By Steve LaMontia, Director of Communications
Judge Ben Lerner resides in Philadelphia and plays in the John A. DeBenedictis Baseball League managed by league president Pat Fynes, an MSBL affiliate encompassing the Wilmington, Delaware, South Jersey and Suburban Philadelphia areas. This 78-year old baseball aficionado continues to trade in his robes for a uniform every week while playing for the Plymouth Braves in the 65-over division and owes his appreciation and skills of the game to his brother Alan, who passed away in 2010.
“Alan got me started about a dozen years ago with the 55+ Diamondbacks in what was then called the Tri-State League,” explained Ben. “When enough of us properly aged I “graduated” with many of my teammates to the new 65+ division, playing with the Plymouth Braves, with whom I still play. I am an off the bench first baseman and outfielder when I play the field—adequate at best.”
Ben is also an MSBL World Series participant, playing for MSBL managerial legend and 2016 MSBL Man of the Year Donny DeCordova and his Tri-Valley Giants.
“About five years ago I went to Arizona to play on one of Donny’s Giants teams in the World Series and I have gone every year since, moving up from the 70+ to the 73+ division. I play the outfield down there and do my best not to get hit in the head with a fly ball! I hope to still be ambulatory when there is hopefully an 80+ division.
I am probably one of the least gifted players on my team, but nobody loves the game more than I do. After my family and my judicial career, baseball is my greatest passion and my greatest joy. My brother Alan, John DeBenedictis, Pat Fynes, my Braves teammates and MSBL have given me the gift of playing the game, and I am beyond grateful to all of them.”
On March 14th Philadelphia Enquirer journalist Mike Newall posted an article about Pat, his association with the John A. DeBenedictis Baseball League and more importantly his baseball journey with his brother Alan. Ben was kind enough to notify us about the article and Mike Newall and the Enquirer authorized our reprint. You can read the story by clicking on the highlighted ‘Philadelphia Enquirer’ above. You can also visit the paper’s website at www.phillynews.com.
The San Diego Mudcats earned their second Las Vegas title in as many weeks with a 14-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies to capture the 70+ title in week two of the MSBL Las Vegas Kickoff Classic. The championship game started much the same as pool play game one as Mudcats starter John Hopkins faced the Philadelphia Phillies just as he had in the opener, a 12-9 complete-game victory.
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Both teams went 3-0 in pool play and, as top seeds in their respective divisions, met up for the National Division final. The Wolfpack jumped ahead early with three runs off of MLB All-Star Jeff Cirillo on hits by David Oliver and Russ Ward and a perfectly executed safety squeeze by David Benedict. But the Rangers battled back with Mo Jackson tripling in two runs in the sixth off Wolfpack starter Jim Kearschner and two more in the seventh on a Phil Hayden triple to take the lead. Boston’s chance to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh failed when Cirillo hustled after an errant throw and gunned down Mike Smith at the plate.
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In game two of Pool Play against a very stacked Colorado Bandits team, it was a true slugfest, resulting in a 17-10 Rattlers win. Then on Sunday the Rattlers came from a deep hole to escape with an 11-9 victory over the Dallas Spirits. The Spirits held an 8-0 lead throughout the first half of the game. But our Rattlers have faced adversity in the past and came back from that eight-run deficit to defeat the Spirits, finishing Pool Play as the #1 Overall Seed of the 45+ Division teams, landing the Las Vegas Rattlers a #1 Seed in the National Division spot, reserved for the top four teams.
Good things come to those who wait. We’ve all heard it. But reality has kicked in for the Palm Beach MABL, as well as for the Men’s Senior Baseball League, as we have added another quality organization to our quiver. The 20-year old league from Florida has come over to our family and will commence play under the MSBL banner beginning with their spring session on March 24th. 42-year old MSBL league and tournament veteran David Salley is the new league president, a position he acquired last fall. “Our long-standing league president contacted me last fall, literally days before our fall session was to begin, and said he had to step down because of some personal family issues and maybe just a little bit of burnout. He asked me to take over and I was happy to do so. My immediate thought was ‘how can we make the league better’? The answer was to become a part of the Men’s Senior Baseball League, so that’s where my efforts went.”
have also played at the World Series in Arizona and in the Fall Classic, which is in our own back yard in Florida. I’ll never forget our Daytona Beach Yankees team from 2006 at the World Series in the 18-over metal bat division. We were 21-0 in the league and then undefeated at the World Series. That was an amazing run.”
Every league seems to have a powerhouse team that sets the bar. The Palm Beach League is no different. “Our Los Tigres team, managed by Santos Adames, has been in the league for over 20 years and they are the bench mark for playing in our upper division,” said Salley. “They have won 18 championships between our summer and fall sessions and are loaded with ex-pros from the Dominican Republic, several of which played in the Cardinals or Marlins systems.”
pondering the move to take charge or any advice for current presidents? “I have found that you have to get to know the people around you,” he explained. “Don’t just dictate but get in the trenches and take part. It’s imperative to get to know your umpires and your field personnel and grounds crews. These people can make the difference between playing on any given day or cancelling. Don’t be a stranger or a voice on the other end of the phone. Take part. Also, learn all about social media. That’s how you reach the players now. A newspaper ad won’t do you any good. Reach out and let them know they have an avenue directly back to you.”
In the championship game, the Paladins drew first blood on a pair of first inning miscues. It would be another back-and-forth game. Mudcat starter Mike Livesey, who had just earned the win and pitched the final four innings of the semi-final match, went 3.1 innings giving up only the tainted first inning run. The other Mudcats workhorse, Mike Tricker, who started and pitched the first four innings of the morning game, completed the next 3.2 innings, also limiting the Paladins to just one run.