It was in the summer of the year 2000 the seed was planted and by the Fall sprouted the ABL.

For years I had coached and managed youth baseball and in every league and at every level I would see the trend...many of those without any influential attachments or natural and raw talent were left by the wayside.  Let me explain!  These kids, in most cases, were neglected resulting in either them quitting or becoming under achievers with low self esteem.   So as the years past, many of those players would fall behind on the baseball learning curve and eventually by the age of 13 would lose interest and quit altogether.  

The proof:  Reduced applications of recruits graduating from Little League advancing to the Senior Little League and/or the Babe Ruth levels. 

So what was / and is currently happening in youth baseball? 

In my opinion, a great deal of talented and potentially talented kids were not making the coveted All Star teams.   These players know what's going on and get very frustrated when they have worked hard on the diamond and see "Little Johnny" (who’s parents are friendly with the All Star manager) get appointed to the All Star team and hadn't got a base-hit all season!

Well I have two sons. My oldest, Jason, played 3rd base for our local high School (Fall River, MA) but eventually quit the team because he saw the "politics" and just wanted to get away from it all.   During his high school baseball career, he was scouted by Mr. Mons of the Pirates organization.  Well needless to say I was devastated when Jason hung up his spikes.

Now, with my younger son Lucas, I started the coaching progression once again and became a retread (so to speak) in the youth baseball world.  Lucas' friends played in the Swansea Baseball Independent League (SIBL) so that’s where he wanted to play.   I personally knew no one in that league which was located out of town.

The Genesis of the ABL in year 2000

In the year 2000, Lucas, who was 7 years old, would practice daily and work diligently to become a better player.  His SIBL manager placed him in the outfield because he played it well moreover the coach had his faves to play the infield.   (At ages 7 - 8, in my opinion, the kids should move from position to position).  At this tender young age, most of the kids want to play the infield but I would explain to Lucas that teams need outfielders as well and can't win without them... but occasionally Luke would play 3rd however knew his role was outfield.

For practice, I would take him to the ball park whenever possible and hit him "Major League" fly balls in the outfield.   He performed well and knew he was as talented as anyone at SIBL. 

Although he hit several homeruns and played a solid infield and outfield throughout the season...he was not chosen for the All Star team.  He completely broke down and cried like a baby when he received the news... I had no explanations for him.  I think I broke down with him.  My heart fell out of my chest...  I looked at who was picked for the team and felt that a few were...  well... I think you know what I mean.   I didn't make a fuss with SIBL and in time Lucas accepted it and moved on!

So without being on the All Star team and the SIBL regular season completed before school was finished in June, he had no baseball for the summer of 2000. 

I wanted to do something for him and for all of kids who were not playing.  There's a need for a league that encourages free spirit and competition which allows everyone to feel like they are part of the a team.  A league to learn the game (as well as learn how to win and lose), to become better players (on and off the field), and one that politics has no place.  I wanted it to be fair for everyone, including the kids with no affluence or influence.  Youth leagues are suppose to be for the youth and not the adults craving and searching for some kind of power and control.

(The most important factor why the ABL got started is because after talking to Lucas about playing more baseball during that summer of 2009, he encouraged me to gather some kids together just to play a few games...)  In August of 2000 I did just that by notifying all local newspapers and called everyone I knew who was involved in baseball, including those at SIBL. 

The tryout was at Maplewood Park in Fall River and couldn't believe my eyes.  Enough kids showed up to fill 12 teams...  The first year was very successful and everyone wanted more the following year. 

Year 2 had 16 teams, year 3 with 21 teams, year 4 - 24 teams, year 5 - 26 teams, year 6  - 35 teams, year 7 - 33 teams, year 8 with 29 and this year 2009 44 teams...

We saw a decline in ABL teams for a few years recently and it's not because of the lack of popularity in baseball but quite the contrast!  In those years, baseball had grown in popularity because of local little leagues starting their own fall leagues.  So if you take into consideration the total teams prior to year 2000, (0 teams) to the present (2009), there were well over 60 fall teams throughout our region for our boys and girls to play ball.  Those new fall leagues are the offspring of the Autumn Baseball League.

I have to give all the accolades to my son, Lucas, who encouraged me to create what is now the ABL.  I'll never forget Lucas' heartbreaking emotion of rejection and disappointment during that 2000 SIBL season and I'll never forget that big smile on his face and how excited he was to be playing in the first year of the his new baseball league.

In tribute to my son Lucas, I wanted to name the league after him. 

Originally I called the league:  The League of Autumn Baseball or the LAB.  My son's name is:  Lucas Alexander Bomback

Because the letters ABL seemed to roll off the tongue more fluently and after discussions with local sports writer Greg Sullivan of the Fall River Herald News, it was decided to go with ABL.

It's been exciting and rewarding history for youth baseball in Southeastern New England since the year 2000.  In 2009, ABL teams competed from as far as Quincy (Boston area) and Plymouth (Cape Code), MA as well as Seekonk (Seekonk borders E. Providence, RI), MA and into Rhode Island itself.

Herman Bomback

www.AutumnBaseballLeague.com 

Email:  AutumnBaseballLeague@live.com

ABL, Commissioner

written 11/03/07 (updated: December 3, 2009)

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(THE 2009 SEASON PRODUCED 44 BASEBALL TEAMS.  That's approximately 660 +- players, 88 +- coaches, 100 + parents and grandparents and many more sponsors and supporters.)

Take due notice thereof, and govern yourself accordingly.