Bethesda Big Train
Team Information
Current League (2005 - Present)	Cal Ripken, Sr. Collegiate Baseball League
Prior League (1999 - 2004)	Clark Griffith League
Location	Bethesda, Maryland
Ballpark	Shirley Povich Field
Mascots	Homer, Bunt
History
Data Refers to CRSCBL Only
League Championships (3)	2005, 2006, 2009
Post-Season Tournament Championships (2)	2005, 2009
Last Season	34-10
Management
Chairmen	Bruce Adams, Randy Schools
General Manager	Jordan Henry
Team Manager	Sal Colangelo
Coach	Michael Dunlow
Coach	Mike Moreland
Assistant General Manager	TBD
Public Relations Manager	TBD

The Bethesda Big Train is an amateur, wooden-bat baseball team based in Bethesda, Maryland. Most of its players are drawn from the college ranks. The team is a member of the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League (CRCBL). The Big Train plays its home games at Shirley Povich Field. The Big Train is owned and operated by the non-profit The Bethesda Community Base Ball Club, Inc., and is funded through merchandise sales, donations, and other fundraising efforts at games. As of March 2008, 34 Big Train Alumni have played professional baseball. ^[1]

Contents 1 History 2 Notable alumni 3 References 4 External links

[edit] History

The Bethesda Community Baseball Club, Inc. was founded in 1998 "to raise funds to improve the quality of youth baseball and softball fields in Montgomery County and the District of Columbia." Proceeds from the operations of the Bethesda Big Train are used to further this mission. As of March 2008 the Club reports they have raised $300,000 in support of this mission.^[2]

The Big Train commenced play in 1999 as part of the Clark Griffith League (CGL). In 2004, they won the CGL championship.^[3]

In 2005 the Big Train joined the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League (CRCBL)^[4]. That first year, the team won the league championship and shared the post-season tournament championship with the Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts. In 2006 the Big Train were the regular season champions.^[5] In 2009, the Big Train won both the regular and postseason championships.

[edit] Notable alumni

• John Maine ^[6], 2000 Big Train, currently with the New York Mets
• Bobby Livingston ^[7], 2001 Big Train, currently with the Cleveland Indians
• Steve Schmoll ^[8], 2000 Big Train, major league debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers
• Charlton Jimerson ^[9], 1999 Big Train, major league debut with the Houston Astros
• Dirk Hayhurst ^[10], 2001 Big Train, major league debut with the San Diego Padres
• Carlos Gutierrez ^[11], 27th overall draft pick in 2008 draft
• Chris Mobley ^[12], 2002 Big Train, 2005 SAL All Star
• Evan Frederickson, 1st round draft pick

[edit] References

1. ^ "Big Train official web site". http://www.bigtrain.org/. Retrieved 2008-03-29. 
2. ^ "Big Train official web site - Mission". http://www.bigtrain.org/published/about_us/new_mission.html. Retrieved 2008-03-29. 
3. ^ "Clark Griffith League History". http://www.clarkgriffithbaseball.com/BeAboutUs/history-CGL.html. Retrieved 2008-03-29. 
4. ^ "Big Train CRSCBL Announcement". http://www.bigtrain.org/published/archives/crsl_announcement.html. Retrieved 2008-03-29. 
5. ^ "CRSCBL Archives". http://www.ripkensrcollegebaseball.org/published/archives/index.html. Retrieved 2008-03-29. 
6. ^ "MLB Player Profile". http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=429720. Retrieved 2009-03-21. 
7. ^ "Cincinnati Reds Player Profile". http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=455751. Retrieved 2008-04-16. 
8. ^ "MLB Player Profile". http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=467749. Retrieved 2009-03-21. 
9. ^ "MLB Player Profile". http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=430590. Retrieved 2009-03-21. 
10. ^ "MLB Player Profile". http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=460602. Retrieved 2009-03-21. 
11. ^ "Minnesota Twins article". http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090303&content_id=3913582&c_id=min&vkey=news_min. Retrieved 2008-04-16. 
12. ^ "Carolina Mudcats". http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Chris%20Mobley&pos=P&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=452059. Retrieved 2008-04-16. 

[edit] External links

• Bethesda Big Train Official Website
• Cal Ripken, Sr. Collegiate Baseball League Official Website
• Clark Griffith League Official Website

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