The City of Brotherly Love Softball League season wrapped up last weekend with the announcement that the head of the league would also be wrapping up his tenure.
Jeff Sotland, CBLSL commissioner for five years, announced during the closing-day events July 25 that he would be ending his third two-year term one year early. Sotland plans to officially resign after he presides over the CBLSL general membership meeting in November, during which the members will vote on one of the three divisional commissioners to finish Sotland’s term.
Since Sotland took the helm, CBLSL has grown its membership by 50 percent, secured longterm fields for the league to play on with the recent $30,000 payment to the city, won the bid to host next year’s women’s world series and has made its annual Liberty Bell Classic tournament one of the most successful tourneys in the country, Sotland said — all goals he had hoped to achieve during his run as commissioner.
“We didn’t have a written-up strategic plan, but everything we’d hoped to accomplish in the past five years, we have,” he said. “So I thought it was time to let somebody else take a shot at this.”
Cathy Harris, commissioner of the women’s division, said Sotland guided her through the ins and outs of CBLSL when she took on her leadership role two years ago.
“He really helped me to learn the ropes,” she said. “Since he’s a lawyer, when it comes to the constitution and the rules, he’s a by-the-books kind of guy, so that really helped. And the work he’s done for the league is just amazing. He’s done more than any other commissioner ever has.”
This past year was one of the league’s best, Sotland said, with a record number of teams from around the country who participated in the Liberty Bell Classic and a greater number of CBLSL members than last season.
Following last weekend’s all-star games — which allowed members of all the teams to compete side by side — CBLSL members came together for a picnic and to recognize the season’s winners.
The Westbury Classics took the top spot in the Recreational Division, while there was a three-way tie in the Competitive Division, among Tavern on Camac Triple Play, Sisters Rage and Woody’s Wolves.
In Women’s, the A Division was won by 5 O’Clock Somewhere, the B Division by Holy Smoke! and the C Division by Foul Play.
Also in the Women’s Division, MVP awards were given to Mia Fabrizio of the Flying Monkeys, Wendy Collins of Girls Like Us and Sandy Luz of Simon’s 369ers. The Rookie of the Year Award went to Marge Gooch of Grog ’n’ Grill, and the Manager of the Year Award was presented to Tricia Depoe of the Phightin’ Phlapjacks.
Players who are already missing the fields are invited to return in September for Fall Ball, a smaller softball league that previously operated on its own but that will be run this year by CBLSL.
The fall league, which costs $20 a player, is not divided among skill levels or sex.
“In the regular season, there’s a divide between people who play in competitive, recreational and intermediate, and then with all the different levels and between men and women, but everyone’s going to be sharing the fields this time,” Harris said. “It’s a chance for people to interact with members of the league they may have never met before. Aside from keeping your softball skills sharp, it’s a great way to meet some new people.”
Games will be played on Sundays from mid-September through the end of October on two fields in FDR Park in South Philadelphia, and Sotland said he expects the league will include six teams.
“Everybody’s going to be mixed together, so it’ll be men and women and people from recreational or competitive all playing together. There’ll be different rules [from CBLSL’s regular season], so it’s more of a game for people to have fun and socialize and have a good time than to really compete.”
Competition will be the focus, however, of next year’s Amateur Sports Alliance of North America Women’s World Series, which will be held in Philadelphia. The CBLSL is already gearing up.
Harris said she signed the contracts for the event last week, and that planning will continue throughout the year.
“The CBLSL season ended on a high note this year because we’re bringing the world series here next year,” she said. “Everyone’s saying that softball’s over for the year, but for myself and the committee members who are planning this, it’s just beginning.”
Jen Colletta can be reached at [email protected].