Dear 2020 Current and Prospective Hudson Valley-Westchester Ballplayers:
(January 2020) What a great time to be an amateur baseball player in throughout Hudson Valley be it Dutchess, Westchester, Putnam, Orange, Ulster or Rockland....So many choices for all players. Never has there been more ball being played in the Hudson Valley. Players can select the right level and age group based upon what works best for them. And with our formal expansion into Westchester County, more players will have better baseball both competitively, organizationally as well as more cost efficient choices, finally! We're proud to have kept dues so low for so long while surrounding leagues have over-charged their players. We've provided the convenience of covering all fields, umpire costs, increasing the number of baseballs per game per team (4), scorebooks, MSBL National Dues, Insurance, a great web-site with up to date photos, schedules, etc., bound set of rules/seasonal information, and discounts to teams that go to national tournaments!!! No other league can boast what we give back to both our players and community as a whole. We're also the only non-profit baseball league north of the City, and only league where our league officers haven't taken any compensation for running the league in the last 15 years, and counting...
Our ground-breaking agreement with the Hudson Valley NABA in 2019 has proven to provide players in the Hudson Valley a choice....and let's face it...more baseball is good baseball...that's what we've always been about, baseball.
As we head into the season with spring training looming, we're blessed and thankful for our baseball brethren, the relationships formed, and great baseball that's been played over the past year. We're fortunate to have great fields to play on, phenomenal managers, and a solid unbreakable bond. Our relationship and reputation in the community is second to none. We're also pleased to have given back more to the community than we've taken away, having donated now more than $51,000 back to the youth baseball community while also supporting those with developmental disabilities over the last three years.
We saw some great playoff races and close games. We are crowing three new league champions. And with our continued expansion, we're looking forward to expanding our relationships in the overall community.
Personally, this is my 25th year affiliated with the MSBL. I've played and managed in Atlanta, Los Angeles and am in my 5th year as League Commissioner in The Hudson Valley - Westchester MSBL. I'm blessed to be part of the MSBL Family and thankful for being an MSBL Honor Roll Inductee in 2018. We continue to work closely with MSBL Nationally to not only expand our offerings locally but regionally and nationally as well.
It's a great time to PLAY BALL in the Hudson Valley. Hoping everyone has had a great off-season. Looking forward to another great season ahead!
Rick Stockfield
HVWMSBL League President
MSBL National Honor Roll Inductee 2018
