The Men’s Senior Baseball League (MSBL)/Men’s Adult Baseball League (MABL) National organization is the premier amateur baseball league for adults 18 years of age and older. Founded in 1988, it was the fastest-growing adult baseball organization in the country.
In 1989, Larry Wiggins started a 30 and Older league in Houston affiliated with the MSBL. The name was Houston Men's Senior Baseball League. Original games were played at Memorial Ashford Little League with 5 teams to start. The popularity of this new phenomena allowed the league to grow to almost 40 teams where it peaked in early 2000's offering age divisions of 18+, 30+, 40+ with A & B levels for each age division. Since this time it has settled consistently to 25-30 team range for the past twenty years mostly due to team consolidations. Much of the original league structure and format still remains the same today, although technology and communications have dramatically improved the league since its inception.
NOT JUST A BUNCH OF AMATEURS
Adult Amateur and Semi-Pro Ball in Houston actually dates back to before the 1950's and was not a new concept in 1988. The warmer climate has always allowed baseball to be played many months in Houston during the year where other parts of the country can not. Company sponsored teams were very much a thing having teams named after the company from which they represent. Age of the player was never specifically factored in, just level of talent and skill set. Structuring an adult league into age categories in 1988 was a new concept at the time. It allowed amateur players to continue to play the game they played as kids without aging out.
IT'S ALL ABOUT COMMUNITY
Community involvement has always played an integral part of the league's purpose. Over the years our league has completed numerous community projects partnering with schools, non-profits, boosters and fund raisers to build baseball fields, raise revenue, provide supplies and improve practice facilities for the community youth. Some of these projects include Westbury HS, Willowridge HS, Stratford HS, Faith West Academy, Smiley HS, Northbrook HS, Kingwood College, Nimitz HS, Waltrip HS, Galena Park HS, Global Sports Foundation and most recently developing two fields in Harris County Meyer Park that can be leased out to the community.
THE FUTURE
There have been a few leadership and name changes along the way, but today the Houston Hardball League still remains committed to playing the highest quality of baseball on a regular basis with various age divisions. Houston Hardball League remains the only National affiliated league in Houston having played thousands of league games and sending hundreds of players to compete against other cities in tournaments across the U.S. and abroad.
So if you're interested in making your mark in Houston's amateur baseball history, come out to the next tryouts. We'll have a spot for you!
*For more information on the History of Baseball in Houston, just visit the Society for American Baseball Research Website - https://sabr.org/