Tournament Spotlight: Pacific Cup

Posted on August 22, 2014 by misterdish

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Vancouver’s Pac Cup Carries the Softball Tournament Flag For Canada

The only NAGAAA sanctioned weekend tournament North of the border is back for its 35th year this Labor Day weekend!

The Pacific Cup is one of the longest running tournaments in Canada or the United States dating back to 1980.  Many things have changed since that first Pacific Cup, but the majestic beauty of Vancouver and great softball are still alive and well in the largest city in British Columbia.

The tournament will be a D division tournament exclusively and has 12 teams currently signed up, all from the Pacific Northwest.  Pacific Cup Chairman, Miguel Mondaca knows his city is a destination not just for people in the Pacific Northwest, but for all of North America.  “Have you been to Vancouver?  It is beautiful.  You won’t regret it,” said Mondaca.

The festivities will kick off with an opening party and registration at the PumpJack on Friday evening.  The PumpJack is celebrating a new space expansion and has been the sponsor of the Pacific Cup since 1999.  There will also be a “Pac Cup’s Got Talent” contest where the two winning contestants from participating teams will win back their tournament entry fee!  The tournament entry fee is $300 CAD, which is $274.20 USD.  Trophies will be presented to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place team along with a trophy being awarded to the tournament MVP.  The MVP award is voted on by the umpires and will be given out along with the other trophies at The Junction during the closing party.

Pacific Cup participants will enjoy a four game guarantee and a 2 umpire crew for semifinal and championship games.  All games will be played at Softball City in nearby Surrey, BC.  One thing is for sure, if you’re spending your Labor Day weekend in Vancouver you’ll experience beautiful scenery, a great city and even better softball competition on the field.

*Thanks to WESA Vice Commissioner, Miguel Mondaca for his help with this tournament spotlight article.* 

 

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Tournament Spotlight: Buckeye Classic

Posted on August 19, 2014 by misterdish

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Columbus Has Every Team Covered This September

We’ll start with the question and answer portion of our article.

  • Is your team headed to the World Series and in need of a tune up tournament before you get to Dallas?
  • Is your team not going to the World Series and in need of a great tournament in an awesome city?

Either way, Columbus has a place for your team in early September if you act quickly as the tournament is close to being full in all divisions.

In just its 2nd year the Buckeye Classic is quickly establishing itself as a popular end of Summer tournament as the city is set to kick off what will be an extremely important next calendar year for the Columbus Lesbian & Gay Softball Association.  The tournament will take place September 5-7 in the Ohio capital city.  Close to 200 teams will descend on Columbus next August for the 2015 GSWS, but teams can get a preview of the beautiful turf infields at Lou Berliner Softball Complex right off of downtown and everything else Columbus has to offer now before heading to Ohio for the GSWS next year.

The tournament will feature B, C and D division play with trophies being awarded to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place teams in each division. A five game guarantee will allow teams to get a little more bang for their buck and the Classic will have a two umpire crew for each trophy game.  The host hotel is the fabulous Crown Plaza Columbus – Downtown which is situated in the Arena District and just a quick walk away from the Short North area.  Tournament events will kick off on Friday night with an Opening Party and Registration at Exile Bar from 6 to 9 pm followed by an 80’s/90’s music dance party!  Sunday post-tournament events include $2 Coors Light pints and free food at Exile Bar with Sunday Showtunes at Union Cafe!

If your team isn’t playing too late on Saturday you can always try to get a ticket to the world-famous Ohio Stadium, aka “The Horseshoe” to take in Ohio State and Virginia Tech.  After all, it is football season.  Oh, and if you do want to be one of the over 104,000 in attendance at the game you’ll be paying about $145 for the upper level nosebleed tickets that are available for resale according to Ticketmaster.  The game is sold out and the Buckeye Classic plans to follow suit as it is quickly approaching its limit of teams.  Register by August 23rd to make sure you’re a part of this young, but fast growing NAGAAA tournament.

 

*Thank you to Keith Speers, Director of Marketing, Public Relations & Communication for the 2015 GSWS for his help with this tournament spotlight article.*

 

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UPDATED: NAGAAA League Standings

Posted on August 9, 2014 by misterdish

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NAGAAA Member Cities League Standings

UPDATED : 8/8/2014

Many of the final berths into Dallas Series 2014 will be decided over the next two weeks as cities wind down regular season play and hold several end of season tournaments that have GSWS berths attached to the winning teams.  Check out the updated standings and the newest names highlighted that are on their way to the big show this September!

CLICK LINK BELOW FOR STANDINGS

NAGAAALeagueStandings-8-8-14

(Teams highlighted in GREEN on the spreadsheet have qualified for Dallas Series 2014)

As always, we have done our best to maintain accurate accounts of everything going on around the country.  If you are on the board of directors for a league and something is missing and/or wrong, feel free to contact the dish at   diamonddish@outlook.com.

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Monthly League Spotlight: Cabbagetown Group Softball League

Posted on August 6, 2014 by misterdish

CGSL Logo

Toronto’s CGSL: World Class Softball, World Class City

It’s time for a history lesson.  It will be brief we promise.

NAGAAA is an international organization and while there are 42 leagues in the United States there are still 3 leagues North of the border in neighboring Canada that are just as important, but sometimes fall through the cracks.  However, at least one of those three often forgotten about leagues plays a crucial role in NAGAAA’s past, present and future.

Did you know that Toronto was one of the five founding member cities of NAGAAA? Did you know that Toronto has hosted the World Series twice, in 1981 and 2000?  Did you know that Toronto has had 10 of its members inducted into the NAGAAA Hall of Fame?  That’s good for a 4th place tie with Boston for NAGAAA member cities with the most Hall of Famers and that’s a pretty big number overall considering there are only 137 Hall of Fame members all-time.  The Cabbagetown Group Softball League out of Toronto is critical to the history and fabric of NAGAAA’s international history and reputation.  Although the statistics are just the tip of the iceberg as to why.

The CGSL was founded in 1975 and joined NAGAAA in 1978.  For all you math majors out there that means the Toronto based league enjoyed its 40th year of providing a place for people from all walks of life, most notably its LGBT community to play the game they love.  One of the oldest leagues in NAGAAA has an experienced commissioner at its helm.  John Hunking is in his 10th year as the CGSL commissioner and he’s excited for what the future holds as it relates to the CGSL’s role and position within the NAGAAA structure.

“I started playing in the league in 1997 and I’ve been on the Board since 2002,” said Hunking.  Serving in multiple league administrative positions over the years, Hunking also plays and manages in the league.  “I play and co-manage my team the Storm in the C division.  I was previously just a player and volunteered for league events.  Then I became Assistant Commissioner for 2 years and this is my 10th as commissioner,” he said.

The 40th anniversary season of the CGSL boasts a league membership of 20 teams, 10 in the C division and 10 in the D division.  With the city’s weather challenges the regular season doesn’t begin until the first weekend in May and goes on through September to make sure the league maximizes the time it has outside before harsh weather takes over for the Fall/Winter months.  It’s a growing concern of many leagues and members in the extreme Northern portions of the United States and Canada that they are at a disadvantage in relation to cities on the West Coast, South and Southeastern United States due to the Northern cities inability to play almost year round.

Hunking agrees, but feels that Toronto’s time for success at the World Series is coming soon.  “Over the past few years Toronto has improved its standing at the GSWS.  Toronto Storm finished 17th in Chicago and the Swallows finished 9th in Washington, D.C.,” added Hunking.  The last and only time a Toronto team won a GSWS was back in 1997 when the Toronto Crew took a C division trophy back to Canada.  In fact, the Northern weather disadvantage argument holds serve in all-time championships won too.  Out of 101 total championships awarded since 1977 at the GSWS, that Toronto Crew team in 1997 is still the only Canadian team to ever win a GSWS in any division.

The major goal that Toronto’s commissioner spoke about was making sure that the league was open to everyone and it has been for 40 years and counting.  The CGSL mission statement reads as, “A safe environment for the LGBT community and friends of the LGBT community to play sport without prejudice, malice or persecution.”  That mission statement is very simply what Toronto’s gay softball league is about and in turn Toronto is what NAGAAA is about, an international presence and force to further promote gay athletics with an emphasis on slow pitch softball.

Toronto used to host a weekend tournament centered around the Canada Day (July 1st) holiday called the Canada Cup.  The tournament has been suspended, but not indefinitely.  In fact, the commissioner told the DD they’re not only ready to resurrect the Canada Cup, but he thinks it’s Toronto’s time to host another GSWS.  “We hope to bid for a World Series within the next couple of years,” said Hunking.

This Northern giant of a NAGAAA member city looks to be poised to move back into the forefront of the NAGAAA landscape soon and that kind of international progress can only help the sport of gay softball and the plight of gay athletics in the future.

 

CABBAGETOWN GROUP SOFTBALL LEAGUE – BY THE NUMBERS:

League Founded:                             1975

Joined NAGAAA:                            1978

Membership:                                   C Division (10), D Division (10)

Regular Season:                              May 4th – September 28th

Venue for League:                          McCleary Park

Best Team Finish @ GSWS:         Toronto Crew, Champions C Division – 1997 in San Diego

Season Cost Per Team:                  $155 CA per player

League Sponsors:                            Downtown Courtyard by Marriott, Xtra

Host Tournament:                          Canada Cup

League Website:                              http://www.cgslsoftball.com

 

*Thank you to John Hunking, CGSL commissioner for his help with this monthly league spotlight article.*

 

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Tournament Spotlight: Portland Cup

Posted on August 5, 2014 by misterdish

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Gay Softball Community Points to Portland This Weekend

August is routinely the time of year when teams are finishing final preparations to compete at the Gay Softball World Series, but with the GSWS moved back 5 weeks later this year it has given August tournaments the spotlight they rightly deserve.

With that theme in mind, enter the Portland Cup this weekend in the Rose City of Portland, Oregon.  With three divisions of play and 36 teams Oregon’s largest city will provide teams with sparkling fields and a chance to polish their skills heading into September.

Seven NAGAAA member cities will be represented from up and down the West coast of the United States and Canada.  All players will be treated to a great weekend of fun on and off the field.  The tournament will kick off with its “Pitchers” & “Catchers” Registration Party at Scandals from 6 pm to 10 pm on Friday night.  Saturday night, CC Slaughters will host the 3rd Base Dance Party for those looking to sweat a bit off the field.  The weekend will wind down with a Closing Party BBQ Party at the Eagle on Sunday after the championship games.

Each game will feature a one umpire set up and each team is guaranteed 4 games in the tournament.  A unique twist during the weekend will be the Home Run Derby & Skills Shootout that will be held between pool play and double elimination games.  Each team will put forth one representative to compete and players will only compete against other divisional players in the event.

It’s worth noting that the Portland Cup has worked hard to put a B division tournament together and it will be the 2nd tournament in August to host a B division tourney after Knoxville pulled one off during its tournament the first weekend in August.  Several World Series bound teams will be competing in Portland and the DD will be keeping tabs on all the goings on surrounding this great tournament in the Pacific Northwest in a few days!

*Thanks to Geoff Wright, Portland Cup tournament director for his help with this article.*

 

 

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UPDATED: NAGAAA League Standings – 7/23/14

Posted on July 24, 2014 by misterdish

NAGAAALogo

NAGAAA Member Cities League Standings

UPDATED : 7/23/2014

Many of the final berths into Dallas Series 2014 will be decided over the next two weeks as cities wind down regular season play and hold several end of season tournaments that have GSWS berths attached to the winning teams.  Check out the updated standings and the newest names highlighted that are on their way to the big show this September!

CLICK LINK BELOW FOR STANDINGS

NAGAAALeagueStandings-7-23-14

(Teams highlighted in GREEN on the spreadsheet have qualified for Dallas Series 2014)

As always, we have done our best to maintain accurate accounts of everything going on around the country.  If you are on the board of directors for a league and something is missing and/or wrong, feel free to contact the dish at   diamonddish@outlook.com.

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Softball Through a Zoom Lens: John W Cox & Houston Sports

Posted on July 22, 2014 by misterdish

Softball Through A Zoom Lens: John W Cox & Houston Sports

93,865.

John W Cox III

John W Cox III

That’s the number of pictures that John W Cox III has uploaded to his Facebook page over the past few years.  The vast majority of those pictures came from various softball tournaments, the Montrose Softball League in Houston, other Houston LGBT sports leagues and other sporting events in general.

Let us all take a minute to wrap our brains around that number from the start of this article.  93,865.  The sheer number is staggering, but that number goes deeper than just numerical value.  Those pictures tell the story of a labor of love and passion that John has for Houston area sports and gay athletics overall.  It didn’t take long for John to get hooked on supporting the Montrose Softball League and gay softball in general.

“I was on the board of a non-profit organization that raises money for local LGBT organizations and a fellow board member knew I photographed fun runs and he asked me to come photograph his softball team,”  said Cox.  The pictures taken at first weren’t always the best according to him, but with time Cox sharpened his skills and has since taken some of the best action photos of NAGAAA sanctioned events that are available for public consumption.  “That first year, I would photograph behind the fence, photos were not as sharp and clear, since then I shoot on the field either from the dugouts or on the other side of the dugouts,” added Cox.

The attention to detail that John has radiates through the many incredible pictures he has in his collection, but one style of photo is his all time favorite.  “The one shot I always try to get at a tournament or in league play is the team photo.  I will take several shots and then have the team do a fun picture at the end,” Cox stated.  If his pictures weren’t enough to explain that he’s a professional in every way his precise following of which teams are participating at a tournament should help bring it into focus (pun intended!).  “I create a list of all the teams and do a check off so I know who I need to photograph,” said Cox.

While his home league in regard to softball is the Montrose Softball League, John has found himself all over the country supporting and enhancing gay athletics.  “I usually do 3 softball tournaments and maybe 1 flag football tournament a year, Bourbon Street Classic in New Orleans, the St. Patty’s Day weekend tournament in Houston and the Texas Shootout in Austin,” Cox said.  In addition to those yearly events, Mr. Cox has photographed the Gay Bowl flag football tourney in Houston and the Pride Bowl in Chicago.  He has also photographed Houston teams at the Gay Softball World Series in Chicago (2011) and at last year’s event in Washington, DC for the softball league in Houston.  “At the tournaments it is like a ‘family’ reunion.  A lot of players know each other from various tournaments and years of playing against each other and I like to take shots of friends together from various teams,” said Cox.

The reputation John has for his photography work has him in demand for more than just sporting events.  “It has led me to do several same-sex weddings and engagement photos over the past year.  With the changes going on across the country now, equality for everyone is happening, even here in Texas,” stated Cox.

As impressive as this man’s work is, it is clear that this is more than just a hobby for the Houston native.  There is a method to his photographic madness.  “The reason why I spend 8 plus weeks every Spring and 6 plus weeks every Fall to photograph softball and flag football leagues is to show that the LGBT sports leagues are just as good and competitive as mainstream leagues,” Cox said.

A man with conviction and purpose, making softball tournaments and leagues pop with his pictures, John Cox is a great ally to NAGAAA softball and to gay athletics in general.  When you’ve had your team photo or action shot photographed by John, you know you’ve been photographed by the best.

 

 

 

Texas Twisters

Houston Texas Twisters (C Division) – Team Photo

At left: One of the many famous John W Cox team photos.

 

 

 

 

Houston Softball

Houston Sons of Pitches player diving in the MSL End of Season Tournament against the Houston Splash.

At right: Cox snapped a shot of a home plate slide during the end of season tournament in Houston.

 

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Tournament Spotlight: K-Town Softball Klassic

Posted on July 18, 2014 by misterdish

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Knoxville To Host Its Largest Tourney Ever This August

The next stop on the road to Dallas Series 2014 is in Knoxville, TN for the K-Town Softball Klassic.  This is the 8th annual tournament and it will be the biggest ever with a record-breaking 40 teams entered across three divisions.

In addition to boasting a large tournament field, the K-Town Klassic will also feature a B division with 7 teams.  “This is our first year ever with a B division and we are extremely excited as most tourneys in the Southeast region have not been able to have enough interest for one this year,” said Mario Riles, K-Town Klassic tournament director.  A C division is also being offered along with a large D division that will feature 21 teams, 5 of which have either already qualified for the 2014 GSWS or will officially do so before the Klassic.

Obviously, the competition will be legendary in East Tennessee over the first weekend in August, but Knoxville wants you to know that it has more to offer than a little dirt in your “skirt”.  Mario Riles is the K-Town Klassic tournament director for the 4th consecutive year and he is excited to showcase what Knoxville is all about.  Riles summed it up in general with just two words, “Southern Hospitality”.

Besides that hospitality K-Town will be guaranteeing 4 games per team and the tournament plans on having 2 umpires per game for pool play and double elimination.  The tourney will be contested at Caswell Park & Mayor Bob Leonard Park.  “Knoxville is known for its beautiful fields at Caswell Park that are extremely well maintained,” said Riles.

The weekend festivities will be kicked off with the Registration Party on Friday, August 1st at The Edge.  Registration will be from 6 pm to 9 pm with some seriously sickening entertainment in the form of Rupaul’s Drag Race season 5 star Alyssa Edwards along with local performers and maybe even a few Knoxville players in drag too!  There will be events all weekend long at tournament sponsors The Edge, Club XYZ and Kristtophers to make all of the out-of-town players feel right at home.

Trophies will be awarded at the fields on Sunday to the 1st, 2nd & 3rd place teams in each division.  The 1st place team will get championship t-shirts along with their trophy.  The 2nd and 3rd place teams will get medals in addition to their trophies.  After the games conclude there will be a tournament outing at Kristtophers with games of flip cup, beer pong, a beer bust and other fun to bring the weekend home.

The Diamond Dish is pleased to announce that it will be in Knoxville for the tournament to cover all of the action wire to wire.  A special thanks to tournament co-director Tonya Vaughn for the invite and her help with making it possible for the DD to be in K-Town this August to cover the tourney.  Keep checking back all weekend long as there will be a live blog feed on our website along with live tweets on our Twitter page, @softballdish .

All eyes will be on this blossoming tournament in the Southeastern United States in just a few short weeks and the DD thinks that the K-Town Klassic might be looking for more field space in the coming years as this tourney continues to grow and grow.

 

*Thanks to K-Town Klassic tournament director Mario Riles for his help with this tournament spotlight article* 

 

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Diamond Dish To Cover NAGAAA Summer Meetings

Posted on July 12, 2014 by misterdish

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Diamond Dish To Cover NAGAAA Summer Meetings

The Diamond Dish was notified by NAGAAA earlier today that its request to cover the yearly Summer Meetings held in conjunction with the Gay Softball World Series was approved.  The DD will be the first media outlet ever to cover the NAGAAA Summer Meetings in any form.

We are excited to be able to bring you even more coverage during Series week in Dallas this September and the Diamond Dish would like to thank NAGAAA, especially Commissioner Chris Balton, Assistant Commissioner James Williamson and NAGAAA Board Member at Large Paula Cline for their professionalism and hospitality they have shown our blog spot since its inception a few months ago.

Great things are coming this Summer on the Diamond Dish as we continue our countdown to Dallas Series 2014 and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter, @softballdish .

 

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UPDATED: NAGAAA League Standings

Posted on July 8, 2014 by misterdish

NAGAAALogo

 

NAGAAA Member Cities League Standings

UPDATED : 7/7/2014

 

 

We are less than three months away from Dallas Series 2014 and several league races are heating up as teams all over North America fight for a berth in the 38th Gay Softball World Series.

CLICK LINK BELOW FOR STANDINGS

NAGAAALeagueStandings-7-7-14

(Teams highlighted in GREEN on the spreadsheet have qualified for Dallas Series 2014)

As always, we have done our best to maintain accurate accounts of everything going on around the country.  If you are on the board of directors for a league and something is missing and/or wrong, feel free to contact the dish at   diamonddish@outlook.com.

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