2026 MSBL League Profile: North Texas Amateur Baseball League (Dallas): League President, Shawn Lee
By Steve LaMontia-Carlentini, MSBL Director of Communications
Shawn Lee is the League President of the Ultra-Successful North Texas Amateur Baseball League, where he puts in long hours of volunteer time to keep the league humming. The NTABL officially became affiliated with the MSBL family back in 1988. After personally joining the league in 2012, Shawn enjoys finding moments to spend some downtime with his girlfriend Angie, who is a baseball enthusiast, and also shares Shawn’s love of animals.
“Angie and I are currently touring all the big-league stadiums,” said Shawn. “I’m a Milwaukee Brewers fan, but also a huge Texas Rangers fan, so 2023 (World Series Championship) was good for the soul!
Last summer, Angie and I visited Pittsburgh and PNC Park, as well as the stadium in St. Louis, and this summer we’re headed to see the Brewers at San Francisco and to Anaheim to see the Brew Crew play the Angels.
We are Dachshund and Schnauzer lovers. We currently have three Dachshunds, one Schnauzer, and two cats. It’s a zoo here. If it were up to her, we’d pick up almost anything from the street.”
That’s a tough introduction to follow, but we’ll do our best. Below is a Q/A profile that Shawn was kind enough to complete, providing a glimpse into the life of a league president in Texas. Enjoy!
League name: NTABL (North Texas Amateur Baseball League DBA Dallas MSBL)
Your name: Shawn Lee, President
What is the history of the league, and how did it start? From the website: The North Texas Amateur Baseball League (NTABL) has been operating in the Dallas area since 1988. It is the oldest and most respected league for adults from 18 to 80. No other league can claim its rich history, enduring memories, connection to Dallas and the surrounding areas, or its quality of competition and playing surfaces.
Launching as the Dallas MSBL, then expanded to the North Texas MSBL, the league adopted the name North Texas Amateur Baseball League to emphasize eligibility to any amateur player over 18. The league then launched a website to communicate with its coaches, players, and sponsors, easily register and track players and teams, as well as produce lasting records for its members and national recognition along with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn profiles.
What age divisions of play are now offered? We currently play 18+, 30+, 45+, 60+, and have a Rookie Prospect League of all ages and skill levels (18+ to 80+)
How many teams are anticipated this year? 20
When does the league begin play, and when will it finish, including any playoffs? The NTABL plays a Spring/Summer League that starts in March and ends around August. We then follow up with a short Fall League that goes from September to November.
When did you personally start playing in the league? This is my 14th season in the NTABL after relocating from Wisconsin, where baseball league access is very limited and very political, with most small towns having a team that plays and travels.
What is your personal baseball playing history? I played Little League through Legion ball and then a small stint of Amateur Baseball at the age of 24. After 20 years of playing slow-pitch softball, I subbed for a game of baseball at age 40 and had two hits, despite not believing how far the bases were!
I then moved to Dallas, where I found Dallas MSBL. I signed up, later started managing a very dysfunctional team, and have grown the team into a 501c3 organization with 13 championships.
I also worked through the ranks of volunteering with the NTABL as a VP and moved up to President, overseeing all operations, five division VPs, and I handle all scheduling and participate in marketing and social media.
When did you become president? I first became President in 2023.
Who were your predecessors, and are they still involved in any capacity? Anthony Cass served prior to me and still participates as a player, manager, and VP. Kirk Pruitt before him, who still participates as a player, manager and our Board Chairman for our 501c3 NTABF.
Gerry Mecca was before Kirk and he plays, manages, and serves as our NTABF Foundation Managing Director and still assists as CFO.
What is your most memorable MSBL moment as a president or a player? In my first season back playing with a bunch of strangers, I hit my first baseball home run of my life at age 41. I followed with two others that season, which was insane considering I never hit one prior in my life. I hit plenty of slow pitch softballs out of the park, but hitting a ball out of a big-boy park was pretty amazing for this baseball fanatic.
I’ve since hit nine more, a total of 12 in 14 years, which I’m proud of, but receiving a huge trophy back in 2012 was exceptionally cool for me. It made me feel recognized by my peer players and enhanced my love of the game. Sometimes the wind is blowing the right way!
What challenges did you face when you started the league or when you took over? Just learning the ropes. We volunteer our time, and I’m probably the last guy with any of it. I think about quitting, but I’m a control freak, and organizational freak, and I love this damn game. It’s a thankless job, and fighting to get people to rent fields to adults is an exceptional challenge that I face every year.
What are your biggest challenges today? Same answer. Getting fields. Districts have this “we don’t rent to adults” bs they send out, and their fields sit unused. Even during financial shortages, they’re not willing to THINK and see that they could earn $15,000 to $40,000 renting us fields.
What gives you the greatest satisfaction? Seeing my players and my members happy. I’m selfish too, but my first form of selfishness comes from the excitement and fun the guys are having. I’ll always put them first.
What do you see for the league in the future? I believe we can grow if we can find funding and better ways to market. There’s no reason we should be over 50 teams in this league. No reason.
What is the reason for the continued success of the league? We work hard to make the players we currently have happy. It’s all volunteer, and it peaks when we showcase our all-stars with an event using the Frisco RoughRiders Minor League field. We play baseball games and raise nearly $50,000 annually for the kids of Texas Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital.
What part of running the league do you enjoy most? Playing and playing on new fields. But the most fun part of it is traveling to tournaments. That’s always a blast.
Do you still play in the league? I play four times per week. I unfortunately have to play in a competitive league due to the fact that there aren’t teams in my age brackets for the other options. But right now, I run the Dallas Spirits Baseball Club in our Monday night 45+ Division.
What is the history of your league team’s participation in any MSBL national tournaments? We’ve done the Vegas Classic and Fall Classic as the Spirits. I’ve played with other teams in Phoenix at the MSBL World Series.
What would you say are the most important accomplishments in your league? I’ve perfected our website, and we’ve grown to be more detailed in all aspects. I’ve hired great people, and we’re continuing to grow as a group to better and grow the league as a whole.
Giving back to the community through our foundation and raising money for the kids of Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital is a topic we don’t take lightly. We love helping those kids. Not everyone shares the same affinity, but they do usually participate in fundraising. We sell that we are different and we are different.
We’re not just a “beer drinking” league the sips warm cans of beer in parking lots after the game. We’re highly competitive, and we are made up of a lot of working professionals in the area that are productive and active within their communities.
How valuable is your relationship with MSBL? We love MSBL baseball. It’s the best of the best. We love the opportunities and tournaments available and believe that MSLB offers the best product available.
What advice would you give to new league presidents? Work hard to put your players first. Great fields, great information, easy access to information. Be organized and plan ahead. Once you have your “ducks in a row,” being part and playing in your league feels so much better.
How important is family support? Family support is key. Nobody wants to go home to an angry spouse or neglected family. We try to incorporate family in all things we do, especially our All-Star event. Without them, there is no baseball family.
