Monthly League Spotlight: Chesapeake and Potomac Softball (CAPS)

Posted on July 3, 2014 by misterdish

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Gay Softball Is Tipping Its CAPS to Washington, DC

The month of July is undoubtedly one of the most popular months of the calendar year for many reasons.  The July 4th holiday reminds us that the United States is another year older with all of the patriotic pomp and pageantry including parades, ceremonies, fireworks and family get-togethers.  Therefore, it’s only fitting that the Diamond Dish’s monthly league spotlight for July 2014 is the Chesapeake & Potomac Softball (CAPS) League headquartered in Washington, DC.

Tournament wise, it has been a very busy and productive last 12 months for CAPS as it hosted the 2013 Gay Softball World Series last August and moved its yearly M.A.G.I.C. Tournament to coincide with July 4th weekend!  Obviously, hosting the GSWS was a huge undertaking and it was widely considered a success, but the more current topic surrounding CAPS has to do with its upcoming M.A.G.I.C. Tournament that is making its debut on the very crowded 4th of July weekend NAGAAA tournament schedule.

Tony Mace is the co-tournament director for the M.A.G.I.C. Tournament and is the acting CAPS Open Division Assistant Commissioner.  The Washington, DC gay softball scene is brimming with excitement from the GSWS and in part from the new tourney date for the M.A.G.I.C. Tournament.  “Hosting the GSWS last year has gotten more members excited about travelling to other places and playing at the national level,” said Mace.

The 2014 GSWS is fast approaching this September and with it a change in the tournament format as the widely criticized Consolation Bracket has been removed after just one year at the 2013 Series.  The DD asked Mr. Mace his thoughts on the consolation bracket that was instituted at last year’s tournament in his city.  “I believe that switching back to four pool play games will keep more teams interested in the tournament later in the week.  The consolation bracket took away from cities supporting teams in the main bracket,” added Mace.

All told, it is a big month for CAPS with the M.A.G.I.C. Tournament coming up at the beginning of the month, along with bringing its 32nd season to a close at the end of July.  It’s evident that CAPS has used their 2013 GSWS host status to reinvigorate its membership and in the process has put itself back in the national spotlight within the gay softball community.

 

CHESAPEAKE & POTOMAC SOFTBALL – BY THE NUMBERS:

League Founded:                             1983

Membership:                                   Open (20), Women’s (7)

Regular Season:                              May 4 – July 27

Venue for League:                          Watkins Regional Park – Upper Marlboro, MD

Best Team Finish @ GSWS:         DC Disturbance, B Division Champions – 2005

DC  JR’s Gamecocks, C Division Champions – 1995

Season Cost Per Player:                  $50 early bird special, $60 regular cost

League Sponsors:                            Nellie’s Sports Bar, Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse

Host Tournament:                          M.A.G.I.C. Tournament – July 4 – 6, 2014

League Website:                              http://www.capssoftball.leagueapps.com

 

*The DD would like to thank Tony Mace, CAPS Assistant Open Commissioner and Co-Director of the 2014 M.A.G.I.C. Tournament for his input and information related to this league spotlight article.*

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Tournament Spotlight: M.A.G.I.C. Tournament

Posted on July 1, 2014 by misterdish

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Washington, DC Looking To Make M.A.G.I.C. Over 4th of July Weekend

NAGAAA affiliated tournaments get harder and harder to run, build and grow on a yearly basis due to the amount of cities hosting tournaments and the high level of organization that weekend tournaments now possess.  Now, imagine if your metropolitan area had just hosted the Gay Softball World Series less than year ago and your city’s landmark weekend tournament is now being held on the most competitive tournament weekend of the year.  One might lean toward it being a rough go of it for a tournament faced with those challenges, but Washington, DC has fought through those challenges to host the M.A.G.I.C. Tournament this 4th of July weekend.

The CAPS League was truly faced with those challenges explained in the outset of this blog post.  They had just hosted the largest Gay Softball World Series in history and they are competing for teams for their weekend host tourney against some very established and popular tournaments within the gay softball community.  Given those hurdles, the tournament has put together a stellar 20 team field over three divisions for the 2014 tourney and has really established itself as a player in the NAGAAA tournament scene over 4th of July weekend for years to come.

Tony Mace is the M.A.G.I.C. co-tournament director for 2014 and he is quick to point out that Washington, DC on 4th of July weekend is where everyone should be.  “It’s Washington, DC for our nation’s birthday.  What better way to watch fireworks than on the Washington Mall with our national monuments,” said Mace.  The DD would have to agree that there isn’t much competition this coming weekend among tournaments offering the highest amount of American patriotism possible!

Many of the venues and field sites that the tournament will use will be familiar to players, coaches and fans in the gay softball community from the 2013 GSWS.  Opening Ceremonies/Registration will be held at Number Nine where drinks will be half price all night long.  The Closing Party will be at Nellie’s Sports Bar on Sunday the 6th.  Tournament participants getting into town earlier could take advantage of a 4th of July day game opportunity at Nationals Stadium as the hometown Nats host the Chicago Cubs.

The tournament will be offering a 4 game guarantee to all teams, with trophies being awarded to the 1st and 2nd place teams in the B division and trophies given to 1st through 3rd in the C and D divisions.  In addition to Nellie’s Sports Bar sponsoring the tourney, the Green Lantern is also on board as a sponsor for the 2014 M.A.G.I.C. Tournament.

This is the first year that Washington, DC has hosted its tournament on 4th of July weekend and it is the opinion of the DD that even though we now have 5 NAGAAA affiliated tournaments on that weekend, it makes perfect sense for our nation’s capitol to host a tournament over our nation’s birthday weekend.  Happy early birthday America and kudos to the M.A.G.I.C. tournament committee for holding the tournament on the weekend where it obviously belongs.

*The DD would like to thank Tony Mace, tournament co-director of the 2014 M.A.G.I.C. Tournament for his help and information.*

 

 

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Tournament Spotlight: Emerald City Classic

Posted on July 1, 2014 by misterdish

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The Pacific Northwest’s Premier Tournament is Back & Better Than Ever

In 1981, the Cascade Classic originated in the “Emerald City”of Seattle and 33 years later the now Emerald City Classic is expecting 76 teams across three divisions this July 4th weekend, making it one of the largest NAGAAA affiliated weekend tournaments in the nation.

A sold out tournament for the second year in a row, the field of teams that will compete this 4th of July weekend is impressive to say the least, meaning that this tournament is not just quantity, but also quality.

The Emerald City Classic is known for putting on a great tournament.  Seattle is no stranger to hosting important NAGAAA tournaments as the city has previously hosted the Gay Softball World Series in both 2008 and 1995.  That kind of international tournament experience really shows through in the ECC’s organizational and tournament management aspects.

Eric Goemer is the ECC tournament director for the second year in a row and it is clear that he and his tournament staff are committed to growing this tournament on a yearly basis.  “This is the tournament’s second year of selling out.  Last year we had enough fields for 60 teams.  This year we planned for a few more teams, but were pleasantly surprised with how many more teams signed up,” said Goemer.

All of the tournament festivities will get started on Friday, July 4th at the World Sports Grille.  The fields aren’t the only place where you will find some friendly competition this coming weekend in Seattle.  “We will be holding mini-tournaments of pool, table tennis and peer pong at registration,” added Goemer.  In addition to registering and getting your competitive juices flowing on Friday night, there will also be a special area for tournament participants to watch a fantastic fireworks display over the Southern side of  Union Lake.

The tournament is guaranteeing 5 games per team with trophies for 1st through 4th in each division.  There will generally be 2 pool play games for each team and for teams that are among the first eliminated in double elimination there will be single elimination consolation tourneys to guarantee the games.  A two umpire crew will be used in championship games and no teams will be eliminated on Saturday.  The Awards Ceremony will be held at Neighbours night club on Sunday the 6th, where some additional awards including divisional sportsmanship awards will be handed out.

Getting sponsorship for the tournament has been successful and why wouldn’t it be given the great local and national support the ECC has.  Bud Light is sponsoring the tournament along with PB & J Textiles, Colbalt Mortgage, 1st Security Bank, and Rein Fire Ranch.  The 2014 ECC official tournament shirts were designed by another sponsor, Ajaxx63, a popular fashion label in the LGBT community.

It is evident that Seattle will attempt to outdo itself again, which is hard to do given the year by year success of the tournament.  However, the ECC tournament committee is prepared and ready to deliver a first class experience to its tournament participants.  “Our goal is to provide a great overall experience.  We take pride in making sure all of the attending teams have everything they need to have a successful tournament,” said ECC tournament director Eric Goemer.

Mr. Goemer’s comments are poignant as we close out the month of June in the LGBT community.  The ECC takes PRIDE in the product they put out there for the gay softball community, therefore it’s no coincidence that teams keep coming back and that more and more new teams make Seattle a destination point on a yearly basis.

*The DD would like to thank Eric Goemer, ECC Tournament Director for his outstanding information regarding this tournament.*

 

 

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Tournament Spotlight: Minuteman Classic

Posted on June 27, 2014 by misterdish

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Boston Hits Milestone With 30th Minuteman Classic

The Northeast United States’ premier gay softball tournament has stepped up its game for its 30th anniversary Minuteman Classic!

To say that Boston has pulled out all the stops for the 2014 Minuteman Classic would be a gross understatement.  To start, this tournament boasts teams from 13 different NAGAAA member city leagues.  No, that was not a misprint/typo….13 different leagues will be represented and they didn’t do it the easy way either with so many large cities in a close proximity to Boston.  From coast to coast, to the upper Midwest, to the Great Lakes region, to the deep South and even to Canada….the guest list to this softball debutante ball is highly impressive.

The tournament features 38 teams across the C & D divisions with the D division providing a really solid field of teams that any sports fan would enjoy watching slug it out on the field of play from a competition standpoint.  Christopher Overlie is the 2014 Minuteman Classic tournament co-director and he pulled no punches on how proud he is of the product Boston is putting forth next week over the 4th of July holiday weekend.  “Boston is a true destination and an experience that everyone should have at least once in their life,” said Overlie.

Participating teams and interested fans can follow the tournament through the Minuteman Classic Facebook page and on the Minuteman Classic Twitter account as the Boston-based tournament is turning to social media to keep folks in the know.  Teams will earn trophies and medals for a top 3 finish in each division and the tournament is rewarding worthy teams with a sportsmanship award too.  “Yes, the competition is great, and yes we all love to play ball, but it’s more about the friendships and great times we have with people from all across the country,” added Overlie.  The participating teams are guaranteed 5 games in the tournament and the Classic is setting itself apart by planning on having 4, yes 4 umpires for each championship game (impressive to the DD to say the least).

Now, that we have all of that silly softball information out-of-the-way we can talk about all of the fabulous parties and activities that will be going on in conjunction with this tournament next weekend.  Teams can get the party started early on Thursday, July 3rd at the brand spanking new Cathedral Station Bar.  The new Boston bar will also host Opening Ceremonies/Registration on the 4th of July from 6 pm to 9 pm (note, players may register on Thursday night too from 6 pm to 9 pm).  Now, for those folks that just can’t get enough of America’s birthday, the party will continue at Club Cafe Boston until the wee hours of the morning!  If all of that didn’t impress you the Closing Ceremonies location will.  The 2014 Minuteman Classic will conclude its tourney at the ever famous Manhunt Mansion in Brookline, MA (this event is available for tourney participants ONLY).

The tournament committee was able to secure a host of sponsors for this year’s Classic including the title sponsor Online Buddies.  Other sponsors include Paradise Bar, The Trophy Room, Stadium Bar & Grill, HINT Water and 5 Star Travel.

It goes without saying that this tournament is shaping up to be sickening!  If you’re on a traveling team and you’re looking for that one tourney to go to next Summer besides the World Series…..think about heading to Boston because they obviously know how to get a holiday weekend tournament right.

*Thank you to Christopher Overlie, 2014 Minuteman Classic co-director for his wealth of information in contributing to this article.*

 

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Tournament Spotlight: Liberty Classic

Posted on June 27, 2014 by misterdish

LibertyClassic

Long Beach Turns Out 30 Years of the Liberty Classic

Long Beach is serving up some Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness realness this 4th of July weekend as the Surf and Sun Softball League unveils it’s 30th Liberty Classic.

The longest running 4th of July NAGAAA affiliated tournament is ready to host a holiday weekend full of fun and competition in a truly beautiful setting in sunny Southern California.  The tournament was able to secure sponsorships from Miller/Coors and Scarlett Marketing along with the many other businesses holding events throughout the weekend.

A strong tournament team field will battle it out in the C & D divisions.  Currently there are 31 teams registered among the two divisions.  The Liberty Classic is also offering Women’s C & D divisions too pushing the overall number of teams competing to a stellar 45.

Nate Smith is the tournament director for this year’s Liberty Classic.  Mr. Smith has been involved with the tournament for six continuous years and he feels that the teams the tournament has attracted from all over the country will have no problem finding fun in So Cal.  “We have gorgeous Southern California summertime weather.  We also play most of the games at one complex in Huntington Beach/Surf City which allows players in different divisions to build camaraderie,” said Mr. Smith.

The Long Beach based tournament will feature an Opening Ceremonies/Registration Party at the Executive Suite nightclub on Friday, July 4th and for those players ready to celebrate the United States’ birthday in style, the party will move to The Silver Fox for the after party (btw, who doesn’t like a classy Silver Fox).  Folks looking for a good time after the Saturday games can take part in an Independence Day weekend pub crawl for players and Long Beach locals with stops including The Brit, Paradise Bar & Grill and The Mineshaft among others.

The Liberty Classic will have trophies for 1st through 3rd place in each division with a special gift of custom hoodies for each player on the 1st place teams in each division!  If your team gets to the championship game, but falls short, don’t worry as the Classic will be giving out custom t-shirts to the runners up in each division.  Hats will also be handed out to the top 4 placing teams in each division so that those teams can “crown” their own MVP of the tourney!  Competing teams will be treated to a four game guarantee and a two umpire crew for all championship games.

So, the DD has to get this gay…..beautiful weather, a great tournament field, a holiday weekend to make travel easier and wonderful trophies/prizes for the teams?  Looks like we’ll be seeing teams flock to Southern California for years to come to play in this 4th of July weekend tournament mainstay and don’t forget to follow the tourney on Twitter, @LibertyClassic .

*The DD would like to thank Liberty Classic tournament director Nate Smith for donating his information and time to this article.*

 

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UPDATED: NAGAAA League Standings

Posted on June 14, 2014 by misterdish

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NAGAAA Member Cities League Standings

UPDATED –  As of 6/14/2014

 

The 2014 Gay Softball World Series is nearing closer and league races across the country are heating up as teams vie for those precious few qualifying bids from their respective leagues.

CLICK LINK BELOW FOR STANDINGS

NAGAAALeagueStandings-6-14-14

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

As always, we’ve 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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100 Days and Counting: Dallas Series 2014

Posted on June 14, 2014 by misterdish

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Dallas Confident With Just 100 Days Left Til’ Series

We all know that everything is bigger in Texas and with an expected record number of teams and fans attending the 2014 Gay Softball World Series this September in Dallas, the often used Texas sized slogan might just fit.

The competition is sure to be fierce on the field, but when players and fans aren’t at the fields they will be treated to possibly the most jam-packed week of events in World Series history.  Obviously the tournament takes up a large amount of time during the week, but with the Dallas Pride Parade the day before Opening Ceremonies and the Texas State Fair beginning the weekend of Closing Ceremonies there will be no shortage of fun to be had.  In fact, the “Proud to Play” theme of this year’s GSWS is a nod to the Dallas Pride week ending as play begins in September.

The 2014 GSWS will mark the third time Dallas has hosted the tournament.  The last time Dallas hosted was ten years ago in 2004 and its first hosting opportunity was back in 1988.  The state of Texas has hosted the GSWS four times, besides Dallas the only other Texas city to host was Houston in 1984.

The President of the Dallas Series 2014 Host Committee is Matt Miller and according to him the Dallas community has stepped up to the plate for the GSWS.  “The business community really is excited to support this event.  We are about three-quarters of the way to our goal of $75,000 in sponsorships,” said Miller.  With fundraising going extremely well the committee is looking forward to announcing a third field complex site, entertainment information and its marketing timeline in the coming weeks.

Much persistence went into Dallas securing a bid to host the GSWS.  “We have bid twice before and lost the bid to Columbus (2010) and to Washington, DC (2013),” said Miller.  It looks like the third time was the charm for Dallas in its most recent string of bids and an all-star group was put together to take care of all the details.  “The committee was designed with some experienced people from 2004 and new members to bring new ideas to the table,” stated Miller.  One of those new ideas has been very popular so far on the Dallas Series Facebook page.  Everyone headed to Dallas in September or players and fans around North America that are curious can see each team that has qualified with team photos that are being sent into the Dallas Series 2014 public relations email address.

The important thing to remember is that NAGAAA runs the actual tournament and the host committee is there to make sure everyone enjoys their stay in the host city.  The DD doesn’t think that will be an issue this September with everything Dallas has in store for the gay softball community.  Dallas…..you are on the clock, just 100 days and counting until the gay softball community invades the Big D!

 

Dallas Series 2014 Notes

Host Committee 

Matt Miller, President/Sponsorship

Ryan Holdhusen, Vice President/Events

Debra Jean Lowrey, Fields

Jesse Baker, Public Relations

David Smith, Treasurer

Scott Callahan, Secretary

Ron Butler, Volunteers

Sponsors

GRAND SLAM – Dallas Woody’s Sports & Video Bar, Roundup Saloon, Jr’s Bar & Grill,                                       Station 4, The Mining Company, Dallas Eagle, Premiere Transportation

TRIPLE – Alexandre’s, The Brick

*The DD would like to thank Matt Miller, Dallas Series 2014 President and Jesse Baker, Dallas Series 2014 Public Relations Team Leader for being so professional and gracious in contributing to this article.*

 

 

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Monthly League Spotlight: K-Town Softball League

Posted on June 13, 2014 by misterdish

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Softball is King….and Queen in Knoxville

In East Tennessee, situated in the Tennessee Valley you’ll find the city of Knoxville, home to the K-Town Softball League.

The state of Tennessee has three NAGAAA cities, the other two being Nashville and Memphis.  In fact, the state of Tennessee is tied for the 2nd most NAGAAA cities by state with Texas and Florida.  Knoxville is the newest city in Tennessee to join NAGAAA being admitted in as a member city in 2011.

The K-Town Softball League was founded in 2004 and while the league is thriving now in its 10th year, there was a time when the league struggled on many levels.  “We struggled to find fields as we were told the fields were not available for use,” said K-Town Softball NAGAAA Representative, Tonya Vaughn.  To say that the league has come a long way would be an understatement.  The league’s steady growth has allowed it to have a positive impact on Knoxville LGBT residents and LGBT allies.  “Coming from not knowing if we had a place to play to where we are now is heartwarming,” said Vaughn.

Knoxville has built quite a reputation for its teams traveling all around the country to participate in NAGAAA sanctioned tournaments and it comes as no surprise that they have been very successful at the Gay Softball World Series as well.  “We (K-Town Board) highly encourage our teams to travel for the experience, camaraderie and competition,” Vaughn says.  The best finish at a GSWS for a Knoxville team came by the Knoxville Cyclones who took 2nd place in the B Division at the 2011 Chicago GSWS.

While the K-Town Softball League’s season ended on June 1st the league is far from done this summer as it is gearing up for the K-Town Softball Klassic this August!  The tournament is featuring B, C and D division play this year after hosting 27 teams at last year’s Klassic.  The opening party will feature the entertainment stylings of the vivacious and super sickening Alyssa Edwards from RuPaul’s Drag Race season 5, not to mention it is a perfect end of season tournament for teams that have a lag time between their season and the 2014 GSWS in Dallas.

It is easy to see that Knoxville has a lot to be proud of as the K-Town Softball League turns 10 this year.  NAGAAA representative Tanya Vaughn understands that softball is fun, but it’s about more than competition.  “I think what is important in our league is it allows LGBTQ and straight members to come together and have an outlet to do something that they enjoy athletically,” said Vaughn.

The competition is fierce in Knoxville, but it’s good to see that fun still plays a key part in the whole K-Town Softball League process.  When asked if Knoxville desired to host a Gay Softball World Series in the near future, Vaughn stated, “not currently, if Dollywood builds a Wide World of Sports like Disney we might be good for a whirl at it.”  That answer is exactly what makes Knoxville, well, Knoxville and the DD loves it.

K-TOWN SOFTBALL LEAGUE – BY THE NUMBERS:

League Founded:                             2004

Joined NAGAAA:                            2011

Membership:                                   B Division (1), C Division (3), D Division (7), Women’s (5)

Regular Season:                              April 6 – June 1

Venue for League:                          Caswell Park (Knoxville) & Everett Fields (Maryville)

Best Team Finish @ GSWS:         Knoxville Cyclones, 2nd Place B Division, 2011

Season Cost Per Team:                  $475 per team

League Sponsors:                            The Edge, Club XYZ, Cocoa Moon, Kristtophers

Host Tournament:                          K-Town Klassic – August 1-3

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

 

*The DD would like to thank Tonya Vaughn for her help with this league spotlight.*

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Tournament Spotlight: Sooner State Softball Classic

Posted on May 31, 2014 by misterdish

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Softball Capital OKC To Host NAGAAA’s Only June Tourney

 

When you think of Oklahoma City……you have to think SOFTBALL!  OKC is the heartbeat of softball in the United States boasting the National Softball Hall of Fame and the NCAA Division I Women’s Softball World Series.  This June, folks will be able to add the 2014 Sooner State Softball Classic to the list of marquee softball events in Oklahoma.

The Sooner State Softball Association has resurrected it’s yearly tournament after a one year hiatus.  The tournament will be the only NAGAAA tournament played in the month of June, giving OKC the ultimate spotlight within the gay softball community.

Joe Moore is the co-director of this year’s tournament and he feels that Oklahoma City’s draw is all about location, location, location.  “Our tournament is uniquely inviting due to our centralized location and our host hotel’s draw as the nation’s largest inclusive gay resort,” said Moore.  Speaking of the host hotel, if you’re heading to the tournament make sure to book your rooms at the Habana Inn as that will be the entertainment center for the entire weekend including the opening ceremonies which will be held poolside!

The tournament is guaranteeing 4 games for participating teams and will be offering two umpires per game during pool play with a nearly unprecedented 3 umpire set up for championship games.  The top 3 teams in both the C and D divisions will receive trophies, however the 1st Place team in each division will also receive individual player medals and a certificate good for a free entry into the 2015 Sooner State Softball Classic!

Teams can still register until the fast approaching June 2nd deadline.  Teams wanting more information can click on the Sooner State Softball Classic logo at the top of this blog post to be linked to the SSSC website.  Squared up almost exactly halfway between the two major holiday tournament weekends of Memorial Day and the 4th of July, OKC is the place to be within the gay softball community this June.

 

*The DD would like to thank SSSC co-director Joe Moore for his help with this tournament spotlight.”

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NAGAAA Member Cities – League Standings

Posted on May 24, 2014 by misterdish

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NAGAAA Member Cities League Standings

The Diamond Dish has begun the ambitious task of keeping up with all of the 44 member cities league standings on a weekly basis.

Click the link at the bottom of this post to be routed to an Excel worksheet that will give a brief overview of the standings around the country.

Teams that are highlighted in GREEN have qualified for the 2014 GSWS this September in Dallas.

We have provided notes on specific leagues where we didn’t have enough accurate information from the league to make a determination on their standings.  If a league board member would like to email the Diamond Dish to clarify or report any standings please do so and we will make the changes immediately.

You can contact us at diamonddish@outlook.com

NAGAAALeagueStandings

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