2024 MSBL Honor Roll Inductee: Paul Tingley, Mid-South Adult Baseball League
By Steve LaMontia, Director of Communications
Paul Tingley is the League President of the Mid-South MSBL, located in and around the Music City of Memphis, Tennessee. He has been involved in MSBL leagues for 30 years from the DC area to Memphis and has expanded the league into 40+ and 55+ divisions.
Because of his long-standing dedication to MSBL and his leadership in the Mid-South MSBL, MSBL Founder and President Steve Sigler has inducted Paul into the 2024 class of the prestigious MSBL Honor Roll.
“Our league gives older adults a chance to remain active playing the game we love,” stated Paul. “Most of us played baseball at some point in our lives and this gives us the chance to become part of a team, make friends, and continue to play competitively. I have played in several leagues over the years and I like the structure and support we get from being affiliated with the MSBL.”
Below is a Q/A profile we requested from Paul so that you might get to know him a little better as a person and as a leader. Congratulations, Paul!
Biographical Information
Your name: Paul Tingley
City or town of residence: Piperton, TN
Age: 63
League name: Mid-South MSBL
Town where league is based: Memphis, TN
Where did you grow up? Canada, Texas, Rhode Island, Virginia, Massachusetts, Alabama, and Hawaii. My father was in the Coast Guard and we moved a lot. I was in the Coast Guard for 20 years as well.
What do you do for a living? Retired Coast Guard pilot.
Family information: Wife Valerie, son Bryan, daughter-in-law Madison, and daughter Melanie.
General Questions
Describe your baseball resume: I played Little League and Babe Ruth growing up. I played two years of JV and one year of Varsity at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (div 3).
What is your greatest baseball moment, either watching or playing? I got to play with my younger brother Jim at the Fall Classic a few years ago with my Dad and older brother Jon watching. The 4 of us went to the CWS in Omaha several times and those are great memories as well. Once, many years ago I shared an infield with all 3 of my brothers for an inning, but it was a softball game, so really doesn’t count J. It was up in Juneau where my oldest brother and favorite wooden bat maker Al lives.
When did you start playing for MSBL and how did you hear about it? I started playing adult baseball in Mobile, AL in 1989/90 through 1994. Don’t know how I heard about it, but I remember thinking how cool it would be to drop softball and go back to baseball. I think that league went MSBL the second year I played, but again I’m not sure. I played MSBL in DC Metro from 1994-98 with the Centerville Phillies and in Mobile again from 1998-02. Been playing in the Mid-South MSBL since moving to the Memphis area in 2002, missing a year or two due to injuries/illness.
Do you still play? Pretty limited by health issues (and talent).
What team and age bracket? I manage the 40+ River Rats and play some on the 55+ Rats team.
What is the best thing about your league? We provide an opportunity for older guys to play a kid’s game that we really love. We are a pretty small but very competitive league, but there isn’t a single guy I wouldn’t hang out and have a beer with after the game.
Do you participate in any MSBL national tournaments? Yes, I’ve been to the World Series 3 or 4 times and the Fall Classic a couple of times.
Questions just for fun
Who is your favorite player of all time and why? I admire Ted Williams. Perhaps the greatest hitter ever but more importantly he took time off during his prime to defend the world and our country in WWII
Are there any comments about MSBL you wish to share? I really appreciate Steve’s vision to create the MSBL and provide adults the opportunity to play baseball for way longer than most of us ever imagined we could. I’m grateful for his efforts to build this organization and for the staff at MSBL National who continue to build and improve the league.