Baseball in the United Kingdom

Baseball in the United Kingdom
CountryUnited Kingdom
Governing bodyBritish Baseball Federation
National teamsMen's national team
Women's national team
First played1874
National competitions
  • British Baseball Federation
    National League,
    AAA,
    AA and
    A divisions

Baseball is a growing minor sport in the United Kingdom, with an estimated 22,500 people playing in 2020.[1]

The sport is governed by the British Baseball Federation, which runs a multi-tier national league. There are also independent regional leagues, and around 20 universities field teams. At various times in history, there have been professional teams, most notably the 1890 National League of Baseball of Great Britain.

In 1938, the Great Britain national baseball team won the Baseball World Cup, and were runners-up in the 1967 and 2007 European Baseball Championship.[2] As of 2020, Great Britain competed internationally at under 12, under 15, under 18, under 23 and senior levels. The under 23 team placed fifth at the 2019 European Under 23 Baseball Championship.[3]

Despite relatively low numbers of participants today, historically there have been a number of players born in the United Kingdom who have played in U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB).[4] Over 90 British-born players have played in MLB,[5] Danny Cox, Lance Painter and Bobby Thomson being the most notable. Thomson hit the Shot Heard 'Round the World that took the New York Giants to the World Series in 1951.

Major League Baseball players born in the United Kingdom

Over 90 players born in the four constituent nations of the United Kingdom and pre partition Ireland have played professionally in Major League Baseball. That does not include players born outside the United Kingdom but of British heritage, or players who have played in MLB and represented the Great Britain national baseball team, but who were born outside the United Kingdom.

Inductees to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

Henry Chadwick, born in Exeter, was a sportswriter, baseball statistician and historian, often referred to as the "Father of Baseball", for his early reporting on and contribution to the development of the game. He edited the first baseball guide to be sold to the public. He is credited with creating box scores, as well as the scoring abbreviation "K" that designates a strikeout. He is also said to have created the statistics of batting average and earned run average (ERA).

Tom Connolly, born in Manchester, was an umpire in Major League Baseball. He officiated in the National League from 1898 to 1900, followed by 31 years of service in the American League from 1901 to 1931.[6] In over half a century as an American League umpire and supervisor, he established the high standards for which the circuit's arbiters became known, and solidified the reputation for integrity of umpires in the major leagues.

Harry Wright, born in Sheffield, was described by fellow Hall of Fame inductee Henry Chadwick as "the father of professional base ball".[7] Although not born in the United Kingdom, George Wright is another inductee of United Kingdom heritage. George is the brother of Harry, and his parents were born in England.

Major League Baseball players who have represented the United Kingdom

Either through being born in the United Kingdom, via ancestral links to the United Kingdom, or qualifying via being born in a Commonwealth member nation, a number of players with MLB experience have represented the United Kingdom internationally, via the Great Britain national baseball team. The most notable recent player is Jazz Chisholm Jr.

History

Origins

Baseball as depicted in A Little Pretty Pocket-Book, which may have involved hitting with the hand[8]

It is argued that modern American baseball can trace its roots to 18th century Britain,[9][10][11] with the earliest known mention and illustration of the game appearing in John Newbery's A Little Pretty Pocket-Book in 1744. The earliest known rules were printed in 1796, in Germany, as "Das Englische Base-ball".

Although early codes of baseball may have originated in the United Kingdom, the American code of baseball, as North Americans would understand it, started to be played in the UK as early as the 1870s and it was fully developed by 1890, when the professional 1890 National League of Baseball of Great Britain was established. Since the 1870s, many exhibition matches between North American teams have been staged in the United Kingdom,[12] culminating in the MLB London Series in 2019, which sold out 120,000 tickets in less than an hour.[13] As a result, a small number of MLB teams have fan clubs in the United Kingdom.[14]

American influence in the 19th century

In the 1870s, baseball teams from the United States, including the Boston Red Stockings and Philadelphia Athletics, toured the United Kingdom, in an effort to popularise the sport,[15] but with limited success. At that time, John Wisden and Co. were the most famous supplier of essential baseball equipment, "as used by the baseball clubs now in England in all their matches", which shows that organised clubs did exist in England in some form as early as the 1870s.[16] Wisden remains a prominent name in international cricket today.

In 1888, the President of St. Louis, on returning to the United States from their European tour, remarked that "England is now educated up to American sports", and encouraged other American baseball club presidents to continue promoting the game in England.[17] Later in 1888, John Barnes, of the Western League St. Paul club, discussed his plans to travel to England to establish a "baseball syndicate" in London, Birmingham and other large cities.[18]

In 1889, the wealthy Albert Goodwill Spalding used his position as a former star player and as a leading sporting goods supplier to arrange yet another tour of the United Kingdom by American baseball stars, including the Chicago White Stockings,[19] building on the earlier tours in the past decades. As with previous tours, the cricket establishment of England was used to promote baseball, with the Prince of Wales one of the "very large number of spectators" to witness the game at the Oval,[20] and over 8,000 attended a game at Lord's cricket ground.[21] On arriving at Bristol, Spalding paid tribute to the English cricket star W. G. Grace,[22] "the best known Englishman in the world".

Derby Baseball Club group photo
Derby Baseball Club were one of Britain's leading baseball teams in the 1890s

That tour led to a number of new baseball clubs springing up, such as York Baseball Club, formed at Stotts Refreshment Rooms in Parliament Street as early as March 1889.[23] The most notable of the new clubs was formed 1890, in Derby, as Ley's Recreation Club, by Francis Ley, a local man who had experienced the game on a trip to the United States. Following their first ever game (as Ley's Recreation Club) Ley began to appeal for "professionals aged 20 to 25" and "cricketers who can field smartly" to attend Ley's Recreation Centre to form a club, in March 1890[24] and Ley's Recreation Club became Derby Baseball Club. Despite evidence showing clubs such as York were formed slightly earlier than or at the same time as Derby, when discussing Derby in 1890, Ley erroneously claimed "we were really the first club formed in Great Britain".[25]

Ley, who certainly had "introduced baseball amongst his employees"[26] and was instrumental in providing superb facilities at Derby, was not in attendance in October 1889, when noted supporters of a new National League of Baseball of Great Britain met at the Criterion, London, to formally establish the new baseball association, though he was elected as a provisional officer. Representatives of Preston North End, Gloucester County Cricket Club, Essex County Cricket Club, Staffordshire County Cricket Club, Aston Villa and the National Rounders Association all were represented and elected as officers to the association, with Newton Crane elected to the chair.[26]

The new association quickly moved to establish a headquarters at 38 Holborn Viaduct, London, from where it would agree on and promote a set of rules by which the new National League would be played.[27] By July 1890, it was estimated that there were over 90 baseball clubs in England alone, with Derby Baseball Club being widely believed to be the best professional club in England.[28] Yorkshire proved to be a surprising hotbed of baseball by 1890, when it was reported that "there are more baseball clubs in Yorkshire than in any other county in England."[29] It was not totally unexpected when the Secretary of Essex County Cricket Club, Morton Peto Betts, resigned his position to take up the role of Secretary of the newly formed Baseball Association of Great Britain, in July 1890.[30]

Aston Villa, now known exclusively as a football club, won the only professional baseball championship in 1890. The competition was hindered by poor weather and disappointing crowds, and made a loss for its investors.[31] Aston Villa's win was not without controversy, however, with both Aston Villa and Preston North End being found guilty of cheating during the season.[32] For much of the season Derby Baseball Club did lead the championship, but pressure from other teams in the league over the number of American players on the Derby team, as well as low attendances, led to Derby being expelled before the end of the season although, despite evidence to the contrary, the club insisted they had "retired" as champions.[33]

In response to the accusations against Derby of employing too many talented American baseball players, Ley wrote letters to editors of newspapers to state "Derby Baseball Club is the only one of the four League clubs to have not imported professional players from America", and went to lengths to point out the lack of support Spalding provided to Derby compared to the other clubs in which he was a major shareholder.[25] Ironically, given the finger pointing at Ley for employing too many Americans, of the various American baseball players sent across to coach and play baseball in England in the 1890 season, the most prominent was arguably Preston North End captain Leech Maskrey, who had played Major League Baseball. In August 1890, the Preston club organised a presentation for their captain, who was returning to the United States.[34] Meanwhile, Spalding turned his attention to establishing collegiate baseball in the United Kingdom[35] with very little success.

In March 1890, Edinburgh Northern Baseball Club began to meet for practice[36] and Spalding's influence was obvious when The Spalding Baseball Club of Aberdeen sprang to life in July 1890, their headquarters being at 59 Princes Street.[37] By August 1890, the financial backing of Spalding resulted in two local rivals emerging in Aberdeen, the Spalding Baseball Club and Aberdeen Baseball Club, who played at The Links. The two competed for the Spalding 50-guinea Challenge Cup[38] and the right to take on the University Baseball Club of Edinburgh, evidence of Spalding's desire to establish collegiate baseball in the United Kingdom. Wales, possibly due to the continued popularity of British or Welsh Baseball, was slower to adopt the American game. In April 1893, Cardiff Central were formed, and claimed to organise "the first game of American baseball played in South Wales." They were based at Grangetown.[39]

The Golden Age and Postwar Decline

By 1911, the game's growing popularity was of enough concern to tradition-minded elites that the London County Council banned it, deeming it "dangerous to spectators."[40]

Baseball's peak popularity in Britain was in the years immediately preceding World War II. A resurgence of professional baseball occurred in parts of the United Kingdom during the 1930s, but the outbreak of war led to a decline. In that era, professional baseball teams often shared grounds with football and rugby league clubs, and drew crowds of up to 10,000 spectators per game. In 1933, in response to a challenge from Major League Baseball's National League President, John Haydler, the wealthy British gambling tycoon, Sir John Moores, established the National Baseball Association and continued to fund the establishment of amateur and professional leagues in England.

Once again, American and Canadian expatriates swelled the rosters of the semi-profesional clubs, with a number of the Canadian professionals going on to represent the Great Britain national team.[41] During this golden age, UK baseball achieved a major milestone in 1938, with the victory of the Great Britain national baseball team over the United States, in the Baseball World Cup. The series was created by Sir John Moores, with the 1939 Amateur World Series competition initially being named the John Moores Cup.

With the backing of Sir John Moores, a Great Britain team was given financial support to compete in the 1939 series, in Havana, as defending champions. In doing so, they would have become the first national representative team to compete outside the United Kingdom,[42] but the outbreak of the World War II interrupted the development of British baseball. The team withdrew from the competition, and the sport entered into decline. Following the War, in July 1951, Wolsley Athletic (Birmingham) became the first baseball team from the United Kingdom to play in continental Europe, in an official game in Belgium.[43]

At present

In 2021, 90 teams from 48 baseball clubs were actively participating in leagues, and 1,500 adult and junior (under 18) players playing in clubs based across a wide geographic area of the island of Great Britain. Despite being a constituent nation of the United Kingdom, domestic baseball in Northern Ireland is affiliated to Baseball Ireland, for practical reasons. Northern Ireland's only team, the Belfast Northstars, play in the Irish Adult League. Despite that quirk, Northern Irish-born players, such as P.J. Conlon, are able to qualify to play for both Ireland and the United Kingdom internationally.

The British Baseball Federation (BBF) is the governing body for baseball in the UK and the baseball leagues. The season runs from April until August. Affiliated baseball clubs pay an annual affiliation fee to be a member of the BBF and play in the BBF Leagues and Junior Leagues. There are three leagues independent of the British Baseball Federation: the Scottish National League, run by Baseball Scotland, the Northern Baseball League containing mainly teams based in Northern England, and the South West and Wales Baseball League, representing some of the teams in the South West of England, as well as one team in Wales. There is also a full Great Britain Baseball Programme which comprises the Great Britain Baseball Academy,[44] junior national teams and Great Britain 'Seniors' Baseball Team.

The BBF league format is divided into the national divisions, consisting of four tiers from the National League, down to the Single-A league. At the end of the season, all divisions compete in post-season tournaments, in which the top teams from each conference play knock-out matches, with the winning teams then progressing to the Championship Series. The Championship Series of the National League is best of three, whereas the AAA, AA and A championships are single games.

The Independent leagues compete against the teams in their own leagues and, in 2017, the first Independent leagues finals weekend was held at Hull, which consisted of semi-finals between the champions of the Independent leagues and a final held the next day. That was followed by an England v Scotland friendly All-Star game.

Baseball in universities

University baseball in the United Kingdom has also been growing, with 75 teams from 35 universities currently participating in the sport. The university season runs from September to May, typically the off-season for baseball. Between 2013 and 2019, the National Champion was decided by the BaseballSoftballUK (BSUK)-run National University Championship, which was run as a bi-annual event. In 2020, the sport was admitted into the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) system, with a new national championship being held at the Farnham Park National Baseball & Softball Complex.[45] Initially, it was supposed to take place in 2021,[46] but the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, delaying the launch of the new National Championship until the 2021–22 season

In 2023, the University of Central Lancashire made UK baseball history by offering two students, Aflie Hill and Nathan Simmons, scholarships to play baseball. As far as is known, it was the first time that had happened in the UK.[47]

List of National Champions

National University Championships (BSUK)

SeasonWinnersComments
2014 (March)University of East Anglia
2014 (October)University of East Anglia
2015 (March)Loughbrough University
2015 (October)Loughbrough University
2016 (March)Loughbrough University
2016 (October)Durham University
2017 (March)University College London
2017 (October)Loughbrough University
2018 (March)Postponed
2018 (June)Durham University
2018 (October)Loughbrough UniversityKnown as the Autumn Open University Challenge
2019 (March)Loughbrough University

Sources:[45]

BUCS National Championships

SeasonWinnersScoreRunners-upComments
2021-22Loughborough University 7-4University of East Anglia[48]
2022-23Loughborough University5-3University of Central Lancashire,[49] Semi-Finals and Finals postponed to 3 May due to weather
2023-24Durham University13-2University of Southampton
2024-25Durham University21-1University of East Anglia
2025-26University of Oxford22-5University of Cambridge

National Baseball Champions

SeasonWinnersScoreRunners-upComments
1890Aston VillaPreston North End Baseball ClubNo playoff
1892Middlesbrough25–16St. Thomas's
1893Thespian London33–6Darlington St. Augustine's
1894Thespian London38–14Stockton-on-Tees
1895Derby Baseball Club20–16Fullers
1896Wallsend-On-Tyne16–10Remingtons
1897Derby Baseball Club30–7Middlesbrough
1899Derby Baseball Club14–3Nottingham Forest
1900Nottingham Forest17–16Derby Baseball Club
1906Tottenham Hotspur16-5Nondescripts
1907Clapton Orient8–7Fulham
1908Tottenham Hotspur6–5Leyton
1909Clapton Orient6–4Leyton
1910Brentford20–5West Ham United
1911Leyton6–5Crystal Palace
1934Hatfield13–12Albion
1935New London7–1Rochdale Greys
1936White City9–5Catford Saints
1937Hull5–1Romford Wasps
1938Rochdale Greys1–0Oldham Greyhounds15 innings
1939Halifax9–5Rochdale Greys
1948Liverpool Robins13–0Thames Board Mills
1949Hornsey Red Sox10–5Liverpool Cubs
1950Burtonwood Bees23–2Hornsey Red Sox
1951Burtonwood Bees9–2Ruislip Rockets
1959Thames Board Mills12–4East Hull Aces
1960Thames Board Mills6–1Liverpool Tigers
1962Liverpool Tigers8–3East Hull Aces
1963East Hull Aces8–3Garringtons
1965Kingston Aces4–2Stretford Saints
1966Stretford Saints3–1Liverpool Aces
1967Liverpool Yankees4–2Beckenham Bluejays
1968Hull Aces4–1Hull Royals
1969Watford-Sun Rockets8–7Liverpool Trojans11 innings
1970Hull Royals3–1Hull Aces
1971Liverpool Tigers8–3Hull Aces
1972Hull Aces6–4Hull Royals
1973Burtonwood Yanks23–3Hull Aces
1974Nottingham Lions5–3Hull Royals
1975Liverpool Tigers5–3Nottingham Lions
1976Liverpool Trojans5–4Spirit Of '76
1977Golders Green Sox9–5Hull Aces
1978Liverpool Trojans14–12Crawley Giants
1979Golders Green Sox9–7Hull Aces
1980Liverpool Trojans12–1Hull Aces
1981London Warriors23–1Hull Aces
1982London Warriors16–7Liverpool Trojans
1983Cobham Yankees10–3Hull Mets
1984Croydon Blue Jays9–8Hull Mets
1985Hull Mets10–8London Warriors
1986Cobham Yankees12–5Hull Mets
1987Cobham Yankees6–0Southglade Hornets
1988Cobham Yankees16–1Burtonwood Braves
1989Enfield Spartans15–9Sutton Braves
1990Enfield Spartans22–3Hull Mets
1991Enfield Spartans9–7, 2–4, 4–1London AthleticsSpartans won 2 games to 1
1992 BBFLeeds City RoyalsHumberside MetsAwarded championship by walkover
1992 NLLondon Warriors23–0, 5–4Enfield SpartansWarriors won 2 games to 0
1993 BBFHumberside Mets and Chicksands IndiansTitle decider not played
1993 NLLondon Warriors2–1Enfield Spartans
1994 BBFHumberside Mets2–3, 10–0, 8–0Essex ArrowsMets won 2 games to 1
1994 NLEnfield Spartans8–5Waltham Forest Angels
1995Menwith Hill Pirates3–2, 7–6London WarriorsPirates won 2 games to 0
1996Menwith Hill Pirates14–9, 11–23, 18–12London WarriorsPirates won 2 games to 1
1997London Warriors11–5, 31–12Kingston-upon-Hull CobrasWarriors won 2 games to 0
1998Menwith Hill Patriots13–5, 17–15London WarriorsPatriots won 2 games to 0
1999Brighton Buccaneers16–4Windsor Bears
2000London Warriors11–7Brighton Buccaneers
2001Brighton Buccaneers8–5Windsor Bears
2002Brighton Buccaneers5–1Windsor Bears
2003Windsor Bears9–4Brighton Buccaneers
2004Croydon Pirates12–10Windsor Bears
2005Croydon Pirates11–4, 10–9Brighton BuccaneersPirates won 2 games to 0
2006Richmond Flames7–11, 8–5, 9–0Croydon PiratesFlames won 2 games to 1
2007London Mets7–2, 11–1Croydon PiratesMets won 2 games to 0
2008London Mets11–4Richmond Flames
2009Bracknell Blazers16–4Richmond Flames
2010Richmond Flames10–1Bracknell Blazers
2011Harlow Nationals13–3Lakenheath Diamondbacks
2012Harlow Nationals6–3Herts Falcons
2013Southern Nationals12–7Southampton Mustangs
2014Essex Arrows5–1, 5–4London MetsArrows won 2 games to 0
2015London Mets6–2, 11–2Southampton MustangsMets won 2 games to 0
2016Southampton Mustangs0–1, 7–3, 9–4London MetsMustangs won 2 games to 1
2017London Mets15–14, 6–0Southampton MustangsMets won 2 games to 0
2018London Mets16–1, 11–1Herts FalconsMets won 2 games to 0[50]
2019London Mets14–4London Capitals
2020London Mets9–1London Capitals
2021London Mets8-5London Capitals
2022London Mets9–4London Capitals[51]
2023 London Mets 3-5, 5–0, 14–0 London Capitals Mets won 2 games to 1
2024 London Mets 12-2, 7–4 Essex Arrows Mets won 2 games to 0
2025 London Mets 5-4, 14–2 Herts Toucans Mets won 2 games to 0

Championships by Region

Region Number of
championships		 Towns/Cities
London 37 London (37)
North West 14 Liverpool (9), Warrington (3), Rochdale (1), Stretford (1)
Yorkshire and the Humber 14 Hull (9), Harrogate (3), Halifax (1), Leeds (1)
South East 10 Cobham (4), Brighton (3), Bracknell (1), Southampton (1), Windsor (1)
East of England 7 Harlow (2), Purfleet (2), Bedford (1), Waltham Abbey (1), Watford (1)
East Midlands 5 Derby (3), Nottingham (2)
North East 2 Middlesbrough (1), Newcastle (1)
West Midlands 1 Birmingham (1)
Scotland –
South West –
Wales –

2026 league system

UK baseball is not a professional sport, so the league structure changes every season. In 2026, the format will be the following:

Level National Baseball League[52]
Division 1
9 teams		 North
5 teams		 South
4 teams
Division 2
9 teams		 East
4 teams		 West
5 teams
Division 3
25 teams		 North
7 teams		 Central
5 teams		 South
8 teams		 South West and
Wales (SWWBL)
5 teams
Division 4
32 teams		 North
6 teams		 Central
4 teams		 East
5 teams		 London
5 teams		 South
5 teams		 SWWBL
7 teams
Division 5
26 teams		 - Central
5 teams		 East
4 teams		 Upper Canal
3 teams		 South
5 teams		 SWWBL
Severn
5 teams		 SWWBL
Wessex
4 teams
Development[53] Lower Canal
3 teams
Independent Leagues
1 Kernow Baseball League
 Scottish National League
AAA
 West Midlands Baseball League
2 Scottish National League
A

2026 Clubs

Note: This list does not contain clubs which failed to opt in to the 2026 league system and are officially listed as inactive. Youth teams are also not included.

Club Team Name City/Area Ballpark League Tier Club Founded
   
   
BC Vėtra		 BC Vėtra Saltford, Somerset Saltford Sports Club BBF - Division 2 West 2 2018
   
   
Birmingham BC		 Birmingham Metalheads Birmingham, West Midlands Marston Green Recreational Ground BBF - Division 2 West 2 2003
Birmingham Bats BBF - Division 4 Central 4
   
   
Bognor BC		 Bognor Cobras Bognor Regis, West Sussex King George V Recreation Ground BBF - Division 4 South 4 2024
   
   
Bournemouth Bears BC		 Bournemouth Bears Ferndown, Dorset Ferndown Leisure Centre BBF - Division 3 SWWBL 3 2018
   
   
Bracknell B&SC		 Bracknell Inferno Bracknell, Berkshire Westmoreland Drive BBF - Division 2 West 2 1992
Bracknell Phoenix BBF - Division 4 South 4
Bracknell Pyros BBF - Division 5 Central 5
   
   
Brighton BC		 Brighton Brewers Brighton and Hove, East Sussex Waterhall Playing Fields BBF - Division 2 East 2 2016
Brighton Aces BBF - Division 4 South 4
Brighton Jets BBF - Divison 5 South 5
   
   
Bristol BC		 Bristol Badgers Keynsham, Somerset Somerdale Pavilion BBF - Division 2 West 2 2008
Bristol Bats BBF - Division 3 SWWBL 3
Bristol Buccaneers BBF - Division 4 SWWBL 4
Bristol Brunels BBF - Division 5 SWWBL Severn 5
   
   
Cambridge Baseball		 Cambridge Sovereigns Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Dave Adams Field BBF - Division 3 Central 3 2011
Cambridge Royals BBF - Division 4 East 4
Cambridge Monarchs BBF - Division 5 East 5
   
   
Cardiff Merlins Baseball		 Cardiff Merlins 1 Cardiff, Cardiff Pontcanna Fields BBF - Division 3 SWWBL 3 2018
Cardiff Merlins 2 BBF - Division 4 SWWBL 4
   
   
Cornish ClayCutters BC		 Cornish ClayCutters St. Austell, Cornwall St Mewan School Field BBF - Division 4 SWWBL 4 2017
Cornish Pioneers BBF - Division 5 SWWBL Wessex 5
   
   
County Durham Spartans BC		 County Durham Spartans Staindrop, County Durham Staindrop Academy BBF - Division 4 North 4 2017
   
   
Croydon Pirates Baseball		 Croydon Pirates 1 Sutton, London Roundshaw Grounds BBF - NBL South 1 1981
Croydon Pirates 2 BBF - Division 3 South 3
Croydon Pirates 3 BBF - Division 4 South 4
   
   
Edinburgh Angels		 Edinburgh Angels Edinburgh, Edinburgh Warriston Playing Fields SNBL - AAA S1 2024
   
   
Edinburgh BC		 Edinburgh Diamond Devils Edinburgh, Edinburgh Bobby Thomson Field SNBL - AAA S1 1985
Edinburgh Cannons SNBL – AAA S1
   
   
Edinburgh Rays BC		 Edinburgh Rays Edinburgh, Edinburgh Morgan Playing Fields SNBL - AAA S1 2023
   
   
Essex Baseball		 Essex Arrows Waltham Abbey, Essex and Chelmsford, Essex Townmead Leisure Park and Melbourne Park BBF - NBL South 1 1983
Essex Saxons BBF - Division 2 East 2
Essex Archers BBF - Division 3 Central 3
Essex Seaxes BBF - Division 4 East 4
Essex Redbacks BBF - Division 5 East 5
   
   
Exeter Baseball Club		 Exeter Spitfires Exeter, Devon Chadwick Field BBF - Division 3 SWWBL 3 2000
Exeter Wyverns BBF - Division 5 SWWBL Wessex 5
   
   
Glasgow Baseball Association		 Glasgow Baseball Association Glasgow, Glasgow Tolcross Field SNBL – AAA S1 1997
Glasgow Comets SNBL – A S2
Glasgow Galaxy SNBL – A S2
   
   
Glasgow Eclipse BC		 Glasgow Eclipse Glasgow, Glasgow Tolcross Park SNBL - A 4 2021
   
   
Guildford B&SC		 Guildford Mavericks Guildford, Surrey Christ's College BBF - Division 3 South 3 1992
Guildford Millers BBF - Division 5 Central 5
   
   
Harwich Town BC		 Harwich Town Bay Area Blues Harwich, Essex Low Road Field BBF - Division 4 East 4 2021
   
   
Hastings Pirates BC		 Hastings Pirates Hastings, East Sussex Bexhill Park BBF - Division 5 South 5 2018
   
   
Herts Baseball		 Herts Cardinals Barnet, London Basing Hill Park BBF - NBL South 1 1996
Herts Cardinals BBF - Division 2 East 2
East London Latin Boys BBF - Division 3 Central 3
Herts Hawks BBF - Division 4 London 4
Herts Ravens BBF - Division 4 London 4
Herts Eagles BBF - Division 5 Central 5
Herts Raptors BBF - Division 5 Central 5
   
   
Hildenborough Hurricanes BC		 Hildenborough Hurricanes Waltham Forest, London Salisbury Hall Playing Fields BBF - Division 3 South 3 2023
Hildenborough Hurricanes 2 BBF - Division 5 South 5
   
   
Hull Scorpions BC		 Hull Scorpions Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire Eastmount Recreation Centre BBF - Division 3 North 3 2008
   
   
Kent BC		 Kent Bucs Hadlow, Kent Williams Field BBF - AA - C 3 2018
Kent Mariners Medway, Kent Hoo Sports Field BBF - Division 5 South 5
   
   
Kernow Baseball CIC		 Truro Blue Jays Truro, Cornwall Boscawen Park Kernow Baseball League R 2022
Falmouth Oyster Catchers Falmouth, Cornwall Mawnan Smith Kernow Baseball League R
Roseland Rebels Truro, Cornwall - Kernow Baseball League R
Carn Brea Dynamite Redruth, Cornwall Illogan Field Kernow Baseball League R
   
   
Leeds Locos		 Leeds Locos 1 Otley, West Yorkshire Wharfemeadows Park BBF - Division 3 North 3 2020
Leeds Locos 2 Otley, West Yorkshire Wharfemeadows Park BBF - Division 4 North 4
   
   
Leicester Blue Sox		 Leicester Blue Sox Leicester, Leicestershire Western Park BBF - NBL North 1 2006
Leicester 2Sox BBF - Division 4 Central 4
   
   
London Mets B&SC		 London Mets Haringey, London and Enfield, London Finsbury Park and Enfield Baseball Field BBF - NBL South 1 1988
London Metros BBF - Division 2 East 2
London Meteors BBF - Division 3 South 3
London Marauders BBF - Division 3 South 3
London Minotaurs BBF - Division 4 London 4
London Mercury BBF - Division 4 London 4
London Mastodons BBF - Division 5 Canal 5
London Mercernaries BBF - Division 5 Canal 5
London Mayhem BBF - Division 5 Canal 5
Hackney Regents BBF - Development Canal 6
Limehouse Cutters BBF - Development Canal 6
London Mutineers BBF - Development Canal 6
   
   
Long Eaton Storm		 Long Eaton Storm Long Eaton, Derbyshire West Park Leisure Centre BBF - NBL North 1 2014
   
   
Manchester BC		 Manchester As Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester Wythenshawe Park BBF - NBL North 1 1947
Manchester Bees BBF - Division 3 North 3
Manchester Cavaliers BBF - Division 4 North 4
   
   
Middlesex Capybaras		 Middlesex Capybaras Enfield, London Enfield Playing Fields BBF - Division 5 Central 5 2025
   
   
Milton Keynes BC		 Milton Keynes Bucks Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire Woughton on the Green BBF - Division 3 Central 3 1986
Milton Keynes Bucks 2 BBF - Division 4 Central 4
   
   
Newcastle BC		 Newcastle Nighthawks Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear Gosforth Sports Association BBF - Division 3 North 3 2017
   
   
New Forest BC		 New Forest Thunder Eastleigh, Hampshire Wide Lane Sports Ground BBF - Division 5 SWWBL Severn 5 2022
New Forest Knights BBF - Division 5 SWWBL Severn 5
   
   
Newton Abbot Brewers		 Newton Abbot Brewers Bishopsteignton, Devon Michaels Field BBF - Division 4 SWWBL 4 2015
   
   
Northants BC		 Northants Centurions 1 Northampton, Northamptonshire St Crispin Community Centre BBF - Division 4 Central 4 2013
Northants Centurions 2 BBF - Division 5 East 5
   
   
Norwich Iceni Baseball		 Norwich Iceni Rebels Norwich, Norfolk The Hewett Academy BBF - Division 4 East 4 2017
Norwich Iceni Warriors BBF - Division 4 East 4
   
   
Oxford Kings BC		 Oxford Kings Oxford, Oxfordshire Oxford Kings Ballpark BBF - Division 3 Central 3 1998
   
   
Plymouth Mariners BC		 Plymouth Mariners Plymouth, Devon Wilson Field BBF - Division 5 SWWBL Wessex 5 2000
   
   
Plymouth Outlaws BC		 Plymouth Outlaws Plymouth, Devon Wilson Field BBF - Division 4 SWWBL 4 2025
Plymouth Outlaws 2 BBF - Division 5 SWWBL Wessex 5
   
   
Redditch & Bromsgrove BC		 Redditch Claykickers Redditch, Worcestershire Morton Stanley Park WMBL R 2024
   
   
Richmond B&SC		 Richmond Roebucks Richmond upon Thames, London Flood Field BBF - Division 2 West 2 1992
Richmond Knights BBF - Division 3 South 3
Richmond Dragons BBF - Division 3 South 3
Richmond Barons BBF - Division 4 London 4
Richmond Dukes BBF - Division 5 Central 5
   
   
Sheffield Bladerunners		 Sheffield Bladerunners I Sheffield, South Yorkshire Forge Valley BBF - Division 3 North 3 1985
Sheffield Bladerunners II BBF - Division 4 North 4
   
   
Sheffield Bruins BC		 Sheffield Bruins Sheffield, South Yorkshire Thorpe Green Park BBF - NBL North 1 2018
Sheffield Kodiaks BBF - Division 4 North 4
   
   
Stockton BC		 Stockton Grizzlies Stockton, Warwickshire The Den WMBL R 2022
   
   
Stourbridge Titans BC		 Stourbridge Titans Stourbridge, West Midlands Gibson Field WMBL R 2011
   
   
Taunton Muskets BC		 Taunton Muskets Taunton, Somerset Muskets Field BBF - Division 3 SWWBL 3 2014
Taunton Pistols BBF - Division 5 SWWBL Severn 5
   
   
Tayport Breakers BC		 Tayport Breakers Tayport, Fife Tom Waddell Memorial Baseball Field SNBL - AAA S1 2020
Tayport Breakers A SNBL - A S2
   
   
Telford BC		 Telford Giants Telford, Shropshire Meadow Recreation Ground WMBL R 2020
   
   
Tonbridge Baseball		 Tonbridge Wildcats Tonbridge, Kent Borley Field BBF - Division 4 South 4 1982
Tonbridge Bobcats BBF - Division 5 South 5
   
   
Torrington Riptides BC		 Torrington Riptides Torrington, Devon Torrington Rugby Club BBF - Division 5 SWWBL Wessex 5 2024
   
   
Trojans BC		 Liverpool Trojans Sefton, Merseyside and Runcorn, Cheshire Norman Wells Ballpark and John Mills Ballpark BBF NBL North 1 1946
Bootle Trojans BBF - Division 3 North 3
Halton Trojans BBF - Division 4 North 4
   
   
Wellington Khaki Sox BC		 Wellington Khaki Sox Wellington, Somerset Wellington Rugby Club BBF - Division 4 SWWBL 4 2021
   
   
Weston Jets BC		 Weston Jets Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset Hutton Moor BBF - Division 4 SWWBL 4 2018
   
   
Wolverhampton BC		 Wolverhampton Wolves Wolverhampton, West Midlands Colton Hills Community School WMBL R 2019
   
   
Worcester BC		 Worcester Sorcerers Worcester, Worcestershire Merlin Field WMBL R 2019
   
   
Wragby BC		 Wragby Warhammers Wragby, Lincolnshire Hammer Park BBF - Division 3 North 3 2021
   
   
Yeovil Whirlwinds BC		 Yeovil Whirlwinds Yeovil, Somerset Bradford Abbas Sports Club BBF - Division 5 SWWBL Severn 5 2018

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Baseball & softball participation England 2016-20". Statista. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  2. ↑ Sulat, Nate (26 July 2013). "Why isn't baseball more popular in the UK?". BBC News. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  3. ↑ Morosi, John Paul (5 March 2020). "Classic, London Series growing game in UK". MLB. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  4. ↑ Katz, Gregory (27 June 2019). "Baseball hasn't taken off in Britain, despite deep roots there". Global News. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  5. ↑ Lynch, Steven (9 April 2013). "Britain's Baseball Stars". ESPN. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  6. ↑ "Tommy Connolly". Retrosheet. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  7. ↑ "HARRY WRIGHT". Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  8. ↑ Thorn, John (20 March 2012). Baseball in the Garden of Eden: The Secret History of the Early Game. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-0-7432-9404-1.
  9. ↑ Hooper, Simon. "Did baseball begin in 18th-century England?". CNN. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  10. ↑ "Major League Baseball told: Your sport is British, not American". 11 September 2008. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  11. ↑ "UK - England - Surrey - Baseball's UK heritage confirmed". BBC News. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  12. ↑ Lucy Sherriff (19 June 2015). "MLB Players Want To Come And Play Baseball In London. So Why Don't They?". The Huffington Post UK. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  13. ↑ Waldstein, David (26 June 2019). "Baseball in London? It's a Real Thing, Even When the Yankees Aren't Visiting". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  14. ↑ Matthew Thomas. "About Angels in the UK". Angels in the UK. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  15. ↑ "American Baseball Players". The Buckingham Express. 8 August 1874. p. 6.
  16. ↑ "Cricket, Football and Baseball". Sporting Life. 5 September 1874. p. 4.
  17. ↑ "Circular Notes". Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News. 10 March 1888. p. 6.
  18. ↑ "Sporting Notes". Rugby Advertiser. 10 November 1888. p. 3.
  19. ↑ "America's National Game: Baseball Players on Tour". Sporting Life. 13 February 1889. p. 5.
  20. ↑ "Baseball in London". Eastern Morning News. 13 March 1889. p. 3.
  21. ↑ "Baseball". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 14 March 1889. p. 8.
  22. ↑ "The American Baseball Players". Yorkshire Evening Press. 16 March 1889. p. 4.
  23. ↑ "A Baseball Club for York". York Herald. 30 March 1889. p. 16.
  24. ↑ "Wanted". Derby Daily Telegraph. 26 March 1890. p. 3.
  25. 1 2 "Sports and Pastimes: Notes and Gossip". Lancashire Evening Post. 13 July 1890. p. 4.
  26. 1 2 "A Baseball Association Formed". Derby Daily Telegraph. 10 October 1889. p. 3.
  27. ↑ "Baseball in England". Sporting Life. 4 December 1889. p. 7.
  28. ↑ "Baseball". Dundee Evening Telegraph. 2 July 1890. p. 3.
  29. ↑ "Odds and Ends". Dundee Evening Telegraph. 16 July 1890. p. 3.
  30. ↑ "Cricket". 17 July 1890. p. 10.
  31. ↑ Kendrick, Mat. "Aston Villa: The day the claret and blues won the baseball league". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  32. ↑ "The Baseball Championship: Aston Villa the Winners". Sporting Life. 3 September 1890. p. 1.
  33. ↑ "Derby Baseball Grounds: Notice". Derby Daily Telegraph. 4 August 1890. p. 3.
  34. ↑ "The North End Baseball Team". Preston Herald. 27 August 1890. p. 5.
  35. ↑ "Baseball Team to Visit England". Pall Mall Gazette. 28 February 1890. p. 4.
  36. ↑ "Baseball in Edinburgh". Edinburgh Evening News. 5 May 1890. p. 3.
  37. ↑ "The Spalding Baseball Club". Aberdeen Press and Journal. 12 July 1890. p. 3.
  38. ↑ "Baseball in Aberdeen". Aberdeen Press and Journal. 5 August 1890. p. 3.
  39. ↑ "Local Sporting Notions". South Wales Echo. 15 April 1893. p. 2.
  40. ↑ Chetwynd, Josh (11 October 2019). Baseball in Europe: A Country by Country History, 2d ed. McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-3786-0.
  41. ↑ "The 1938 Amateur World Series in Liverpool: How Britain beat America at Baseball". Liverpool Echo. 3 October 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  42. ↑ "England Baseball Team to Tour". Leeds Mercury. 30 July 1938. p. 11.
  43. ↑ "Short Jabs". Sunday Mirror. 22 July 1951. p. 16.
  44. ↑ "MLB - Baseball in Europe is about to take off". Espn.com. 13 September 2011. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  45. 1 2 Staff. "Development | Universities". www.baseballsoftballuk.com. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  46. ↑ "Historic: baseball and softball become university sports in United Kingdom". World Baseball Softball Confederation. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  47. ↑ Staff. "UCLan's Hill, Simmons Make History as first British Baseball Scholar-Athletes". www.baseballsoftballuk.com. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  48. ↑ Staff. "Inaugural BUCS Baseball & Softball National Championships - By the Numbers". www.baseballsoftballuk.com. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  49. ↑ Staff. "Double, Double! Loughborough repeats as BUCS National Baseball Champions". www.baseballsoftballuk.com. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  50. ↑ Jones, Rob (9 September 2018). "Falcons fall at the last; Mets take NBL title". Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  51. ↑ "NBL 2022". British Baseball Federation.
  52. ↑ "BBF 2026 Senior League preview". British Baseball Federation. 9 March 2026. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  53. ↑ "Lower Canal League". British Baseball Federation. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
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