Baseball in Greece

Infobox sports league
current_season=2006 Greek Baseball League season
logo=
pixels=
sport=Baseball
founded=2000
teams=A' Division (10), B' Division (6)
champion=Spartakos Glyfadas (2005), Titanes Olympismou (2005)
country=flagcountry|Greece
website= [http://www.baseballgreece.com/ http://www.baseballgreece.com/]

Baseball in Greece comprises two major leagues, the "A' Division" and "B' Division". There is also a Greece national baseball team.

History

The league was first contested in 2000 and the first champion of the A Division was Marousi 2004 from Athens. The inaugural Greek Cup was also held in 2000 and was won by another Athenian team, Spartakos Glyfadas.

The Hellenic Amateur Baseball Federation (HABL) was founded in 1997 [ [http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-74357066.html Greece out to put itself on baseball map] - Kyodo World News Service] in preparation for the hosting of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. The HABL has about 20 men's amateur teams, two new stadiums and practice fields. U.S. and Greek players compete in the league.

Peter Angelos, the Greek-American owner of the Baltimore Orioles, helped finance a Greek national team for the 2004 Olympics. [ [http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/2004olympics/040730preview3.html Host Greece Sports Unlikely American Roster] - BaseballAmerica.com>] [ [http://www.helleniccomserve.com/baseball.html Greek-American Backs National Baseball Team] ]

Current league structure

*A' DIVISION
**Aris Baseball Club (Thessaloniki)
**O.N. Milon (Athens)
**Marousi 2004 (Marousi)
**A.O. Leontes Peiraios (Athens)
**Olympiada Peristeriou (Athens)
**Eyriali Glyfadas (Athens)
**Spartakos Glyfadas (Athens)
**Titanes Olympismou (Athens)
**Pelopas Patron (Patras)
**Ainos Kefalonias (Kefalonia)

*B' DIVISION
**Zeus Kalamarias (Thessaloniki)
**A.O. Seirios Patron (Patras)
**Thiseas Patron (Patras)
**Dias Patron (Patras)
**Galini (Patras)
**Filathlitiki Lesxi Aigiou (Aigio)

External links

* [http://www.baseballgreece.com/ Baseball in Greece] - site last updated in 2006.
* [http://www.internationalbaseball.org/greece.htm InternationalBaseball.org: Greece Baseball]

References