By Michael Letendre
The Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League is looking for big things for the upcoming 2022 campaign.
This year marks to 93rd year of GHTBL play and if the pandemic doesn’t flare up during the summer months, expect the league to hold a full slate of games for the first time since 2019.
“This season, the GHTBL will go back to its traditional format,” according to the GHTBL website. “Each franchise will play three games against every other franchise. The 24-game schedule will be the most regular season games planned by the league since 2019. Things are finally back to normal for the time being.”
Well, almost back to normal.
There will be a bit of a change for the franchise from the Mum City as the Bristol Greeners, entering its second season in the GHTBL play, will have a different manager in charge.
Trevor Mays is new coach of the Greeners, replacing long time manager AJ Lorenzetti.
Mays played at Bristol Eastern and helped the Bristol American Legion junior baseball program to a New England championship over his playing career.
The pitcher has a ton of experience and looks forward to adding a managerial component along with his playing abilities this year.
The GHTBL will have nine franchises return to play this year: The Bristol Greeners, East Hartford Jets, Hartford Colts, M&T People’s, Rainbow Graphics, Record-Journal Expos, South Windsor Phillies, Wallingford Cardinals, and a long-time member of the GHTBL, the Vernon Orioles.
However, since nine teams will be competing this year, the GHTBL postseason tournament will include a ‘play-in’ game – pitting the eighth and ninth place finishers against each other in a single-elimination showdown.
From there, an eight-team double-elimination tournament will commence that ‘play-in’ game.
As for the players, over two-hundred athletes are expected to compete this summer in the GHTBL and plenty of returners – along with several newcomers – will be looking to seize both the regular season and postseason championships.
The league expects players to travel from as far as Groton and Longmeadow, Massachusetts to contend for a GHTBL championship in 2022 – pitting athletes of various abilities on the baseball diamond.
“A vast majority of GHTBL players are also current or former college players,” said the website. “A handful are ex-professionals. A few are high school prospects. They join the twilight-loop for various reasons [whether it’s] to develop into a better player, for the love of the game, [or] camaraderie with teammates. Whatever the reason, the GHTBL is grateful to remain one of most talent laden summer leagues in Connecticut.”
The league is extremely competitive and provides excellent family entertainment across all its platforms and games.
As always, the GHTBL uses wood bats, abides by Major League Baseball rules, and competes over a seven-inning format.
To learn more about playing in the GHTBL, or to simply look at the history of the summer baseball program, go to www.GHTBL.org/join.
Bristol Greeners starts play on May 23
The Bristol Greeners opens the 2022 campaign on Monday, May 23 against the South Windsor Phillies from Rotary Field.
Last season was the Greeners’ first in the GHTBL after a long association with the Connecticut Tri-State Baseball League.
Joining the GHTBL meant a little less travel for the players on the Greeners.
Trips to places like Torrington and Bethlehem after work never allowed it a full complement of players to travel on the road.
Now, the GHTBL includes venues closer for the players from the Bristol franchise to compete within the Central Connecticut area.
Muzzy Field will once again be the home field for the Greeners this season.
The regular season for the Greeners lasts into the final day of July with the playoffs quickly commencing in August.
The last Bristol franchise in the GHTBL
Previously, the Bristol Merchants (2001-11) were a staple of GHTBL wars and the Greeners hope to eventually match some of those feats of the last Bristol franchise to play in the league.
Head coach Bunty Ray was the manager of the program from 2002 until 2010.
Ray helped the team to back-to-back regular season titles in 2009-10 while the program won the playoff championship in 2009.
In all, the program collected nine total titles under the watchful eye of Ray and a very talented roster.
Opening Day
This season’s Opening Day will be held at Mount Nebo Park in Manchester on Sunday, May 22.
The Vernon Orioles will square off against Rainbow Graphics.
