Bethesda Big Train

The Bethesda Big Train is an amateur, wooden-bat baseball team based in Bethesda, Maryland. Most of its players are drawn from the college ranks. The team is a member of the Cal Ripken, Sr. Collegiate Baseball League (CRSCBL). The Big Train plays its home games at Shirley Povich Field. The Big Train is owned and operated by the non-profit The Bethesda Community Base Ball Club, Inc., and is funded through merchandise sales, donations, and other fundraising efforts at games. As of March 2008 34 Big Train Alumni have played professional baseball. [cite web |title=Big Train official web site |url=http://www.bigtrain.org/ |accessdate=2008-03-29 ]

History

The Bethesda Community Base Ball Club, Inc. was founded in 1998 "to raise funds to improve the quality of youth baseball and softball fields in Montgomery County and the District of Columbia." Proceeds from the operations of the Bethesda Big Train are used to further this mission. As of March 2008 the Club reports they have raised $300,000 in support of this mission. [cite web |title=Big Train official web site - Mission |url=http://www.bigtrain.org/published/about_us/new_mission.html |accessdate=2008-03-29 ]

The Big Train commenced play in 1999 as part of the Clark Griffith League (CGL). In 2004, they won the CGL championship. [cite web |title=Clark Griffith League History |url=http://www.clarkgriffithbaseball.com/BeAboutUs/history-CGL.html |accessdate=2008-03-29 ]

In 2005 the Big Train joined the Cal Ripken, Sr. Collegiate Baseball League (CRSCBL) [cite web |title=Big Train CRSCBL Announcement |url=http://www.bigtrain.org/published/archives/crsl_announcement.html |accessdate=2008-03-29 ] In 2005 the team won the league championship and shared the post-season tournament championship with the Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts. In 2006 the Big Train were the regular season champions. [cite web |title=CRSCBL Archives |url=http://www.ripkensrcollegebaseball.org/published/archives/index.html |accessdate=2008-03-29 ]

Notable Alumni

Dirk Hayhurst [cite web |title=San Diego Padres Player Profile |url=http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=460602 |accessdate=2008-08-25 ] , 2001 Big Train, major league debut with the San Diego Padres
Charlton Jimerson [cite web |title=Tacoma Rainers Player Profile |url=http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Charlton%20Jimerson&pos=OF&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=430590 |accessdate=2008-05-06 ] , 1999 Big Train, major league debut with the Houston Astros
Bobby Livingston [cite web |title=Cincinnati Reds Player Profile |url=http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=455751 |accessdate=2008-04-16 ] , 2001 Big Train, currently with the Cincinnati Reds
John Maine [cite web |title=New York Mets Roster |url=http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/team/roster_active.jsp?c_id=nym |accessdate=2008-03-29 ] , 2000 Big Train, currently with the New York Mets
Chris Mobley [cite web |title=Carolina Mudcats |url=http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Chris%20Mobley&pos=P&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=452059 |accessdate=2008-04-16 ] , 2002 Big Train, 2005 SAL All Star
Steve Schmoll [cite web |title=Harrisburg Senators Player Profile |url=http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Steve%20Schmoll&pos=P&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=467749 |accessdate=2008-05-06 ] , 2000 Big Train, major league debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers

References

External links

* [http://www.ripkensrcollegebaseball.org/ Cal Ripken, Sr. Collegiate Baseball League official website]
* [http://www.clarkgriffithbaseball.com/ Clark Griffith League official website]
* [http://www.bigtrain.org/ Bethesda Big Train official website]