Steve Sigler, Men’s Senior Baseball League Founder and President, Inducted into New York State Baseball Hall of Fame

Compiled by Steve LaMontia-Carlentini, MSBL Director of Communications

Steve Sigler, Men’s Senior Baseball League Founder and President, is being inducted into the New York State Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday, November 22.  His class of 2026 also includes Roger Clemens, Joe Girardi, and Al Leiter, along with others.

Previous inductees include Brian Cashman, Gary Carter, Jim Kaat, Yogi Berra, Don Mattingly, Brian Kenny, Luis Tiant, Tommy Agee, and Bucky Dent.  Steve is being inducted into a very prestigious fraternity.

MSBL was founded on Long Island in 1986, starting with four 30-and-over teams, and now, in 2026, hosts over 75,000 active players competing in 100s of leagues across the US.

In 1988, the fledgling league was profiled in Sports Illustrated. Steve allowed his name, address, and phone number to be printed, and he was bombarded with thousands of calls and letters.

We were fortunate to catch up with Steve and ask him questions about how it all began, what has sustained the success over the past 40 years, and what he envisions for the years ahead.  Please find Steve’s responses below.  We hope you enjoy his rare, personal insight into the roots of the Men’s Senior Baseball League.

How did your original concept of adult baseball come to mind, and when? In 1985, I got a group of Little League fathers who were also Team Managers for an actual baseball game.  That’s when I decided I no longer wanted to play Softball; it wasn’t for me.  To do that, I needed someone(s) to play with, so I placed a small notice in a Long Island newspaper sports section.

What was your occupation, and how long did it take for you to dive into adult baseball as a sole profession? I was a CFO for a stationery company for 10 years, and it took about 5 years of working 2 jobs (CFO and MSBL President) before I was able to do MSBL alone as a profession.

How did you spread the word throughout the country about adult baseball? I would call sports editors at prominent newspapers, asking them to place a small ad in their sports section about a new 30+ baseball league in their area and asking anyone interested to call me on my home phone.  This was before the internet, social media, and cell phones.

How old were you when the league took hold in 1986? The MSBL started when I was 38, so my uniform number has always been 38.

What did you learn from your initial season that benefited you in the second season? The first season on Long Island with 4 teams wasn’t about learning; it was about enjoying.

How did the concept of a national tournament in Arizona and Florida come about? Arizona – 2 primary places for MLB Spring Training: AZ and FL.  I chose to go to Arizona in 1987 to visit the MLB facilities and Facility Directors.  After spending 5 days, I was convinced this would be the place to host our annual World Series.

The Fall Classic started in 1990.  As the MSBL grew across the country, especially in the Southeast, a Florida national tournament became paramount to plan, and we did the same with a Florida facility visit.

When did your son Brian become a part of the fabric, and when was that? Brian has been involved with MSBL as a family member since 5 years old, in some fashion.  He started working Summers for me when he was 16 and showed a maturity and business/people acumen that I hoped would one day lead him to work with me.

After graduating from Michigan and considering occupations, Brian decided, on his own, to make MSBL his career.  His current position is National Coordinator / VP.

How many grandchildren do you have? Brian has 5 (1 Boy, 4 Girls), and Jamie has 2 (2 Boys)

As my son and daughter clearly know, my grandchildren are incredibly important and a total fabric of my life.  I am lucky to have them all and cherish every moment I spend with them.

Brian’s children are Arizona veterans (every year), and Jamie’s children both have an incredible passion for playing baseball.  I am like any other grandparent, totally in love with them, and they are such an enhancement of my life.

Have you been approached to write a book or produce videos about adult baseball? Yes, I have been approached to produce a film on MSBL, and currently am in discussions with 2 prominent Directors/Writers.

Are you surprised at the success across the country after 40 years? Good question, but no.  I have never sat down and thought, “We could do this or that.”  I’ve always taken it day by day, thankful for what we have and for the many League Presidents who shared our passion and objectives.

How many teams enrolled in your initial World Series? In 1988, for our first World Series, we hosted 38 teams across 30+ and 40+ Divisions.

Were you born in New York? Yes, I was born in Brooklyn, New York.

Where did you attend high school/college, and did you play baseball for them? I played High School baseball and my first year of college as a second baseman.  Then I transferred to a college that did not have baseball.

Do you have plans for any additional national tournaments? Yes, we plan to add one new national tournament for 2027.

What are you most satisfied with after 40 years of seeing your vision take hold in such a positive way? Easy question. The major impact MSBL has had for over 150,000 men during our initial 39 years – the perpetuation of each player’s youthfulness, the new friendships, the mutual respect that is shared, and the passion our MSBL members share.

I really enjoy being at our local Long Island and national tournament games, observing the interactions between the teams and the desire to win, while camaraderie remains paramount.

What are your personal plans going forward? I have never really “planned”.  I live every day like it is a new day with new objectives and things to be proud of or to work harder on.

What is the most surprising change you have witnessed over these 40 years? The answer is that there has been no real change.  A real consistency in our work ethic, interactions with league Presidents and Managers, and the continued passion displayed daily.

Any final comments?

Without your participation and support over these 40 years, this would never have been possible.

On behalf of my son Brian, my partner Gary D’Ambrisi, and myself, thank you, and I hope to see many of you on a ball field somewhere soon, living out your baseball dreams.