2025 MSBL World Series Profile: Brett Mandel, Baseball BBQ Forkballers
What is the name of your team(s) this year? We are the Baseball BBQ Forkballers.
What division(s) will you be playing in? We are playing in the 45+ Cactus Division.
Are you managing or playing in more than one week? I am managing and playing with the Forkballers and then flying directly to Florida to play with the South Jersey Phillies 55+ team in the Fall Classic.
How long have you been involved in the MSBL? I first started playing MSBL baseball 30 years ago and then became the founding Commissioner of the Greater Philadelphia Men’s Adult Baseball league in 2001.
How did you become involved with MSBL? I love the game and was looking for a place to play real baseball. Happily, a team in my area was looking for players.
How many years have you attended the World Series? Fall Classic? Other MSBL Regional Tournaments? The Baseball BBQ Forkballers team, in some form (we have played as the Philly Stars, Chandler Bats Philadelphia, and Victus Bats in previous years), has been traveling to Arizona for the MSBL World Series since 2007.
We also went to the MSBL Caribbean Winter Baseball Championship in 2025 and look forward to returning next year. I have also played in the Fall Classic and in several MSBL Regional Tournaments.
Have you won any events? If so, please list them and their dates. The Baseball BBQ Forkballers won the MSBL 40+ Mountain Division World Series in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
What do you do for a career? I am a writer – check out www.brettmandel.com for information on my books about baseball and Philadelphia politics and governance – and a consultant.
Some of my Baseball BBQ Forkballers pals and I created Baseball BBQ (www.BaseballBBQ.com), and we make patented, baseball-bat-handle BBQ tools and cutting/serving boards that are customizable or can be purchased with MLB logos, so they are perfect for casual fans and serious grillers who want to step up to the plate like a big leaguer!
Please list any family details, if you wish. My dad (Steve Mandel) played MSBL baseball for decades, winning a 40+ MSBL World Series ring back in 1990. I have a wonderful wife and three adult children who think I’m a little crazy for doing this every year, but they root for me (from afar).
What are the most significant moments for you as an adult baseball player? I’ve had my share of nice plays, big hits, and on-field celebrations. Once, as the least-well-known “celebrity” at the Field of Dreams’ 25th Anniversary celebrity game (one of my books is about the enduring appeal of the Field of Dreams Movie Site), I smashed a ball through Kevin Costner for a double to the delight of my teammate, Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Kristy Swanson.
But the most significant moment is simply getting to spend another day on grass and dirt (or turf) – we all know that the day will come when we can no longer take the field.
Which local league do you play in at home? I play in (and serve as commissioner for) the Greater Philadelphia Men’s Adult Baseball League.
Do you have a favorite MSBL World Series moment? Winning a first ring in 2021 was incredibly special. I have a picture of one of my pals and myself, smiling broadly with a mix of accomplishment and fatigue as we celebrated that first MSBL World Series championship after years of trips that ended with playoff disappointments. Those weary grins summed up the pride and pain of the week to win it all.
How has playing in the MSBL/MABL affected your life? I have made some of my closest friends and so many pals through playing MSBL baseball. I have played with and against some of these guys for decades, and we have watched our families grow and thrive.
The GPMABL raises money each year to support the education fund for the son of one of our players who died in 2008, and now that young man is attending The Julliard School. It has all been incredibly special to be a part of something that can create such lasting relationships.
What are your future World Series team plans? My only plan – as always – is to have our week in the Arizona sun go exactly according to the minute-by-minute itinerary I share with all my players (and to not have anyone ask me what time the van is leaving for the next game)!