MSBL League Profile: Connecticut North MSBL, Greg Schienda, League President
By Steve LaMontia, Director of Communications
71-year-‘young Greg Schienda is the League President of the Connecticut North MSBL and is a 2011 member of the MSBL World Series Hall of Fame and also a 2015 member of the exclusive MSBL Honor Roll. Greg has been involved in the league since 1990 and became the man in charge in 2013.
“We had a small four or five-team league organized from Pratt and Whitney in Hartford,” explained Schienda. “In the fall of 1989 Steve Sigler met with our team managers and offered us entry into his national MSBL league. The costs were comparable and he also offered us the opportunity to go to Phoenix for a tournament on the Major League Spring Training complexes. We joined in 1990 and never looked back.”
Greg’s league has expanded throughout the years and currently offers play in 25-over and 35-over divisions.
“We look to have six teams in the 25’s and eight in the 35’s in 2024. We start early in April and finish at the end of August and then start getting ready for the World Series in Arizona.”
Greg’s personal baseball history involves playing in Town Leagues from the age of eight through his High School Varsity days, followed by a year at UCONN, an additional year at the University of Hartford, some summer collegian league ball, and then another year in the local twilight league.
“Then softball took over until I found baseball again in 1990,” Greg admitted.
We asked Greg if his predecessors were still involved in the league.
“Dennis Lodovico manages a 25+ team, Drew Clarke is our current treasurer, and Mike Colburn retired. It is good to have them around to be able to draw from their experiences. The transition when I took over was fairly easy, with a few anticipated rough edges, but we put together a board and got everything running smoothly.”
As is our custom, we enjoy asking league presidents what they feel are the biggest challenges in running a league. Greg’s response shared a common thread.
“Getting fields. Kids are dominating most of the fields, which is understandable. It creates a lot of community compromising.”
What do you see for the league in the future?
“We should continue strong. Shaun Wyman, our player rep, continues to breathe life into our league. He handles the league’s Facebook page and the recruiting of new players. He also is running our younger (35+, 45+) World Series teams. I’m sure he will continue to be very involved in the league and is my most likely successor when I’m ready to retire.”
Greg mentioned early on in the interview that the promise of playing on Arizona Spring Training sites in an annual October tournament was one of the big reasons they decided to hook their wagon to the MSBL. He is a man of his word. Greg’s multiple Connecticut teams have been a major attendee at the MSBL World Series for decades and you can sense the excitement in Greg’s tone when he opens up about playing among the cactus.
‘We attended our first MSBL World Series in 1990. We played in the 28+ American Division and lost in the first round of the playoffs. We were hooked.
One of my most satisfying projects every year is putting together teams for the World Series. It’s very satisfying to see how our new players get hooked on the tournament. Nobody ever goes just once!”
What are some of the Connecticut World Series accomplishments that you are most proud of?
“We have had at least one team participate each year in the MSBL World Series since 1990. The Connecticut Navigators are the longest-running team. They started in the 28+ division and are currently sending teams in the 35+, 45+, 50+, 55+, and 60+ divisions. The Navigators have won once and combined with Arizona to win a second championship.
You can generally find a Navigators team somewhere in the desert and we fortunately make it to the play-offs most years. Bristol had teams for a few years and won a couple of championships. East Haven and Glastonbury also participated for a few years.”
What would you say are the most important accomplishments in your league and what advice would you give to new league presidents?
“We are giving the guys a chance to maintain their youth and continue playing baseball. We are also strong in charities. We have run marathon games for Cystic Fibrosis. We currently support Wounded Warriors and Relay for Life.
My advice to a new president would be to give back and consider similar charity work. Be sure to put a good board of directors together and distribute the work. You can’t do it alone.”
Are there any fond lifelong baseball memories from either on or off the field that may not be related to the MSBL World Series?
“Possibly my greatest thrill ever was when my father took me to a Yankee game when I was young. We sat in right field stands and my hero Mickey Mantle hit a home run directly over my head. I have always been a huge Yankee fan and Mickey has always been my hero. Watching him during his prime was something special and something I’ll never forget.”