2026 MSBL Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient: Alan Van Ness, Sacramento MSBL
By Steve LaMontia-Carlentini, MSBL Director of Communications
The Sacramento Men’s Senior Baseball League is the poster child of how to successfully lead an adult baseball organization. They have been an integral part of the MSBL family since the late 80s and currently boast 18+, 40+, 45+, 50+, 60+, 68+, and Father/Son league divisions with enough teams to require a calculator.
They are also home to 72 MSBL World Series and 3 Fall Classic national championships, with their first one coming in 1989 in Arizona at the then recently launched MSBL World Series. They haven’t stopped yet.
63-year-old Alan Van Ness, along with his stable of helpers, including his wife, Teena, is at the helm of this league, a position he has embraced since 2014. He has helped negotiate their own baseball facility, their own umpire association, and multiple charity-driven tournaments throughout the year, including $1,000 donated to the MSBL-sponsored charity, Tunnels to Towers.
Alan was previously honored in 2015 as MSBL Man of the Year, in 2023 as being inducted into the MSBL National Hall of Fame, and was also honored by his own league by being inducted into the SMSBL Hall of Fame in 2018.
Fast forward to 2026, and MSBL Founder and President Steve Sigler is now honoring Alan with the prestigious MSBL Lifetime Achievement Award.
“This award means I am being recognized for the lifetime of supporting and giving to others,” expressed Alan. “It’s a recognition of how much support I have received over the three decades of involvement. I have not accomplished anything by myself.
As I have always conveyed, my wife, Teena, is the biggest supporter, and this is our reward. The league has recognized her unwavering commitment by inducting her into the SMSBL Hall of Fame. She puts on such wonderful raffles to raise money for the charity we pick each tournament.”
We have written much about Alan and the Sacramento MSBL over the past 40 years, so it’s time for Alan to fill in a few blanks for us. We sent him a questionnaire to learn more about what is important to him and how he makes it work. His responses are laid out below.
On a personal note, I have a drawer full of runner-up T-shirts from the MSBL World Series in Arizona, because a Sacramento team showed up in the other dugout. That statement is intended with extreme admiration. Congratulations, Alan!
Where do you live? Lincoln, California.
What do you do for a living? I’m a retired Rocket Technician from Aerojet/Rocketdyne.
When did you begin playing for MSBL and where? In 1996 for the Sacramento MSBL.
What league are you currently affiliated with? All 31 Years with the SMSBL.
What age division do you play in and for whom in the league? On Sunday for the 50+ Cavern Bats & Golden League Giants.
What position(s) do you play? I mostly pitch and play third base.
What are your family details? My wife Teena, stepson Levi, stepdaughters Heather and Shelbee, son Justin, and daughter Stacy. We also enjoy 10 grandkids.
Describe your baseball resume, please: (high school, college, pro?) 1974 Little League State Section 2 Champion – Horseheads, N.Y., 1980 LL Big League Champion, Roseville, CA., 1984-87 Mexican League, Whittier, CA. USMC All-Star.
What is your MSBL World Series, Fall Classic, or other MSBL tournament experience and achievements? My MSBL World Series involvement started in 1998, and I remain involved. Even through eight surgeries and two knee replacements, I have not missed a year. I have been the bridesmaid too many times to list. I finally won a ring in 2015 with the Sacramento Royals.
Whom do you play with in tournaments, and what age division are you in? I currently manage and play with the 55 Sacramento Rockets, and this year I moved them up to the 60+ age division. In years past, I have been involved with many SMSBL teams, from the 18+ Sac Yankees to the 60+ Sac Royals.
What is the biggest highlight of your MSBL league or tournament play? My biggest tournament game was a 5-4 loss. I pitched all 10 innings for the SMSBL Auburn Braves in the final 45 Aluminum bat championship versus the Rochester Red Wings.
They dominated throughout the pool play. Their coach told me after the 8th inning, “I don’t know who will win this game, but those five guys I have from your hometown area in Southern Tier, NY can’t believe their own homeboy is shoving it where the sun doesn’t shine!” I just laughed and nodded to him.
A special league highlight was creating the Sacramento Rockets in 2009 and winning the very first year, knocking off the legendary Sacramento Rivercats/Royals. The Rockets went on to win the next 4 of 5 years.
Are there any individuals you would like to thank for helping your baseball career? There are many, but none are more important than my wife Teena. I could write a book on how many accomplishments SMSBL has achieved. All of them during my time as President include her involvement. Every award I have ever received is, to me, OUR reward.
The baseball person at the top of the list is Steve Sigler. Without his support and his vision, we would not have this baseball league that we are all blessed to enjoy. We wouldn’t be a part of this “America’s Pastime” in the way we are in MSBL.
The Sacramento baseball people who have guided me and advised me are Jim Tyrgrett-DeNuzzi, Lanny Ropke, and Chuck Loseth. I’d like to thank all of the past and current SMSBL Board members, who have supported my vision.
Are there any personal comments you wish to share or any MSBL thoughts? I have a vision of SMSBL Baseball being self-sustaining. So, I created my own SMSBL Umpire Organization. I don’t want to ever feel SMSBL umpire support is out of our control. I’d like to thank Mike Egan and Eric Ferrari for helping create and stabilize this umpiring. We have four leagues and three tournaments with 140 teams. A special thank you goes out to Jason Morris, who has scheduled them all.
Any final thoughts? I feel God had plans for me after my USMC life. I was in the Long Beach, VA Hospital in October of 1983, and missed my deployment to Japan. I was in Crew Chief training and the 1st mechanic on a CH46 Helicopter. That CH46 crashed November 7th, 1983, in Korea. Master SGT Thomas J O’Halloran filled in my place that day and was one of the four Marines who died.
Over the years, I realized I need to use my baseball passion as an avenue to help others. I try to do that in my own league. So, every SMSBL Tournament I try to support a Local or National charity. A few to list: Wounded Warriors, Shriners, Make-A-Wish, Tunnel to Towers, and many others. This year is Sacramento Children’s Receiving Home.
