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MAPLE LEAFS ORGANISATION HISTORY

The Beginnings Of Birmingham Baseball

Much like many Major League teams of the United States the Maple Leafs and its organisation are blessed with a rich and engaging history.
Unsurprisingly the teams players and organisers pride themselves in knowing the part they play in a continuing legacy that dates back over sixty baseball years makes them virtually unique in UK amateur baseball.
The first era of Marston Green baseball history began in the World War II summer of 1940, when the British government sequestered many hospitals around the country for the purpose of providing commonwealth allies with suitable facilities to care for there war casualties. Marston Green's Hospital was one such hospital allocated to the allies. More Specifically the Royal Canadian Medical Corp. The Corp occupied Marston Green Hospital for a five-year period, and in that time Canadian casualties were frequently transferred for medical attention to hospital #7, as it was then known. During their convalescence the patients frequently participated in recreational activities on the hospital grounds, which are now known as Marston Green Recreation Ground. The main activity for the Canadian casualties was obviously baseball, as ice hockey rinks were not widely available in wartime Marston Green. Due to this lack of ice the Maple Leafs legacy was born and the bats were swung with regularity throughout the war on the make shift diamond that was marked out by the Canadian servicemen. Once the war was won and the surviving servicemen made their long journey home, the diamond lay dormant until the new millennium. Overgrown but still clearly visible the diamond was reawakened in 2003 by a baseball enthusiast who was totally enthralled by the grounds enchanting history. 63 years after the first bat was swung the second era of Marston Green baseball History began, with the help of one baseball enthusiast who set out on a quest to rekindle the flame of the grounds former glories.

TIMELINE

2004: The Maple Leafs make their first appearence in the British Baseball Federation Leagues where             they finish in 4th place narrowly missing out on a post season birth with a 9-5 record. David Hughes             hits the first homerun in Maple Leafs history.
            Maple Leafs awards honors go to Michael Oatley - Golden Glove 2004, Andre Janicolas  - Slugger             Of The Year 2004, Adam Levy - Rookie Of The Year 2004 & MVP 2004

2005: The Maple Leafs cruise to their first league title with an astounding 11-1 record in the BBF Midland
            league. They then move into the divisional playoffs where they edge out Burgess Hill and there             talented Great Britain youngsters 11-10 to take them to the UK Final 4 Tournament. Maple Leafs             sweep aside Halton Jaguars 12-1 in the tournament semi final before falling to Windsor Bears 17-5             in the finally.
            Maple Leafs awards honors go to Roger Plantier Performance Of The Year,
            Nick Burt - Golden Glove 2005, Alf Swart - Slugger Of The Year 2005, Ryan Wood - Iron Man 2005,             Blake Taylor - Most improved Player 2005, James Moran - New Comer Of The Year 2005,
            Michael Rodger - MVP 2005.