MSBL League Profile: Bux-Mont (PA) MSBL Baseball League, Nick Chichilitti, League President

By Steve LaMontia, Director of Communications

The Bux-Mont MSBL Baseball League, located in Pennsylvania, has been a part of the MSBL family since 1992 and an integral part of the nationwide MSBL landscape.  League President, MSBL Hall of Fame member, and MSBL Honor Roll inductee Nick Chichilitti has been the guy in charge for the past 20 years and has been the driving force behind the league’s growth and national tournament participation.

We asked Nick to provide us with a history lesson and he thankfully agreed to do so.  Below you will find Nick’s casual explanation as to the success of the Bux-Mont MSBL.  We’ll pass the microphone to Nick now.  Enjoy!

“Mike Diodati started the league in 1992 as a 30+ league with eight teams.  Fast forward to 2024, and the league now offers 21+, 28+, 35+, and two 45+ Divisions.  We generally start the first week in April and finish sometime in September.

I started playing in the league in 1997 with the Warrington Senators. My college teammate, Tom Grochowski asked me to play at age 30.  I won a Philadelphia Catholic League Championship in 1984 with Archbishop Ryan as a shortstop and made the All-City Team. I then played college baseball at Philadelphia Textile, which was a D2 school. Our 1987 team was the first in school history to make the D2 Regional Tournament.  As my baseball days progressed, I played semi-pro baseball in Philly until I was 30 years old, winning one title with Jenkintown.

I then shifted to MSBL playing in the Bux-Mont MSBL, where I have made a ton of lifelong friends. My Warrington Team won seven championships, which is a league record. I started a 45+ team the Covid year to round out that division as our Berwyn White Sox won two titles back-to-back before hanging it up for good.

I became President in 2004 taking over for Mike.  He was instrumental in starting the league and is still involved as a liaison and consultant.  My most memorable league moment revolves around all the friends that I have made over the years in the league that I still talk to today. I also enjoyed playing with guys who were my adversaries in my younger years.

The league went from 14 to 7 teams from 1992 to 2003.  My challenge when I took over in 2004 was to grow the league once again. Today we have 40 teams, which we are all very proud of as a group.  What gives me great satisfaction is running and continuing to grow the league. I take care of all the admin so the managers and players can just worry about playing baseball.

The league is set up to succeed for many years to come.  The people involved are the reason this league succeeds on a daily basis. Our GMs are fantastic to work with every day.  I enjoy everything about helping men get to play the sport that they love.  I retired as a player for good in 2021.

I took teams to the Fall Classic in Florida for many years, winning the 25+ American Division in 2007 and winning a 45+ National Division title in 2008.

I am most proud of growing this league and putting it on the map as one of the Elite Men’s Leagues in the area, as well as within the MSBL tapestry.  The Bux-Mont League and the MSBL have had an excellent relationship over the years.

My advice to any new President is to listen to your GMs and managers.  You can’t go it alone and need everyone’s input.  Also, without family support this does not happen, so I’m giving a shout-out to all the wives and kids out there who allow us to play the game of baseball!”

Best in Baseball,

Nick Chichilitti