HIGHLIGHTS FROM BASEBALL COMMITTEE MEETING

NOVEMBER 17, 2013

Meeting Started at 9:50

POST #79 SUSPENSION: Post 79 has been suspended from play for the 2014 season. Post 79 can re-apply for the 2015 season if stipulations made by the committee are met.

BRISTOL POST (JR. PROGRAM) SUSPENSION 2014: By NH legion rules, Bristol was suspended for forfeiting 5 of their 15 district games last season. They can re-apply for the 2015 season.

PLYMOUTH APPLICATION TO RE-ENTER: Plymouth’s application to re-enter a senior team was approved They will again reside in District A.

NEW JUNIORS TEAMS - PORTSMOUTH AND WINDHAM, APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED. Portsmouth and Windham were approved as junior teams for the 2014 season. Windham re-entry will put them in District B1 while new team Portsmouth will reside in District B2.

STATE TOURNAMENTS 2014 – The senior tourney is tentatively scheduled at Holman Stadium in Nashua. The junior has been scheduled at Gill Stadium in Manchester. The same dates for both tournaments (check website). This could change in the future because of some conflict dates that might happen with Holman for seniors.

NH IS HOSTING JR. REGIONAL IN 2014 AT GILL STADIUM. The website has been created on our webpage. NH will enter its champion and either a host team or runner-up.

SENIOR ALL STAR GAME: The Senior All-Star games have been eliminated for this year and foreseeable future. Lack of interest the past few years and also the cost were the deciding factors.

WEBSITES FOR OUR PROGRAM. We will look into a promotional opportunity that was given to us at the national meeting. A website company is offering packages for leagues that is very cost effective. Connecticut already uses them and has been raving about its success. Each team will have its own webpage for a cost of $8.00. Our own webpage we have now can also exist along with this site. Very easy to use. It would be a great communication tool for our league and also a way to promote our league.

INSURANCE: Expect an estimated increase of $10.00-$15.00 for your insurance next year. It has been a very long time that our insurance has been increased.

PROMOTION OF OUR PROGRAM: The possibility of creating a NH Legion baseball Hall of Fame. Once off the ground, could include a banquet each year to induct new members. Washington State gave a presentation at the national meeting. It seemed like a great success and another way to promote our program.

UMPIRE ASSOCIATION: Our umpire in chief Steve Dresher along with his assistant(s) will be offering a few umpire clinics this winter before our March scheduling meeting. In the planning stages, topics will be things such a new rules, rules interpretations, the process of dues collection etc. Our committee would hope that all umpires, coaches and managers and even legion athletic directors or business managers would attend one meeting.

TOURNAMENT PARTICAPATION BY ALL COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Our chairman Gary Webster wishes to stress the importance of attendance of all committee members at our meetings and most importantly our tournaments. As a part of being on the baseball committee, it the most important time to be available to ensure tournament success and smooth operations.

BACKGROUND CHECKS: We learned at the national meeting that backgrounds checks need to be done every year, for new and returning coaches. Please get your coaches information in as soon as possible after January 1^st so the can be acted upon early.

RAISING TEAM ENTRY FEES: Please be advised that the junior team fee will be the same rate as the senior team rate each year, $100.00/team. This raise will help to defray cost of our junior state tourney.

NASHUA LEGION: All of you are aware that because of problems at Coffey Post 3 last year, Hudson Post 48 hosted both the Nashua senior and junior teams. The organizing members of Nashua legion baseball have begun the process of starting a new legion post in Nashua. They will be called Nashua Post 124 Legion baseball. They will have all documents finalized in the near future. Both these teams will keep their place in the districts they played in last year.

DISTRICT ALIGNMENTS: Please check out the district alignment page on our website. New change and additions were voted upon and approved. Fairness of travel and locations were taken into consideration for this vote. Please find attached with this email the alignment proposal. Names were assigned for this purpose to show why teams were chosen for their particular district. As it stands now the number of district games for each district is as follows:

Senior A – 9 teams will play 16 district games.

Senior B – 10 teams will play 18 district games.

With the request of many junior coaches, I have changed last years format to our old format:

District A1 & A2 – 12 teams, 6 in each division. 10 games in your division, one each home and away

And 1 game with each team in the other division for a total of 16 district games.

District B1 & B2 – 12 teams, 6 in each division. 10 games in your division, one each home and away

And 1 game with each team in the other division for a total of 16 district games.

RE-ENTRY RULE – JUNIORS ONLY) The re-entry rule has been re-introduced by the national committee for next year. It was not made mandatory, but up to each state for adoption. We voted and approve the re-entry for juniors (regular season only) starting in 2014. The rule as stated:

I will be updating our website to reflect these minutes and all the changes. This document will also be added to our bulleting board page.

Meeting Adjourned at 11:55: Respectfully submitted, Rick Harvey