MSBL/MABL World Series Manager Profile: Pedro ‘Pete’ Ojeda, Guam Father/Son Desert Division
By Steve LaMontia, Director of Communications
Pedro ‘Pete’ Ojeda is the catalyst of the Guam addition to the Father/Son division of the MSBL World Series. Do you complain about getting from the eastern part of the United States to go play in Arizona? Pete and his team of fathers and sons will be traveling 6,437 miles to get there, and they love every mile of it.
The format of this World Series Manager Profile series is more of a question-and-answer layout and Pete was kind enough to help us out. In fact, I am going to eliminate the questions and just let Pete take it away and talk. Following is some background of Pete and also what makes playing in the MSBL World Series so special. In his own words, here is Pete!
“I will be managing and playing for Team Guam in this year’s Father/Son segment of the World Series Desert Division.
I have played in the MSBL for over 20 years now in different age divisions in Las Vegas, Arizona, and their affiliate here in Washington State, the Puget Sound Senior Baseball League (PSSBL).
Playing here in Washington State I have participated in the PSSBL since 2006 and have played in all competitive age divisions over the years from 28+, 35+, 45+, and now 50+, in addition to the annual Father/Son tournament. Players from my team over the years in the PSSBL introduced and recruited me to play in MSBL tournaments in Las Vegas and Arizona.
I believe I have competed in over 10 different tournaments over these years but honestly can’t immediately recall all of them. Some years I played 35+ and father/Son in the same years. This year I am concentrating only on the Father/Son.
Unfortunately, I have not been a part of a team that has won any significant events in the Fall Classic or March Las Vegas Kickoff Classic tournament but I have won a Sierra Division 35+ League Championship in the Puget Sound Senior Baseball League in 2015.
I have over 28 years in Law Enforcement and Security Compliance. I am currently with the Washington State Attorney General’s Office as a Senior Special Agent.
I am a father of one son Alex, who is 26 years of age, and have been with my beautiful wife Patricia for over 28 years.
We have a long family history in Guam as a baseball family, dating back to my grandfather Alex Ojeda coaching kids in Guam during the 1950s and, 60s, and a team in the inaugural years of the Guam Major League Adult Baseball League in the early 1970s.
He coached my father Pete Ojeda in his youth baseball years and then again in the Guam Major League with the Agana Heights Cougars from 1974 through 1978. My father then took over managing the team from 1978 through 2002.
I love this game of baseball so much that my adult time as a baseball player started when I was 20 years old and joined the Guam Major League playing under my father for the Agana Heights Cougars in 1992 and continuing to play through today.
To nail down specific instances of the most significant moments would be difficult as there are so many but, what immediately comes to mind for me was when I first played this Father/Son Tournament with my son Alex. To be able to compete competitively on the same field with my son whom I have coached and guided through his entire baseball childhood is more than a dream come true. Watching the other players react to his play during the games is more than I could have ever asked for playing this game.
Another notable time in my adult baseball career was managing a department team that I worked for to a Guam Baseball League (GBL) Championship. This was unprecedented at the time, and I believe holds true today. Our Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency had very talented ball players working for the department the year we decided to participate in the league.
I was able to organize this group of players/co-workers/employees of our department and put a very talented team together. This team was comprised of Customs Officers, Employees, Staff, and a couple of immediate family members of the group. We went on to win the pennant and ultimately the Championship to bring the only department-named baseball team a trophy in 2000.
Lastly, the most notable time as an adult baseball player was playing in the Guam Major League from 1992 through 2002. I have had the honor to play with and against some of the most talented Guam players in the game before my time, during, and after my time in the league.
These games brought families together, players together, and provided much of Guam’s adult sport community entertainment four days a week for many years. I was just so blessed to be a part of that.
I currently play in the Puget Sound Baseball League in Washington State, where I started in 2007.
My favorite MSBL event is obviously the MSBL World Series Father/Son tournament. This is the greatest adult baseball league idea and executed tournament that exists. This makes dreams come true for true baseball families along with anyone who has ever dreamed of playing on the same team as their son. I can’t express that enough. This is a great experience for all of baseball.
Playing in the GML, PSSBL, and MSBL has affected my life by making me want to continue playing this game and stay healthy enough to do so. I work hard on myself to stay healthy enough to play through my 40s, 50s, and hopefully 60s. These leagues show you who the true ballplayers and players who love this game are because you have men through their 80s playing in this league which is amazing.
I plan to continue to play the men’s 50+ divisions in the PSSBL and Guam while keeping the Guam Father/Son team going here as long as I can. Getting the team from Guam out to Arizona every year is an extreme challenge logistically due to time and distance.
There is no airfare to make this trip cheaper than $1500 round trip per player so the commitment, drive, and love of this game have to all be present to participate every year for a 4-game minimum tournament. I will continue to work hard to make it happen because this is bucket list stuff for Guam baseball Fathers & Sons!”