2024 Year in Review

Before we welcome in 2025, let’s take a look back at the past year and examine the developments that shaped the British Baseball landscape in 2024.

Whilst many teams were starting their season preparations in the first quarter of 2024 GB made two appointments. Jonathan Cramman was named manager of the Under 23s, while Chris Ward was announced as the manager of the GB Under 12s.

Due to an exceptionally wet winter and early spring, the domestic season was affected with many pre-season plans being washed out across the country. On April 7th, the NBL opening games were held at rearranged venues for four of the six teams due to unplayable fields. The Bournemouth Bears and London Capitals game was rescheduled for later in the season. Opening days continued across the country throughout April as the 2024 British Baseball season commenced.

Youth baseball received significant attention, with many clubs announcing youth programs nationwide. Will Lintern led over 50 youngsters aged 6 to 16 at the first BBF Mix and Match event held at Farnham Park.

In recognition of the growing number of women and girls playing baseball across the country, an inaugural “Women & Girls in Baseball” Festival was held at the 108 in London on June 1st. The festival aimed to encourage more women and girls to get involved in baseball.

The national women’s league commenced on May 25th, with seven teams vying for the WBL title.

As summer approached in early June, there was a break in the domestic season. London Stadium hosted the third MLB series on these shores, featuring the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets. Over 100,000 fans from around the globe attended the two-day series which saw both teams come away with a win.

The Summer Cup returned for its second year, bringing together over 300 players and 16 teams from across Great Britain at Farnham Park for a weekend of intense baseball competition. In the Gold Cup final, Essex Baseball Club emerged victorious against BC Vetra, while Birmingham Metalheads secured the Silver Cup title by defeating the London Mets 9-8. Additionally, the London Mets Bronze team emerged triumphant against the SWWBL team.

July was a month of significant activity for the GB baseball program. The U12 team embarked on a journey to Slovakia to participate in the European Championship Qualifiers. Although they finished with a record of two wins and three losses, the young players demonstrated the promising future of international baseball in Great Britain.

Meanwhile, the U18 team competed in the European Championships held in Germany, reaching the semi-finals before falling short in extra innings against a formidable Italian team.

The U15 teams’ European Qualifiers were held in Lithuania, where they made history by winning Pool B and securing a spot in the main tournament, which will be held in 2025. This achievement marked the first time the U15 team had qualified for the main tournament.

The U23 team concluded the international season in China, participating in the WBSC World Cup. Although they faced some close losses throughout the tournament, the team concluded their time in China with a historic 2-1 victory against the Netherlands and a subsequent win over Chinese Taipei, ending their campaign on a high note.

*London Mets secure their eighth consecutive NBL title*

As the summer season drew to a close, the domestic baseball post-season commenced. Despite securing the title of regular season NBL champions, the Essex Arrows faced a disappointing defeat in the playoff final against the London Mets, who had achieved an impressive eight consecutive championship victories. Croydon Pirates were crowned AAA champions, while the London Meteors emerged victorious against the Richmond Dragons in the AA division. Bracknell Phoenix secured the Single A championship, and the Cornish Claycutters claimed the SWWBL title. The unbeaten Sheffield Bruins emerged triumphant in the Women’s Baseball League final against the Manchester Jetts.

*Action from the 2024 Blind Baseball International Cup*

In September, Great Britain hosted the WBSC Blind Baseball International Cup at Farnham Park. The hosts finished in fourth place narrowly losing to Pakistan in the third-place game. Cuba emerged as the champions of the tournament.

As the baseball season concluded, the BBF convened its Annual General Meeting, where Richard Evans was elected as the new President of the federation.

To conclude the year on a high note, it was announced that GB Baseball and GB Women’s Softball would receive a substantial funding boost of £1 million from Sport England and UK Sport as part of the LA 2028 Olympic Cycle.

2024 has been an exceptionally busy year for baseball, with the sport experiencing steady growth and development. As we eagerly anticipate the upcoming 2025 calendar, we look forward to an even more exciting and challenging season for all involved.

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