I let all my baseball brothers know last August that the move to northern Vermont -- after 47 years in Bennington -- would be bittersweet: I would miss Albany baseball and all the friends I made over 18 seasons in the league. But today I got to reap the rewards of the life change. I not only got a chance to enjoy Father's Day with my kids and grandkids who live close by, but I got to play a baseball game with my 44-year-old son Travis, who recruited me for his Williston Armadillos team. They have an MSBL league here in northern Vermont with 11 teams. It's a 35-and-over league and you have to be 40 to pitch. This 70-year-old is holding his own thanks to the caliber of ball played in Albany and the tournament toughness gained in all of the Florida, Arizona and Vegas tournaments over the years.
No matter where I have traveled to play ball, the CDMSBL sets the standard for competitiveness, puts in place rules to encourage participation of all ages and competitive balance, and makes playing this addictive game a ton of fun. To that, I tip my cap to John Reel, and all of the managers who work tirelessly to keep the dream alive.
For those who have had the wonderful gift of suiting up to play a game with their son, they know why this father played the entire game with a constant smile in his heart, and maybe a few on his face.
-- Edited by adtimbrown on Sunday 21st of June 2026 09:14:42 PM
