Central Park Softball Next Generation.. Insider 2.0

I saw this picture on Facebook and it made me smile


as 2017 has been off to a volatile start. It also reminded me of my nerdy love for Star Trek. You see as a kid I was a big Original Star Trek fan


as I watched the reruns every Saturday at 5pm on Channel 11 (Channel 13 was the highest back then).

As a teenager, at first I didn't even wanna watch or accept the Next Generation Series


because I so badly wanted to hold onto the past, the old cast.

Eventually I finally came around to the new series took the principals of the Original series

• Exploration - both of other worlds and within ourselves
• A Future where making yourself a better person was the goal, not making more money
• Equality 
• Building Relationships. 

and made them better by using Fantasy and Drama to

• Build New Modern Relationships
• Meeting New Races
• Learning what it means to be Human

• Developing new characters. Are We Not Warriors?

• Exploring Modern issues - racism, oppression , assimilation

and now 23 years after the Next Generation a New Series Star Trek Discovery begins to build off the Legacy, forge it's own identity, and explore what it means to be Human.

This is the normal progression in life where one generation passes the Baton/Torch to the next and yes this is also true in Softball.

Unfortunately, it's not happening enough in softball especially in the
Central Park Big Apple Men's Softball League.

This is the league membership the last 4 years

• 2013 - 12 - Peak.
• 2014 - 6 teams, all good at least; but down 50% people sick of open pitching bias.
• 2015 - 8 Teams - 3 really good teams, 2 competitive teams, 3 horrible teams
• 2016  - 5 teams - 3 Good, 1 Solid, 1 pathetic

The trend is undeniable, but this situation is salvageable if everyone admits and accepts the following:

The original series... original cast.. AKA the Old days ...are over

• About 75%-80% of Contact is retired
• Cardinals - Ralph wants play for money and sick of driving guys around. 
• Rangers - Longtime loyal Core BASL team has players still in park playing elsewhere.
• West - John Shepard retired. Players also scattered throughout the BASL universe.
• Gotham/Revolution  - Ironically, knocked out by open pitching and when league went to modified quit. Bad space time continuum timing I guess.

In Star Trek many original series characters like Spock, Scotty made appearances in the new series and embraced the future. However, it was clear the Past was the Past and it was time to move forward. In the BASL many original players like Mike Trenk, Chucky R, Bennett, Marty, and Jack Oppenheimer will make appearance in the new generation league, but it is clear the old days are over, EMBRACE AND HELP THE FUTURE.

As for longtime BASL powerhouse and reigning champion, Choice Parts, the question they should ask themselves Is there No Country for Old Men?. When I say that I do not mean that the team is old; Since the league switched to modified the Parts Won the 2016 Championship and appeared in the 2015 finals. Hardly signs of on field decay. 

What I mean is there enthusiasm for the league is old and stale. As a former Parts player I understand:

• Rosenmiller not around as much. He's not playing mornings either. Team apathy starts with him. He needs to move either move forward or retire, It's just a Choice.
• John Brown banned. Heart of team for many years. Guys liked open fast pitching style too.
• Other legacy players Artie , Eddie Brown, Doc, Lou 22, Mickey Peckins not around or on different teams. Different Vibe
• Mercenary players replaced long time guys mentioned above. Different vibe thing again
• Above competition and rivals no longer around. No real threats.

In the Next Generation of BASL, will they fit or will they be simply lost in space? Again the Choice is theirs.

The Truth is for the league to survive a new generation (new blood) of Central Park teams


must rise to Discover what makes Softball special in Central Park



So far Softball's Star Fleet academy has 2 new cadet teams. We need more valuable crew members to join as it is Time for a New Softball Generation to Boldly Go to go play on the best place on earth Central Park

Here are the 2017 Details:

Central Park Big Apple Softball League

The 2017 league fee is only $850. 

This represents tremendous value as teams get:

• To play on the nicest fields/venue in all NYC in front of a live atmosphere full of fans, tourists and true New Yorkers
  
  

The Value can also be seen as the league provides: 

• Permits, 
• Doubleheaders every Sunday
• Guarantee approx. 22-28 regular season game schedule plus Playoffs 

Forget about all those greedy leagues that sucker you in with small money prizes and make you play in terrible fields under inhumane conditions with no competitive balance.

If you love softball this is the league for you as this league will pay off tremendous softball dividends and growth in the form of:

• Competition
• Rivalries
• Effort
• Passion. 

This is where softball is at:

• Invest in softball. 
• Invest in yourself. 

Holler back at rickysoftball2@yahoo.com for more details.