.00  and 6.00 ) See Individual Team Certification for Eligibility form.
July 20 Application for reinstatement of players to amateur status deadline (Rule 5.01 and 5.04). Review all rules under section 5.00. See Application for Reinstatement of Players form.
Required for participation in NABF Liability insurance, all teams participating in NABF Regional or National Championship events are required to have one million dollars ($1,000,000) liability insurance coverage. NABF must be named as the additional insured under all policies (Rule 6.08). You may contact Frazier Insurance Agency at (804) 754-7610 for NABF approved insurance coverage or go to www.nabf.com  for a direct link to Frazier Insurance Agency’s website.

Required for all teams taking part in
NABF post season tournaments		 Purchase NABF logo patches prior to participation at NABF events (Rule 9.04).Purchase logo patches from Carolina Emblem at (800) 221-1439 or go to www.nabf.com  for a direct link to Carolina Emblem.

Please use this reminder as a guide during the current season. If you have questions, please contact your respective age division director or NABF national office. Answers to questions pertaining to eligibility of players and teams are covered in your NABF Rule Book and special instructional publications provided by NABF. Do not penalize your league and teams by failing to comply with your NABF rules. Thanks and have a great season. NABF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

 

NEW TOURNAMENT RULE CHANGES

New Rule Books will be available not later than February. NABF Rule Books are provided to each franchise member association upon renewal of their annual membership. Please review your rule book prior to participation in NABF National Tournament events.

Changes in your Constitution and Tournament Rules were accepted by the franchise member delegates taking parting in the Annual Meeting of the National Amateur Baseball Federation, Inc. (NABF).

3.00 Player Eligibility

3.02 College Division (22 & Under).  Players who have not reached their twenty-third (23rd) birthday prior to January 1 of the current year are eligible for participation in the College Tournament.

4.00 Certification of Players

4.07A Limit of 21 Players.  Teams participating in NABF tournaments shall be limited to twenty-one (21) players, which shall not include more than six (6) extra players.

4.07B Limit of 25 Players. College and Major Divisions Only.  Teams participating in NABF College and Major division tournaments shall be limited to twenty-five (25) players, which shall not include more than six (6) extra players.

8.00– Tournament Pairings, Brackets and Byes

8.11 Pre-Tournament Team Manager’s Meeting.  All Regional and World Series Tournament teams must have a representative at the scheduled managers meeting the day before the start of the tournament.  Failure of a team representative to appear at the designated time and meeting for player registration, rules and Regional/World Series draw for the first round of opponents and game times will/can disqualify such team from NABF tournament play, as determined by the Tournament Committee.

  • A team representative may arrange to meet with the Tournament Committee before 9:00 pm the day prior to the start of a tournament if there are travel restrictions or undue circumstances.
  • The Franchise (League) will be fined $100.00 for failure to have a manager or team representative at the manager’s meeting. The penalty must be paid prior to the first game scheduled.

11.00 – Forfeits and Protests

11.03 Protests on Interpretation of Playing Rules and/or NABF Tournament Rules.  
                                   
Protests on matters involving the interpretation of playing rules and/or NABF tournament rules must be made in writing to the Official Scorer at the time of the alleged infraction of the rules.  The manager must notify the chief umpire and official scorer that the game is being played under protest from that point on.  A duplicate of the written protest must be presented, along with a fee of one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00), to the Chairman of the Tournament Committee within one (1) hour after the protested game has been completed.  Protests shall contain the date, time and place of game; name of the teams; name of the chief umpire and official scorer; and the rule or section of the rule or rules violated; and all the essential facts involved in the matter under protest.  The chief umpire must also make out a signed statement of the official scorer at the time of the alleged infraction of the rules, and it is the manager’s responsibility to inform the chief umpire of his obligation to do so.  The original score sheet with all the this written information on it shall be presented to the Chairman of the Tournament Committee at the hearing of said protest.  The chief umpire and the official scorer must attend the hearing.  Should the protest be upheld, then the fee shall be returned, otherwise, it shall be forfeited to the treasury of the NABF.

NOTE:  No Protest of NABF Tournament Rules can be made after the fact.

12.00 – Conduct

12.10 Inappropriate Physical Conduct (Fighting)

Any manager, coach or player involved in inappropriate physical conduct (fighting) is to be immediately disqualified from both regional and world series/national tournament play.  Any manager, coach or player retaliating will also be disqualified.  Anyone entering the melee and retaliating will also be disqualified.

 

HELPFUL TOURNAMENT INFORMATION

Below you will find helpful information for administering your NABF associate league in preparation for our post-season tournament competition.

Playing Schedule. Our playing schedule dates by age group is located on our web site at www.nabf.com (also see attached).

Forms Available on NABF Web Site. The required league/team registration forms are available on our web site, www.nabf.com. Simply locate the required form, type in the information required, click the print indicator, sign the form and mail with required fees to NABF, PO Box 705, Bowie, MD 20718. In addition, we will mail forms upon request.

Penalty Fee. Leagues that failed to send their respective teams to an assigned tourney site must pay a penalty fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00).

New Rule Books are issued to member organizations upon receipt of their renewal membership and tourney fees. (New rule books should be available by February of the current season.)

Review Rule Books. All franchised member organizations are reminded to review the rules and packet information with team managers prior to their departure for the assigned NABF tourney. All members are reminded to review their NABF rule book and tournament information packets well in advance of the report dates of the assigned national tournament event. See rule 2.10 Franchise Member Responsibilities.

Insurance. NABF recommended team insurance is available through Frazier Insurance of Richmond, Virginia. Liability and excess accident insurance is mandatory if participating in any NABF event. NABF insurance is underwritten by “A” rated or above insurance underwriters. Phone (804) 754-7610, email forms@frazierinsurance.com or visit the web site at www.frazierinsurance.com.

Tournament Sites. Assignments for league and tournament information packets with a rule book will be mailed to the NABF members’ respective office or designated officer between June 15 and July 20th of the current season.

Have a great season and enjoy each day of baseball competition. Questions? Contact your respective NABF age division director.

 

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