|
|
 |
|
HOME
|
|
SOUVENIRS
|
||||
|
The
CGCBL
|
By James R. Hartley
Originally known as the National Capital Junior League, the Clark C. Griffith Collegiate Baseball League currently consists of seven teams located in Maryland and Northern Virginia. The CGL was founded in 1945 and is one of the oldest and best organized amateur summer baseball leagues in the United States. The players are under 21 years old and come from across the country. Teams play a 40-game league schedule, which gives the college-age players an opportunity to showcase their talents and improve their skills with wooden bats. Thirty-four former Griffith League players have made it to the major leagues.
|
Under the leadership of league president Mike McCarey, former sponsor and manager of the Vienna Mavericks, the CGL further upgraded its program by returning to the traditional wooden bats in 1993. "The league had its peaks and valleys", observed McCarey, "and we wanted to do something to return the leagues to the level it had achieved during the '40s and '50s. The top leagues used wood [bats], so that was a logical step. We also set out to recruit more top players and make the league more competitive."
In addition, the league scheduled its games at professional and collegiate stadiums throughout the Metropolitan Washington area, including Prince William Stadium in Woodbridge and Shipley Field at the University of Maryland.
The league changed its name to the Clark C. Griffith Collegiate Baseball League, and teams focused on recruiting the highest level of freshman and sophomore talent in the collegiate ranks from all over the country. Before 1986, Griffith League teams were only allowed to "import" three players who lived outside the District, Maryland and Virginia area. In 1986, that number was increased to five. Currently, there is no limit to the number of players a team may carry from outside the area. Because of the wooden bats and the overall improvement in competition, Griffith League games have become a popular venue for major league scouts.
In 1999, the League welcomed the Bethesda Big Train into its ranks. The Big Train, named after Washington Senators' pitching legend Walter Johnson, plays its home games at Shirley Povich Field in Cabin John Regional Park in Bethesda, Maryland. Povich Field is dedicated to the legendary Washington Post sportswriter Shirley Povich and serves as a monument to what can be accomplished by dedicated community leaders and local involvement. During Povich Field's inaugural season, the Big Train played before many sellout and occasional overflow crowds. Fans of all ages came out to root for their team and to see "baseball at its most genuine."
In 2001, The Germantown Black Rox joined the Clark Griffith League, and the league expanded once again in 2002 when the Baltimore Pride took the field.
|
|
© 1999-2002 Bethesda Community Base Ball Club except where otherwise
noted. All Rights Reserved. | Legal Notices
|