Richmond Baseball and Softball Club
Richmond Baseball and Softball Club | |||||
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Information | |||||
League | British Baseball Federation AAA, AA and A divisions (2014) | ||||
Location | Ham, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames | ||||
Ballpark | Connare Field | ||||
Founded | 1992 | ||||
Nickname(s) | The Flames, The Knights, The Dragons, The Dukes | ||||
League championships | 2006, 2010 (Flames, National League) 2010 (Knights, AA) 2013 (Dukes, A) 2016 (Knights, AAA) | ||||
Colors | Red, Black, White, Grey (previously Royal Blue, Navy, Red) | ||||
Manager | Knights: John Irving Dragons: Nicholas Hadley-Kamptz Dukes: David D'Urbano | ||||
Website | Official website | ||||
Uniforms | |||||
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Richmond Baseball & Softball Club is a baseball and softball club based in Ham in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England. It was founded in 1992 by Wayne Nash.[1] The club had three registered teams in the British Baseball Federation's league system for the 2013 season; Richmond Knights in the BBF AAA South Division, Richmond Dragons in the BBF South AA Division and the Richmond Dukes in the BBF Single A South Division.
The club also runs a summer camp for youth players and entered a team in the BBF Pony league (ages 14–16) for the 2014 season. Richmond has entered into a club affiliation with three time NBL champions Southern Nationals for the 2014 season, allowing both clubs to benefit from player movement and development.
With more than 70 active members, the club is one of the largest clubs in the British Baseball community.
History
Richmond Baseball Club was founded as Fulham Flames by youth worker Wayne Nash in 1992 after he had watched a baseball movie at a local cinema and became very interested in the sport. Initially consisting of only one team, the club has grown, adding a second team; the Knights in 2000 and a third team; the Dragons in 2003. Development teams have been added to the club's roster as needed and in 2012 the club added the Dukes as a rookie/Single A team in the BBF leagues.
Due to player and coach departures the top team Richmond Flames, a National League mainstay and multiple champions, was withdrawn from the National Baseball League in 2012, but the club established an official affiliation with Southern Nationals, the three-time National League champions, in 2014.
Facilities
The club plays its home games at Connare Field in Richmond, named after player Vincent Connare who helped construct and fund the field in 2002 when the club was looking to upgrade its facilities to fit BBF National League standards. The club also has a second diamond on nearby Ham Lands, nicknamed Flood Field due to its proximity to the Thames river.
Together with Kew and Ham Football Association, RBSC also shares a clubhouse with multiple changing rooms, full bar and kitchen and a lounge with Wi-Fi and TV.
Connare Field was completely refurbished in 2014 thanks to a grant from Sport England's Inspired Facilities fund. New dual batting cages were also installed, improving the playing facilities. The club is looking to further improve the playing facilities by adding dugouts and spectator seating.
Honours
The Flames became the 2006 National Champions by defeating the Croydon Pirates two games to one in the final. The Flames then finished runners up in 2008 and again in 2009 before regaining the National League title in 2010 with a 10-1 victory over the Bracknell Blazers.[2]
Farm teams the Richmond Knights and Richmond Dragons have had successful seasons, most notably the Knights marathon 20-19 defeat of the Leicester Blue Sox in the 2010 BBF AA Championship Game[3] and the Dragons pennant win in Single A in 2010.
After promoting the Knights to AAA and Dragons to AA in 2011, the club added a new Single A team aimed at rookies; the Richmond Dukes, named after the local history and the location of the field on Dukes Avenue/Riverside Drive.
In 2013, only the second year of existence for the Dukes, they overcame a slow start to win the Single A National Championship.[4]
Management
The club elects the club management every year at the Annual General Meeting, normally held in the off-season. The current committee consists of:
- Club President: Craig Taylor
- Treasurer: Spencer Huet
- Vice President: Jared Thomley
- Secretary: Jared Thomas
- Field Maintenance Officer: Per Nilsson-Eklöf
- New Member Officer: Chris Robertson
- Equipment Officer: Michael Jimenez
- Safeguarding Officer: Cam Esmond
- Social Media & Communication Officer: Paul Tiley
- Advisor: David D'Urbano
- Advisor: Euan Shields
Former board members:
- Ian Cox
- John Walmsley
- Vincent Connare
- John Irving
- Jesus Gandara
- Steve Falla
- Brad Harris
- Nigel Stephens
See also
- Baseball in the United Kingdom
- British Baseball Federation
External links
- Richmond Baseball & Softball Club
References
- ^ "Club History". www.londonbaseballsoftball.com. Archived from the original on 2012-02-24.
- ^ "Flames extinguish Blazers to take crown". Archived from the original on 2013-11-06.
- ^ "Knights win AA title in thriller!". Archived from the original on 2013-11-06.
- ^ "Richmond Dukes - 2013 Single-A Champions". Archived from the original on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2013-11-01.
- Richmond Baseball & Softball Club History [1]
- Flames win 2010 National League [2]
- Knights win AA title in thriller [3]
- Richmond Dukes, 2013 Single A Champions [4]
- v
- t
- e
- Barnes
- East Sheen
- Fulwell
- Ham
- Hampton
- Hampton Hill
- Hampton Wick
- Kew
- Mortlake
- Petersham
- Richmond
- St Margarets
- Strawberry Hill
- Teddington
- Twickenham
- Whitton
![Location of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in Greater London](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4a/Coat_of_arms_of_the_London_Borough_of_Richmond_upon_Thames.svg/100px-Coat_of_arms_of_the_London_Borough_of_Richmond_upon_Thames.svg.png)
![Location of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in Greater London](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/LondonRichmond.svg/100px-LondonRichmond.svg.png)
Barnes
Barnes Bridge
Fulwell
Hampton
Hampton Wick
Kew Gardens
Mortlake
North Sheen
Richmond
St Margarets
Strawberry Hill
Teddington
Twickenham
Whitton
- A307 road
- A308 road
- A309 road
- A316 road
- Barnes High Street
- Castelnau, Barnes
- Church Road, Barnes
- George Street, Richmond
- Kew Green
- Mill Hill, Barnes
- Mortlake High Street
- Old Palace Lane
- Old Palace Yard
- Queen's Road
- Ringway 2
- South Circular Road
- The Green, Richmond
- The Terrace, Barnes
- The Vineyard, Richmond
and river services
- Beverley Brook
- River Crane
- Duke of Northumberland's River
- Longford River
- Sudbrook and Latchmere stream
- River Thames
- Athletic Ground, Richmond
- Barn Elms playing fields
- The Championship Course
- Cricket clubs and grounds
- Golf clubs and courses
- Hampton Pool
- The Lensbury
- Pools on the Park
- Royal Tennis Court, Hampton Court
- Teddington Pools and Fitness Centre
- Thames Young Mariners
- Twickenham Stadium
- Twickenham Stoop
- former Ranelagh Club
- former Richmond Ice Rink
- Britannia, Richmond
- The Bull's Head, Barnes
- The Crown, Twickenham
- Dysart Arms, Petersham
- The Fox, Twickenham
- The George, Twickenham
- Hare and Hounds, East Sheen
- Jolly Coopers, Hampton
- Old Ship, Richmond
- Park Hotel, Teddington
- Richmond Brewery Stores
- Sun Inn, Barnes
- Twickenham Fine Ales
- Watney Combe & Reid
- White Cross, Richmond
- The White Swan, Twickenham
and music venues
- The Bull's Head
- Crawdaddy Club
- The Exchange
- Olympic Studios
- Orange Tree Theatre
- OSO Arts Centre
- Puppet Theatre Barge
- Richmond Theatre
- TwickFolk
- Wathen Hall
- former Eel Pie Island Hotel
- former Richmond Theatre (1765–1884|
- Richmond and Twickenham Times
- former Gaydar Radio
- former Hogarth Press
of interest
- 123 Mortlake High Street
- 14 The Terrace, Barnes
- 18 Station Road, Barnes
- 70 Barnes High Street
- Asgill House
- Barnes power station
- Brinsworth House
- Bushy House
- Chapel House
- Chapel in the Wood
- Clarence House
- Doughty House
- Douglas House
- Downe House
- East Sheen Filling Station
- Fulwell bus garage
- Garrick's Temple to Shakespeare
- Garrick's Villa
- Grove House, Hampton
- Halford House
- Ham House
- Hampton Water Treatment Works
- Hampton Youth Project
- Harrods Furniture Depository
- Hogarth House
- The Homestead
- Hotham House
- Kew Mortuary
- King's Observatory
- Kneller Hall
- Langham House
- Langham House Close
- Latchmere House
- Lichfield Court
- Marble Hill House
- Montrose House
- National Physical Laboratory
- Normansfield Theatre
- The Old Court House
- Old Town Hall, Richmond
- Ormeley Lodge
- Parkleys
- The Pavilion
- Pembroke Lodge
- Pope's Grotto
- Poppy Factory
- Royal Military School of Music
- Royal Star and Garter Home
- St Leonard's Court
- Strawberry Hill House
- Stud House
- Sudbrook House and Park
- Thatched House Lodge
- University Boat Race Stones
- Victoria Working Men's Club
- West Hall
- White Lodge
- The Wick
- Wick House
- Yelverton Lodge
- York House
- former Admiralty Research Laboratory
- former Alcott House
- former Camp Griffiss
- former Cardigan House
- former Cross Deep House
- former The Karsino
- former Mortlake Tapestry Works
- former Mount Ararat
- former Pope's villa
- former Radnor House
- former Richmond House
- former Richmond Lodge
- former Richmond Theological College
- former Sheen Priory
- former Star and Garter Hotel
- former Twickenham Park
- Adana Printing Machines
- Ashe baronets
- Cook baronets of Doughty House
- Darell baronets, of Richmond Hill
- GHQ Liaison Regiment (Phantom)
- Hampton Court Conference
- Kew Letters
- Petersham Hole
- Pocock baronets
- Richmond Flyers
- Richmond, Petersham and Ham Open Spaces Act 1902
- Treaty of Hampton Court (1562)
- Vandeput baronets
- Warren-Lambert
- Wigan baronets
- Richmond Park
- Twickenham
- former Richmond and Barnes
- former Richmond (Surrey)