More than 200 people turned
out for a Black Tie Ball at the Manchester Hilton Deansgate Hotel on Saturday evening, 27 October to celebrate the end of the 20th season of organised softball in Manchester.
The evening was a mix of award presentations and socialising, with 30 of the 31 teams from the Manchester Softball League represented.
Special guests
The league had also invited some special guests to join in the celebrations and present some of the awards, including Lee and Lisa Preston (Lee is Head of Sport Development at Manchester City Council); Sarah Collins, BBC Radio Manchester Sports Editor; Yvonne Harrison, Deputy Chief Executive of the Greater Manchester Sport Partnership; John Boyd, Head of Development and Joint CEO of BSUK; and BSF Treasurer Mike Jennings.
Prior to the main event, a VIP drinks reception was held in the newly refurbished Cloud23, a bar on the 23rd floor of the Deansgate Hilton offering stunning views over Manchester. VIP guests were joined by several MSL officials and long-standing members of the League.
Awards
The Manchester Softball League currently has 31 teams, its highest-ever number, playing across five divisions. A total of 255 games took place during the 2012 season.
Awards presented during the evening went to:
- Division 4 Champions Aarmavarx
- Division 3 Champions Mossley Mayhem
- Division 2 Champions Outlaws 2
- Playoff Division Champions Lightning
- Division 1 Champions - Greensox
Individual awards presented
included male and female MVPs and home run champions for each division, and the announcement of a League All- Star Team. Details of all award winners can be found on the MSL Forum.
Mike Jennings, BSF Treasurer and long-serving member of the BSF Executive, presented a plaque to the League to mark its 20th season. MSL President Harry Somers accepted the award on behalf of all those who have been part of the 20 years of organised softball in Manchester.
Development
“The league was founded with eight teams in 1992,” Harry said, “and grew fairly steadily over the next eight years to reach a stable peak of around 20 teams in 2000, a level that was more or less maintained for the next six or seven years. Further growth coincided with a more coherent recruiting and training strategy, which has seen the league increase in size from 24 teams in 2007 to 31 teams in 2012.
“I wasn't sure that everyone
would buy into the idea that this year was special,” Harry added, “but they certainly did. The season started well with new side fencing on our show pitch at Parrs Wood provided through funds from a BSUK Small Grant, and then I was awarded a place in the Olympic torch relay from Sport England. But the highlight is definitely the Ball. Kellie [Whitaker, MSL's Social Events Coordinator] did a fantastic job organising it. Now it's the time of year that we all hate! Roll on spring training and the MSL's 21st season!”
A great time
Kellie Whitaker said: “It was an honour to organise the event and I'm so glad everything went well. The staff at the Hilton were fabulous. Judging from the feedback, it seems everyone had a great time. As usual in the MSL, when there is a task to be done, lots of people offered to help. This was the largest MSL celebration event to date and I'm sure next year's will be even bigger!”
Gina Gee, a newcomer to the MSL after relocating from Leeds, said: “What a great evening! I only moved at the end of the season so I've only actually played one game in Manchester, but the Ball was a great chance to meet more people from the League. Everyone was so friendly and I felt so welcome. The slide show of photos of memorable moments over the 20 years was great. I can't wait for the Indoor season to start.”
Yvonne Harrison, Deputy Chief Executive
at the Greater Manchester Sports Partnership, said: “We work closely with BSUK to support what they and the MSL are trying to achieve and we are strong advocates of the work you all do. The evening was really well organised, with a fantastic location and a great atmosphere. I had a fabulous time and really enjoyed speaking with people who attended.”
The MSL Executive is already working hard behind the scenes, planning for a bigger and better 2013 with more teams, more officials, improved facilities and continued good governance to start off another 20 years of softball in the city.