The Continental Amateur Baseball Association launched the initial season in 1984. Ron Golden and Roger Tremaine had the vision of starting a new more user-friendly youth baseball organization that would provide more teams the opportunity to participate at the national level. As the new kid on the block at that time, it was incumbent upon them to develop a program that would offer real alternatives, so the C.A.B.A. was the innovator in providing national level events for single age levels 9-18. In addition, the C.A.B.A. initiated round robin play leading to a double elimination championship bracket. These seem almost standard procedure in today’s youth baseball world, but in 1984, it was a revolution! Since that time, many thousands of teams from virtually every state, along with Puerto Rico, Panama, Guam, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and the Dominican Republic have participated in C.A.B.A. World Series events. In addition, hundreds of players that have since gone on to play at the professional level have played in C.A.B.A. World Series events, including C.A.B.A. Graduates of the Year such as Alex Rodriguez and Todd Helton.

Roger Tremaine served as Executive Director and was the brain thrust of the organization for more than 20 years and it was his intuitive sense of the game that led to fresh ideas for amateur baseball. In the early days of the C.A.B.A., Carl Williams, now Vice President Emeritus, served as President and it was his responsibility to develop world series sites for the organization and develop he did, with sites like Northern, Illinois one of the finest world series in amateur baseball under the guidance of now Vice President of Marketing EnRico Heirman. Roger and Carl, along with Ed Carpenter, developed what has become a 24 year relationship with Euclid, Ohio, site of our High School Division World Series. BEING Intent on making CABA national in scope resulted in enlisting Kirkland, Washington to host the 14 year old World Series. A few years later, Becky Buckley was given the task of serving as director to develop the Pacific Northwest into the mainstay that it is. Those sites, along with others in Texas, Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri, gave the C.A.B.A. a national flavor. The C.A.B.A. would not have gained it’s legs, however, had it not been for the tireless efforts of world series hosts Steve and Janis Hogg of Marion, Ohio, who served as world series directors at various age levels for over 20 years. Janis still serves as Vice President of Administration.

Upon Roger’s passing in October of 2005, then First Vice President Larry Redwine was unanimous choice to succeed Roger in that capacity. Larry, who coached nationally competitive summer teams for 33 years, along with serving as head coach at Xavier University in the early 80’s through the early 90’s, serves with long time Commissioner and Newspaper Editor John Mocny and Executive Vice President Fran Pell to lead the C.A.B.A. into a bright future. Arguably the top Executive Board in amateur baseball serves the C.A.B.A. membership. Vice President South Guerry Baldwin directs the East Cobb baseball program out of Marietta, Georgia. Guerry, whose personal teams have captured 35 world series championships over the years, serves also to host the 16 year old aluminum bat world series, and his organization will host the 12 year old east and 11 year old wood bat world series. Vice President East, John Rhodes, who directs the nationally recognized South Carolina Diamond Devils program, also serves as host of the 18 and under Wood Bat World Series. Vice President of the Caribbean and South America, Arturo Perez, has made Puerto Rico and Panama participating mainstays in C.A.B.A. World Series and from time to time, in our National Championships. The rest of the strong leadership team includes: Vice President Legal, Mike Maundrell (A successful coach at the youth and college levels for over 35 years); Vice President for Public Relations, Mike Montgomery (26 years of baseball coaching experience who also served as basketball coach and Athletic Director for many years). Vice President West, Bill Beckett (long time summer and high school coach and tournament director) Our Vice President for Information Systems is tri-athelete Dr. Duane Buck, and the Vice President for Membership Development, Jerry Salyers, brings over 37 years coaching experience to the team.

The C.A.B.A. Leadership team is also made strong through regional directors, Ben Herrera (Southwest), Becky Buckley (Northwest), former major leaguer Ted Cox (Great Plains), Harry Oschip (Ohio Valley) and Pat Solomita (Northeast). In addition, long time coach and youth sports administrator Rob Mackey serves as web site developer and administrator.

As you can see, we have not comprised our leadership team of businessmen simply out to develop an entrepreneurial endeavor, but real baseball people that understand the goals and objectives of youth baseball teams and their coaches.

We are aware that you have a number of options to choose from and appreciate the fact that you are considering the C.A.B.A. Of course the ultimate goal in participating with C.A.B.A. is to participate in one of our World Series or National Championship events. Allow us now to introduce our World Series:

I will start with the fact that we are not motivated by any desire to have the largest world series in amateur baseball. Instead, our goal is to have some of the best events available today.

We offer multiple means by which to qualify for participation in our world series. (a) In areas with high levels of participation, such as Illinois, Michigan, Puerto Rico, Washington, Delaware and Ohio, league play is often used as a means of qualification. (b) Tournament qualification at the local level is the most frequent means of qualification. ( c) In areas where C.A.B.A. does not have a strong presence or when dealing with a historically faithful team or program that is routinely a worthy World Series participant, we will grant at-large berths.

Teams participating in C.A.B.A. World Series will get not less than 6 games, typically accomplished in pool play, but may be part of the elimination structure.

Following pool play, the top 4, 8, 16, or 32 teams (depending upon the size of the event) as determined by overall record (in multiple pool segments) or pool standing (if one tier of pool play is used) will advance to a double elimination championship. We typically have no consolation bracket, although some sites offer this courtesy. Generally, however, we feel that by providing 6 games in pool play, teams have ample opportunity to prove they belong in championship contention and that we are being sufficiently accommodating. Personally, I have always thought there was something very convoluted about the 23rd and 24th best teams in the tournament taking home trophies, while the 3rd and 4th place teams got none.

Our National Championships were created for other than highly recruited teams. The process for participation is simple. Unlike our World Series, where most teams qualify through leagues and tournaments, our National Championships are more open in the qualification and registration process. See your state and area directors for specifics. While our World Series are national/international events, our National Championships tend to draw most (not necessarily all) participating teams from their geographic region of the country. On occasion, some sites will draw teams from across the country or internationally. Generally, this gives teams not quite of the World Series caliber an opportunity to compete favorably with other teams of similar structure.

Teams participating in C.A.B.A. National Championships will get five games minimum. In most cases, this is accomplished by teams playing four pool play games. The bottom teams in pool play then get an additional courtesy game, while the top teams advance to a single elimination championship. (Local sites have the ability to revise the format, but the 5 game minimum is required)

Our World Series and National Championship hosts work hard to find the best hotels in their respective areas at the best possible prices. It is vital in order for sites to obtain the local community support they need to make our events a success, that you patronize the hotels contracted through our fee free travel agent A.S.A.. In addition to this free service, they are sometimes able to provide opportunities for discounted meals at some locations and almost all sites have recreational opportunities planned-especially for ages 15 and under, where entertainment is vital.

Part of the reason for asking the questions referenced above is to get a feel for whether or not you have a workable plan for success. Another reason is to get a certain fix on the credibility of the responsible parties. The financial responsibility of the tournament for sanctioning the tournament is, frankly, peanuts. We just want to insure that potential participants are going to get a good buy and that they are going to know exactly what they are getting for their money. We don’t care about the structure of your tournament. If you advertise it as a double elimination tournament with an entry fee of $5,000 and people with more money than sense still play, it’s their business. Our concern is that when hosts advertise a tournament as having a specific structure, they live up to their word.

Your financial responsibility to C.A.B.A. is to pay a sanctioning fee of $25 for each age level of the tournament if your tournament has at least 8 C.A.B.A. registered teams. The sanction fee is $50 for tournaments of 4-7 teams. That fee is due at the time you request sanctioning. Example: You are hosting a separate tournament for the 10, 11 & 12 year old age levels. That would be 3 sanction fees due. (Failure to declare a tournament a sanctioned event in order to avoid payment of the sanction fee may well lose a berth spot for a potential tournament champion. We are not attempting to conduct 100 team World Series. Our sites have limits and there are restrictions on those numbers that vary from one event to the next.) That sanction fee will qualify one team from your tournament for the World Series or National Championship and will hold that spot until you fill or release it, or the deadline has passed to fill it. If you wish to obtain more than one berth in a WS or NC, it is an additional $50 and permission for the additional spot must be approved by both the tournament director and the national office. Multiple berths into our World Series from one area of the country are not readily available. The area must have an unusually high incidence of nationally competitive teams. Since participants in our National Championships are typically more regionalized, multiple berths are available on a routine.

Prior to the start of each sanctioned tournament, we will need specific tournament details that will appear on our web site to announce the event as sanctioned. Only those tournaments listed on the web site are officially sanctioned as of the date someone may inquire. In addition, it is required that the tournament director provide the national office with the complete list of participants and their registration numbers.

One question I am always asked is: What is the financial split: If you host a C.A.B.A. sanctioned event, you are permitted to use our image on T-shirts and other apparel. You are permitted to collect the tournament fee, concession income, gate admission charges, hotel rebates and other concessions that you are industrious enough to undertake. Apart from the the national registration and sanction fee I spoke of earlier, the financial split is You 100% and C.A.B.A. 0%. C.A.B.A. is not interested in fleecing our league and tournament directors. 

Thanks for your interest in events conducted under the auspices of the Continental Amateur Baseball Association. Because I am asked several hundred times a year about how teams can qualify to play in a C.A.B.A. World Series or National Championship, I have put together this short letter to make this as simple as possible.

All teams participating at any level of C.A.B.A. sanctioned competition must be registered. That can be accomplished through a local league affiliate, through participation in C.A.B.A. sanctioned tournaments, or by going on line to the CABAbaseball.com web site. The fee is $25.

There are three means by which to qualify for participation in one of our major events. (1) Members of a C.A.B.A. registered league can advance at the league’s discretion by registering all teams in the league and by payment of the nominal sanction fee that is outlined for league directors. Leagues may obtain one entry into our major events and additional berths MAY be obtained upon approval by me and the event sponsor. The league and tournament Sanction fee is $25 for leagues/tournaments with 8 or more teams per age level and $50 for a 4-7 team league/tournament registration. Additional advancement spots are by special agreement only.

In areas of the country where there is not widespread participation in C.A.B.A., at-large berths are obtainable by application to the national office and payment of the appropriate fee: Applicants for at-large berths are asked to establish their level of competitiveness as appropriate for the level of entry sought. Spots available after league and tournament qualifiers are secured will be on a first come first served basis among qualified teams.

Thanks for taking the time to read through this material. Your interest is sincerely appreciated. If I can be of further service, feel free to contact me by phone or email.