Big Apple Softball League

The Big Apple Softball League (BASL) is a LGBT softball league located in the New York City area. The league is open to all skill levels and abilities, and to all people regardless of race, religion, age, race, religion, gender expression or sexual orientation. The league plays its regular season from late April through early August and holds its playoffs in August. Teams from this league also compete in tournaments in the US and Canada, including the NAGAAA's Gay World Series.

History

The league was founded in 1977 as The Manhattan Community Athletic Association (MCAA). In its first season the league consisted of 12 teams. The winner that season was the Ramrod Bar and Grill team. The Ramrod team flew to San Francisco to take on the Badlands of the San Francisco Community Softball League to play in the first Gay World Series in front of a crowd as large as 5,000 people. Badlands defeated Ramrod, two games to none.

In 1980, the league changed its name to its current name. At this point in the league's history, there were 16 teams. In 1981, the league moved to an arc pitch style of softball play to conform to the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance (NAGAAA).

In 1994, the league hosted the Play for Life tournament on the 4th of July Weekend, a benefit for HIV research.

In 2007, the league celebrated its 30th season of play and is made up of 39 teams, spread across 5 divisions by skill level.

The BASL at the Gay World Series

The BASL has been a staple at the Gay World Series since its inception, playing every tournament. The league has also had a great deal of history with the tournament.

In 1984, The Falcons (one of the earliest teams still in existence) were disqualifed by the NAGAAA for having a heterosexual player on the team. The NAGAAA stated, at that time, that the tournament was for homosexual players only. This squable at the World Series was noted in an article in the LGBT newsmagazine The Advocate. The next year, the NAGAAA changed its rules to include heterosexual players.

The league hosted the 1986 addition and has had a great deal of success at the tournament. In 29 Gay World Series Tournaments, The BASL has earned 3 wins and overall top 5s.

The Follies

The Follies is an event held every year to benefit the league. Many of the teams put on skits and it serves both as a money maker for the league, and as an occasion for players to let down their hair mid-season.

The League Today

The league currently consists of 39 teams in 5 divisions by skill/competition level. Almost all the teams in the league are now sponsored by at least one organization. Some teams have garnered major sponsors such as HBO, BareNecessities.com, CustomInk.com, and The InsightOut Book Club. The league will also be making its 30th visit to the Gay World Series this year.

References

* [http://www.bigapplesoftball.com/history.htm The Big Apple Softball]