John Reel Receives 2015 MSBL Lifetime Achievement Award
By Steve LaMontia, Director of Communications
John Reel is the 60 year old president of the Capital District Mens Senior Baseball League located in and around Albany, New York. He is also the founder of the league and the original president from 1990 to 2006 while being lured back to the helm in 2011 where he can now be found steering the ship once again. MSBL Founder and President Steve Sigler has recognized Johns work in bringing Capital District from four teams to its current 44 by honoring him with the 2015 MSBL Lifetime Achievement Award.
Johns resume speaks for itself:
*Lifetime Board Member of the Capital District MSBL
*Founder and Commissioner of the Capital District MSBL
*2005 Capital District Hall of Fame Inductee
*2004 MSBL Hall of Fame Inductee
*Founder of Northeast Regional Labor Day Tournament (1992-present)
*MSBL Fall Classic Champion
*Attended MSBL World Series in Arizona
"We set up a table in the mall back in 1989 and took an ad out in the paper, explained Reel. "We ended up with about 60 guys and four teams. It took us five years to get to 15 teams but have steadily grown to our current size. Here is an excerpt from the Capital District website:
The Albany-based chapter was established in 1989 with four teams in one division (30+). We now have 44 teams in four divisions with more than 600 members playing competitive baseball. Players in CDMSBL have played into their 70s. Our geographic focus is the Capital District, but we do have teams outside of the Albany area.
John and Diane live just south of Albany and John is still seen out there on the field doing his thing. "I play for the Golden Marlins in the 45 and over division and the Platinum Marlins in the 55s, said Reel. "Im not sure what well call ourselves if we start a 65 and over division.
When John stepped down from the top post in 2006 he was looking forward to simply observing from the side, though he remained a board member. But 2011 came calling. "Things got a little too loose and I was asked back, said John. "I was diagnosed with cancer during this period so it was really good for me to get back involved. It took my mind off the other issues.
John has been a regular at the MSBL Fall Classic in Florida since 1992 and has his ring to show for it. He hasnt gone for a couple of years but youll see him running around there again soon. "I have also played in a couple of World Series in Arizona over the years but the proximity of Florida to New York makes more sense to me, Reel said. "I have made many friends over the years at the Fall Classic and enjoy seeing them.
One thing that John is happy to discuss is his success with the Northeast Regional Labor Day Tournament, his brain storm that began in 1992. "It takes a lot of energy and I havent run it for a few years now but it is still a great tradition in the Albany area, said John. "We had 12 teams the first year and have grown to as many as 30. Guys look forward to it every year.
When asked about a special incident or achievement in his long MSBL career, John was quick to deflect any personal spotlight. Being back in the saddle as league president in charge of five divisions and more than 600 players, from humble beginnings of a card table in a mall to promote a new league, is just fine with John to speak for itself. 23 years of growth and success certainly speaks for itself.
I first met John back in 2003 when I answered an ad in the Times Union, looking for players 48 and over to start a new division in CDMSBL. The Whiz Kids were 1 of 4 teams that year. This division has since grown to 14 teams in the 45+ age bracket. 7 years later, he started the 55+ division, which the Whiz joined the following year. This division has grown from 4 to 8 teams. I've been a board member for the last 2 years, and I have seen the amount of hard work that he puts in behind the scenes that so many people are unaware of. John has always put the best interest of CDMSBL ahead of personal interest. There are hundreds of current and former players that owe him a huge debt of gratitude. His Lifetime Achievement Award is well deserved. Congratulations, and Thank you John,
john has almost always shown patience, balance, a sense of fairness and, as jim noted, has constantly kept the needs and goals of the league foremost. john's qualities are rare and they can't be easy to maintain in the face of surprises and troubles, often hot-tempered ones, that can and do pop up, but somehow john has done it.
john would be the first to say that he hasn't done it alone and he'd be right. the list of his fellow league-builders goes back to the beginning, with players like dennis scimeca, to the current crop, who include, of course, the board members and lots of volunteers, male and female.
still, the time that john invests is amazing: helping teams, going to meetings and at times working alone. i remember one evening in may, 2014 when we were playing a game at satellite and john was alone in the far outfield, installing posts and the green plastic fence. he had right field done by the time we finished the game. he was still there when we left.
john has what i call "horizon vision," to go with a steady hand on the tiller. as a result, the league is here, nearly 25 years after it started, flourishing. someone else may have done it. but he did it, with, of course he'd say, the help of many others.
hat's off to you, john. award well earned.
-mike
-- Edited by mhart on Tuesday 13th of October 2015 04:26:01 PM
Congrats John! I know I will be eternally grateful to you for everything you have done to allow us to play baseball for all these years. I cannot imagine my life without the CDMSBL and the countless good times that were made possible by your selfless work and dedication to this league. Thank you!
There is no other like you, John Reel! We can never repay you for all of the good times, new friends, and fun we have had over the past couple of decades; but we can say thank you! Thanks for all of the hours, days, and years that you have put into this wonderful thing called the CDMSBL! Thanks also to Diane for sharing you with us. Not all wives would be so understanding of all of the time that you are away when working on our behalf. God bless you both. My life just wouldn't have been the same without you!!! Congrats on the Lifetime Achievement Award! Can't imagine what took them so long!
I remember when John and I were kids,standing on the banks of the Red river throwing chunks of hard mud at them Okies on the other side.You could tell he was destined for greatness even then. Congratulations John.Well deserved.
Hey old man thanks for everything you've done over the years. The future for this league looks good because of all of the work you've done in the past and the present.Thanks so much for allowing us to continue to play the game we love. I even hope the Cubs win one game in the national league division series. Let's go Mets!
Ralph
-- Edited by Ralph Caputo on Friday 16th of October 2015 08:08:08 AM
I thankfully put my golf clubs in storage 10 years ago to pick up this beautiful game of baseball again, and to know that one of the pioneers in getting this league going is receiving national recognition is fantastic. If I had known you were such CDMSBL royalty when we stayed in the same house in Florida a few years back for the Fall Classic, I never would have permitted you to sleep on the floor with sofa cushions!!! You are a Teddy R throwback in the way you ""speak softly and carry a big stick"" in governing this league, and anyone who has seen that piece of sequoia lumber you bring up to the plate would know what I mean. Thanks for providing the opportunity to play a game I love again, and for the pleasure of having you as a manager and a teammate over the years.
I owe you more than I know how to express here. The entire lot of capital district baseball oldsters owe you, regular guys and unique characters requiring your indulgence. Steve Sigler and the national MSBL knows what you have accomplished. You truly and richly deserve this recognition. You have made an amazing mark. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to enjoy the game.
Congrats John Reel. You have been a great president for the 15 Years I have been in this league. Thank you for all you have done and all the crap you put up with from some of the guys in this league. Some of them should wish someday that they can say that they made this league a better league for everyone. I hope you stay for another 20 years.
