2024 Honor Roll Inductee: Brandon Seymour, Western Mass Wood Bat Baseball League
By Steve LaMontia, Director of Communications
Brandon Seymour is a born leader. He is not only the league president of the eight-team Western Mass Wood Bat Baseball League located in Springfield, but he has just been hired as the General Manager of the Valley Blue Sox of the New England Collegiate Baseball League.
The 44-year-old Seymour has been an MSBL member since 2009 and became league president in 2022. He is a military veteran and also has a career in law enforcement.
“Let’s just say my wife and two kids are very tolerant,” expressed Brandon.
Brandon works very hard to make the league tick and for that very reason, MSBL Founder and President Steve Sigler has rewarded Brandon with induction into the prestigious MSBL Honor Roll class of 2024.
“I had no idea what a fantastic organization the MSBL was until I took over as league president. Hundreds of teams and thousands of players would not be playing today if not for the amazing work that Steve (Sigler) and the MSBL crew do. Thank you for this wonderful recognition!”
Brandon is still very active on the diamond as well. He plays for the Springfield Senators in MSBL’s 21-over Western Mass league. His Senators also make the annual pilgrimage to Cooperstown to play at Doubleday Field at the MLB Hall of Fame.
“Our players in the league range from 21 through 50 and provide multiple talent levels, but everyone has a blast. We also have a rule that since we reduced the age to 21 to attract some younger players, pitchers must be at least 25 years old.”
Brandon’s personal baseball roots are impressive, as he played Division I ball at the University of Massachusetts. It was interesting, however, that when asked about an accomplishment he is most proud of, it had nothing to do with crushing a 95-mile-per-hour fastball in college.
“When I was 40 years old I won the batting title for our league while playing against these young guys. That one makes me smile.”
Any other memorable moments in your baseball career?
“Rewind to 2003,” requested Seymour. “I was 23 and playing in my first season in an 18+ league in Western Massachusetts. In the middle of the season, one of our players (Don) had to leave a game suddenly when his wife went into labor to give birth to their first son.
Fast forward 20 years later. I was facing a young pitcher from a local D3 college. I drove his second pitch deep into the playground beyond the left field fence. After touching home and heading to the bench I see my former teammate Don standing behind the backstop with a smirk on his face. 
Having not seen him in almost a decade I quickly jogged over to say hi. As we shook hands he laughingly said, ‘Hey thanks for knocking my son down a peg, he needed that.’ It took a moment for my aging brain to realize what he was saying. Looking like a CGI aging Matt Damon at the end of Saving Private Ryan, I realized the kid I had just homered off was the one born 20 years ago which Don had to leave our game to go see.”
How about any special family moments as you have progressed in your baseball journey?
“My 11-year-old daughter is a pitcher and my 13-year-old son is a catcher. They’ve both played since they were first able to walk. I watched them together for the first time practicing in the backyard just this past summer. I’ve been watching them both play for years and they would always play catch but it was just for fun.
But last summer was the first time they actually practiced together with a purpose; Her pitching to him, pitching balls in the dirt for him to block, soft toss, etc. Individually, my son caught for the first time in a live game last summer and my daughter pitched for the first time in a live game last summer as well. However, they’ve never been on the same team. Maybe someday.
Watching them grow and develop as players is definitely my #1 baseball highlight.”
If you would like additional information about Brandon’s hiring with the Valley Blue Sox, here is a link to learn more: