Message from the President

Dear Westgarth Members Over the course of this season, the Committee and I have observed and had reported to us a worrying trend at Westgarth Baseball Club games. There has been in increase in aggressive and abusive behaviour in our games involving the throwing of equipment, use of bad language and culminating two weeks ago in the abuse of a Merri Park user. This particular incident led to two separate complaints being made to the club and occurred in the presence of junior players and their parents. In response to these events the Committee will be taking the following actions: 1) Before each game this weekend a Committee member will address each team and reinforce our commitment to removing unacceptable behaviour from our games 2) Team managers will be encouraged to support umpires - particularly club umpires - to act when unacceptable behaviour occurs. This includes benching players and, if deemed necessary, reporting the behaviour to the Committee for further action 3) ... More

Westgarth and Research in a heritage thriller

Westgarth BC Mark Le Grew, Monday, 8 July 2013 A return to A grade has shown that Westgarth BC have talent at their disposal playing out a classic draw against Research BC on Sunday Westgarth and Research can't be separated in both grades By SALLY HEPPLESTON IT WAS a close day of baseball for the Westgarth and Research baseball clubs on Sunday with both the A grade and A reserve teams drawing in round 11 of the Melbourne Winter Baseball League. Played at Westgarth on the club’s annual heritage day, the A grade match finished with 2-2 draw, with both sides having opportunities to win. The A reserve match was four all. The A grade game was the main attraction on an important day for the Westgarth Baseball Club, with a curtain raiser played by past legends of the Westgarth and Melbourne University baseball clubs. Westgarth, with only three wins for the season, went in to the game as underdogs against last year’s runners-up Research, who before the match ... More

Westgarth to represent in Championships

DIAMOND VALLEY TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT We wish to notify the Westgarth Baseball Club of the following members who have been selected to represent the Diamond Valley Under 16’s at the 2013 State Winter Championships. Derek Medlin Angus Vear Abbey Kelly Gideon Van-Twest These players will form part of two 15 member teams selected from players in the Diamond Valley Junior Baseball Association (DVJBA). Team members successfully participated in an arduous selection process over a number of try-out sessions. Players in the Under 16 team represent all clubs that currently play in the DVJBA. The Under 16 State Winter Championships are being held in Wangaratta on 27th and 28th July 2013. I’d like to encourage you and your members to attend the tournament and support your club members and the Diamond Valley team. The Championships will see representative teams from each league and association across Victoria compete over the two days. We wish to congratulate these players ... More

Westgarth stalwart Eddie Illingworth enters MCC Hall of Fame

Long time Westgarth BC member Eddie Illingworth has proven his status as an all round sport star with his entry into the Melbourne Baseball Club Hall of Fame along with a cricket honour. WHEN it comes to picking between cricket and baseball, don’t make Eddie Illingworth choose. The 74-year-old Glen Iris resident was recently inducted in to the Melbourne Cricket Club Baseball Section Hall of Fame, and on the same night was inducted in to the Fitzroy Doncaster Cricket Club Hall of Fame. When it came to deciding which event he’d attend, it simply came down to which invitation he received first, with cricket getting the nod in the end, only just. Eddie has a long and colourful history with both sports. As a young cricketer, he was looking for a way to keep his eye in, his arm turning over and his fitness up during the winter, so someone suggested baseball. In those times, cricketers who weren’t interested in playing the more popular winter sport, football, baseball was the ... More

Westgarth Ladies Day Saturday May 11th

More

Living Legend – Eddie Illingworth

The attached comes from the MCC news magazine and has our very own Eddie being elected to the Melbourne Baseball Club Hall of Fame So Ed's baseball pedigree grows ever longer - Multiple Victorian Honors - All Australian selection - VBA team of the Century selection - WBC Life Member & living legend whom the Club MVP Trophy is named after - MUBC & WBC play annually for the Illingworth / Bitmead Trophy And now honored with being selected in the Melbourne Baseball Club Hall of Fame Congrats Ed More

Westgarth take out B Grade premiership

Westgarth BC - B Grade Premiers 2012 Mark Le Grew, Monday, 17 September 2012 Congratulations to Westgarth BC, taking out the B grade flag after a hard fought win against a gallant North Coburg Rebels Westgarth take out B Grade premiership in against a gallant North Coburg Rebels Melbourne Winter Baseball League's B Grade Grand Final at Deep Creek Reserve, Warrandyte on Saturday saw North Coburg take on minor premiers, Westgarth.   In the major semi-final two weeks ago, North Coburg had a late surge of runs, enabling them to get over the top of Westgarth in a close finish. On Saturday however, Westgarth were able to reverse the result, taking out the B Grade title with a 11-4 victory.   Aaron Petri took the ball for North Coburg, with Westgarth regular starter, Andrew Reeves heading to the mound.   The minor premiers got out to an early 1-0 lead however, North Coburg were not to be outdone, hitting straight back with three runs of their own.   ... More

Following the”w” in MLB

The month ahead promises more celebratory occasions for the Washington Nationals than their victory Monday afternoon, more games when they can plant a flag or maybe spray champagne. The significance of their 2-1 win over the dismal Chicago Cubs will hardly register in the standings, where they sit above every team in the major leagues. But history and arithmetic elevated the importance of Ross Detwiler’s seven dazzling innings and Adam LaRoche’s upper deck home run. Their fifth win in six games nudged the Nationals’ record to 82-52. Go back and read that win total again. Think about what it means. Insight on the Nationals and all the latest news from Post reporters Adam Kilgore and James Wagner. The Nationals clinched the first winning season in Washington since 1969, the year Ted Williams managed the Senators to 86 wins at RFK Stadium. Since baseball returned in 2005, the Nationals had never surpassed the 81-81 record of their inaugural season. Washington has 28 ... More

Australia to feature in Little League

Australia will have a team in the Little League World Series for the first time in 2013, exposing some of the country's best young baseballers to a television viewing audience of 40 million people. Previously the best local team had to win through the Asia-Pacific region to qualify for the annual tournament held in the United States - a task that had thus far proved beyond an outfit from Australia. But that all changes next year with the Australian national champion granted automatic entry into youth baseball's biggest international tournament. Now the fourth-largest country in the world in terms of little league participation, Australia will join Canada, Mexico and Japan as nations with automatic entry to the competition for 12- and 13-year-olds. The US gets eight spots for the 16-team competition, which has showcased future greats of the game including the Mets' All Star Jason Bay (National League rookie of the year in 2004) and Jason Varitek (three-time MLB all-star and ... More

Westgarth and Forest Hill preview a potential finals match up

Westgarth BC Mark Le Grew, Monday, 9 July 2012 With blue skies above, Round 11 of the MWBL season was played for A grade and B grade only, with results showing that the field is wide open come finals time. B Grade battle for top spot at Merri Park On a cool but sunny Saturday afternoon, Merri Park, Northcote, hosted the top-of-the-table clash between Westgarth and Forest Hill in Melbourne Winter Baseball League's B Grade competition. In a tight, closely-fought contest, the result came down to the last innings, with Westgarth prevailing, 6-4. Andrew Reeves took the ball for the hosts, with Forest Hill sending Daniel Beattie to the mound. After an uneventful first innings, the visitors were able to take a 2-0 lead over the first-placed Westgarth in the second. A lead-off single to Ewan John was followed by a double to Michael Van Der Meer, leaving runners on second and third base with no-one out. Catcher Simon Campbell was able to score John via an in-field ... More