2026 MSBL League Profile: Central Arkansas MSBL, Stephen King, League President
By Steve LaMontia-Carlentini, MSBL Director of Communications
Stephen King, no, not THAT Stephen King, is the league president of the Central Arkansas MSBL, a post he has enjoyed since 2022. Stephen topped the list of people we wanted to contact as we begin our 2026 edition of MSBL League Profiles.
We previously touched on Stephen’s involvement in the league as he was inducted into our MSBL Honor Roll class of 2024. As a means of introduction, here is an excerpt from Stephen’s Honor Roll story:
“I moved to Little Rock in 2002 and immediately joined a softball league,” explained Stephen. “Fast forward through graduate school, getting married, and settling into my career, I revisited this desire to play baseball again.
I emailed the then-commissioner, Randall Guard, and found out how to get involved. After talking with him, I decided to not only play but form a team consisting of friends and grow it from there. My first team in 2011 immediately began having success that continues to this day.”
Now we dig into the league a bit more. We asked Stephen, who is a physical therapist, to supply us with more details in a Q&A format, as we probe deeper into the Central Arkansas MSBL!
League name: Central Arkansas MSBL
Your name: Stephen King
What is the history of the league, and how did it start? The league was formed in 1989 and is Arkansas’s oldest MSBL affiliate.
What age divisions of play are now offered? We are a 25+ age group. We are exclusively a wood bat league.
How many teams are anticipated this year? 10 teams
When does the league begin play, and when will it finish, including any playoffs? We typically begin late May (after Mother’s Day), and our regular season runs into the first/second week of August. The schedule varies year to year, but the season is a 16 to 18-game regular season. Playoffs are single elimination until the Championship series, which is a best-of-three format. We do host an end-of-season Home Run Derby and All-Star game that has been a huge success. 
When did you personally start playing in the league? My journey started in 2011. I was out of graduate school playing softball regularly. I was not fulfilled competitively with softball and heard about the league. I contacted the commissioner at the time, Randall Guard (MSBL Hall-of-Fame), and inquired about how to join a team.
After a brief discussion, I was convinced that I had enough contacts in Little Rock and south Arkansas (Pine Bluff) to form and manage a team that would be competitive in this league. I formed the White Sox in 2011 with a group of ballplayers and friends. We have won the regular season title 10 times, appeared in the Championship series 12 times, and won the Championship series eight times, all with a group of friends that wanted to play baseball.
What is your personal baseball playing history? I grew up in a south Arkansas town, rich in baseball history. Pine Bluff, Arkansas, was a town with a population of just over 60,000, but had five Little Leagues with 8-10 teams in each league, two Babe Ruth Leagues, and several American Legion teams each season.
My high school coach was the legendary Billy Bock. I was fortunate enough to play for his last Arkansas State Championship team in 1995. Following my senior year of high school, I enrolled at the University of Arkansas. I did not pursue baseball at that time. Little did I know, my baseball years were not done.
When did you become president? I took over Central Arkansas MSBL in 2022.
Who were your predecessors, and are they still involved in any capacity? Following Randall Guard’s retirement as president in 2018 or 2019, Chris Hall took over for the next couple of years. When Chris stepped down before the 2022 season, I became president. Guard is enjoying retirement out-of-state. Chris Hall is still an active manager of a very successful Pirates team and serves as the league’s treasurer.
What is your most memorable MSBL moment as a president or a player? There have been so many fond memories over the last 15 seasons, and so many talented ballplayers who have graced our fields. We have had all talent levels from Little League to ex-MLB players. 
However, the one that sticks in my memory the most was our right fielder hitting a game-winning home run to beat our rivals, the Pirates, in 2016. This player had never hit a homer in his very limited playing experience growing up or in our league. It was exciting to see the dugout erupt and run out on the field to this player.
What challenges did you face when you started the league or when you took over? Initially, I struggled with balancing league-wide needs and how to manage my own team. Thankfully, I have a group of players who play for the White Sox who have been with me for a long time. We are a well-oiled machine when it comes to a team.
Ultimately, my focus had to be on gaining the trust of the other managers, listening to their ideas, and implementing those as a collaborative effort. This cannot be a single man’s decision-type system. Secondly, gaining rapport with fields, coaches, and athletic directors was a huge focus initially. My name and reputation with those will be associated with how our league is viewed.
I had to mend some relationships, and I was responsible to continue to foster the good relationships built by our past presidents. Like all business and relationships, it comes down to respect and good communication. That is in MY CONTROL. The rest follows.
What are your biggest challenges today? 100% fields! We are at the mercy of field availability. We do not compete with the youth programs in our area. They get first dibs, understandably. Therefore, we have to structure our scheduling around those programs.
In addition, as more fields are pumping money into turf surfaces and better facilities, it raises the rental fees, and at times they exceed our season’s budget. Therefore, I am always looking to build relationships with field administration, school administration, and local parks and recreation departments.
What gives you the greatest satisfaction? My love language is service. IF my managers and fields are happy at the end of the season, then I am a satisfied President.
What do you see for the league in the future? Continued growth with players of all levels of experience. We are expanding this season from 8-10 teams for the first time in years. We have a healthy interest in our player pool for guys looking for teams and opportunities. There is an interest in a 40+ league, so we will continue to evaluate the viability of that idea. 
What is the reason for the continued success of the league? In my opinion, baseball in Arkansas is serious. We have managers and players who have bought into this league and put tons of effort and time into the league and their individual teams. Without the managers and community relationships, this league (and any league for that matter) would struggle.
What part of running the league do you enjoy most? I love the open discussion of the “board”. Everyone involved is here to improve the league in any capacity they can. I also enjoy conversations with the National administration and other local presidents and players. We are all like-minded with baseball being our primary focus.
Do you still play in the league? Yes, I still catch for my team.
What is the history of your league team’s participation in any MSBL national tournaments? We have had good participation in the past, with sending multiple players to the MSBL World Series. Historically, these players have played in the “older” divisions. I would like to explore further participation in tournaments.
What would you say are the most important accomplishments in your league? The fact that we have played baseball as a league since 1989 (COVID season was cancelled). We have a strong league. Arkansas is a small state with a scrappy bunch of ballplayers.
How valuable is your relationship with MSBL? As president, I have leaned on Steve Sigler for advice. He has been remarkably available and present to me. Therefore, to place value on my relationship with MSBL as a president is tough to do. I do know that I would not do this without the help of MSBL.
However, my personal relationship with this league and this organization has been invaluable. I thought baseball ended when you were young. Nope, this organization has given me lifetime memories and friends.
What advice would you give to new league presidents? Start early with preparations. It is never too early in the year to start building relationships with managers and fields. Yes, you may not have the ability to schedule early, but you can start with the things you can control. That is communication and building respect within the community and your league.
Lastly, be available for your managers, players, and volunteer in the community as a representative of your league and MSBL
How important is family support? HAHA, good luck doing any of this “old-man baseball” without the support of your family. As I tell my players, family stuff comes FIRST, then baseball. We get to have fun playing a sport we love, but not at the expense of family needs. Involve your family and involve your player’s families in team events and games. You will be surprised how far that will go and watch how their families become a small part of yours.