Big Apple Softball League
Encyclopedia
The Big Apple Softball League (BASL) is an LGBT
softball league located in the New York City
area. The league is open to all skill levels and abilities, and to all people regardless of race, religion, age, race, religion, gender expression or sexual orientation. The league plays its regular season from late April through early August and holds its playoffs in August. Teams from this league also compete in tournaments in the US and Canada
, including the NAGAAA's Gay World Series.
in front of a crowd as large as 5,000 people. Badlands defeated Ramrod, two games to none.
In 1980, the league changed its name to its current name. At this point in the league's history, there were 16 teams. In 1981, the league moved to an arc pitch style of softball
play to conform to the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance
(NAGAAA).
In 1994, the league hosted the Play for Life tournament on the 4th of July Weekend, a benefit for HIV
research.
In 2007, the league celebrated its 30th season of play and is made up of 39 teams, spread across 5 divisions by skill level.
In 1984, The Falcons (one of the earliest teams still in existence) were disqualifed by the NAGAAA for having a heterosexual player on the team. The NAGAAA stated, at that time, that the tournament was for homosexual players only. This squable at the World Series was noted in an article in the LGBT newsmagazine The Advocate
. The next year, the NAGAAA changed its rules to include heterosexual players.
The league hosted the 1986 addition and has had a great deal of success at the tournament. In 29 Gay World Series Tournaments, The BASL has earned 3 wins and overall top 5s.
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
softball league located in the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
area. The league is open to all skill levels and abilities, and to all people regardless of race, religion, age, race, religion, gender expression or sexual orientation. The league plays its regular season from late April through early August and holds its playoffs in August. Teams from this league also compete in tournaments in the US and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, including the NAGAAA's Gay World Series.
History
The league was founded in 1977 as The Manhattan Community Athletic Association (MCAA). In its first season the league consisted of 12 teams. The winner that season was the Ramrod Bar and Grill team. The Ramrod team flew to San Francisco to take on the Badlands of the San Francisco Community Softball League to play in the first Gay World SeriesGay World Series
The North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance is a non-profit organization of men and women to promote amateur athletics and sporting events for the gay, lesbian and transgender citizens. The organization holds a gay softball world series which is held in a different city each year....
in front of a crowd as large as 5,000 people. Badlands defeated Ramrod, two games to none.
In 1980, the league changed its name to its current name. At this point in the league's history, there were 16 teams. In 1981, the league moved to an arc pitch style of softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
play to conform to the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance
North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance
The North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance, or NAGAAA, is a non-profit, international association of gay and lesbian softball leagues.NAGAAA was founded in 1977 and currently has 56 member leagues in 35 cities in the United States and Canada...
(NAGAAA).
In 1994, the league hosted the Play for Life tournament on the 4th of July Weekend, a benefit for HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
research.
In 2007, the league celebrated its 30th season of play and is made up of 39 teams, spread across 5 divisions by skill level.
Participation at the Gay World Series
The BASL has been a staple at the Gay World Series since its inception, playing every tournament. The league has also had a great deal of history with the tournament.In 1984, The Falcons (one of the earliest teams still in existence) were disqualifed by the NAGAAA for having a heterosexual player on the team. The NAGAAA stated, at that time, that the tournament was for homosexual players only. This squable at the World Series was noted in an article in the LGBT newsmagazine The Advocate
The Advocate
The Advocate is an American LGBT-interest magazine, printed monthly and available by subscription. The Advocate brand also includes a web site. Both magazine and web site have an editorial focus on news, politics, opinion, and arts and entertainment of interest to LGBT people...
. The next year, the NAGAAA changed its rules to include heterosexual players.
The league hosted the 1986 addition and has had a great deal of success at the tournament. In 29 Gay World Series Tournaments, The BASL has earned 3 wins and overall top 5s.