The Bethesda Big Train is a collegiate summer baseball team based in Bethesda, Maryland. The team is a member of the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League (CRSCBL), and derives its name from the nickname of Hall of Fame pitcher Walter Johnson,[1] who was a Bethesda resident for ten years.[2] The Big Train plays its home games at Shirley Povich Field. As of August 2023, more than 210 Big Train alumni have played professional baseball, including 23 in the major leagues.[3]
| Bethesda Big Train | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Information | |
| League | Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League (2005–present) Clark Griffith Collegiate Baseball League (1999–2004) |
| Location | Bethesda, Maryland |
| Ballpark | Shirley Povich Field |
| Founded | 1999 |
| League championships | 2004 (CGL),2005 (co-champions), 2009, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2017, 2018 (co-champions), 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024 (CRSCBL) |
| Regular Season Titles championships | 2004 (CGL); 2005, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 (co-champions) (CRSCBL) |
| Colors | Green, white, black |
| Mascot | Homer, Bunt |
| 2024 record | 26–15 |
| Ownership | Bethesda Community Base Ball Club |
| Manager | Sal Colangelo |
| Website | https://www.bigtrain.org/ |
History
editThe Bethesda Community Base Ball 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.
The Big Train began playing in 1999 as part of the Clark Griffith Collegiate Baseball League (CGL). In 2004, they won the CGL championship.[4]
2000s
editIn 2005, the Big Train helped establish the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League (CRSCBL).[5] That first year, the team won the regular season championship and shared the league championship with the Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts. In 2006, the Big Train were the regular season champions.[6]
In 2006, Washington Post columnist Marc Fisher called Big Train games at Shirley Povich Field "the ultimate small-town fantasy."[7]
In 2009, the Big Train won both the regular season and league championships.
2010s
editIn 2010, the Big Train captured their 2nd straight league championship after placing 3rd in the regular season, and in 2011 rolled to their 3rd consecutive league championship with a 36–9 overall record and were ranked the #1 summer collegiate baseball league team in the nation by Perfect Game USA. [8]
In early 2012, the Bethesda Community Base Ball Club announced that Big Train operations would come under the control of one of its longtime partners, BCC Baseball. In 2020, BCC Baseball decided to focus its business efforts on other aspects and the Bethesda Community Base Ball Club was reconstituted with a community-based Board of Directors to re-establish the management of Big Train operations. The goal remained to support community-based activities in Montgomery County, Maryland and, to the extent that funds could be generated in excess of operating costs, to provide financial support for fixing up ballfields in Montgomery County[9]
In 2016, after a four-year title drought, Big Train captured the Cal Ripken League championship with a victory over the Baltimore Redbirds. The next year, Big Train again defeated the Redbirds in the finals to win back-to-back league championships. That season, Big Train outfielder James Outman was named the 2017 National Summer Collegiate Player of the Year by Perfect Game after hitting .341 with 18 stolen bases and a league-best nine homers and 36 RBIs.[10]
The Big Train and Redbirds were named co-champions in 2018 after bad weather canceled the championship game.
Big Train won their fourth straight league title in 2019 after defeating the Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts in a three-game League Championship Series.[11]
2020s
editBethesda's 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[12]
In 2021, the Big Train won their fourth straight regular season title, seven games ahead of the number two seed Alexandria Aces. In the playoffs, the Big Train swept the D.C. Grays in two games of the Semifinal Series, and then won their fifth straight league title by sweeping the Alexandria Aces in two games during the League Championship Series.
In 2022, the Big Train tied the Alexandria Aces for first place in the regular season. In the playoffs, the Big Train swept the Gaithersburg Giants in two games of the Semifinal Series, however the Aces then swept the Big Train in the League Championship Series for the Aces' first ever Ripken League Championship title. This was the first time the Big Train lost the League Championship Series since 2015.
In 2023, the Cal Ripken League conducted competition in two divisions. The Big Train won the North Division and the Alexandria Aces won the South Division. The Big Train took two of three from Cropdusters Baseball in the semi-final series, before sweeping the top-seeded Aces in the League Championship Series to take their tenth Ripken League Championship title.
2024 was another successful year for the Big Train, as the team won nine of eleven games to close the season. The Big Train followed this with an undefeated postseason, ultimately sweeping the Southern Maryland Senators to win their eleventh Ripken League Championship Series. The Big Train outscored their opponents 58-14 in the postseason.[13]
In addition to on-field efforts, Big Train runs a summer camp for children ages 5–12.
Team records
editIndividual (single-season)
edit- Batting average: .462, Andrew Williamson (2024)[14]
- Hits: 67, Adam Barry (2011)
- Doubles: 17, Brendan Hendriks (2012)
- Triples: 6, Ryan Collins (2010)
- Home runs: 16, Hunter Renfroe (2012)
- Total bases: 116, Hunter Renfroe (2012)
- Runs batted in: 53, Hunter Renfroe (2012)
- Runs scored: 47, Hunter Renfroe (2012)
- Stolen bases: 39, Gio Diaz (2019)
- Walks: 48, Kobe Kato (2019)
- Hit by pitch: 21, Jarrod Parks (2009)
- On-base percentage: .612, Kobe Kato (2019)
- Slugging percentage: .908, Andrew Williamson (2024)[14]
- OPS: 1.452, Andrew Williamson (2024)[14]
- ERA: 0.00, Matt Hiserman (2008)
- Batting average against: 0.148, Matt Hiserman (2008)
- Innings pitched: 58.0, Dustin Pease (2005)
- Strikeouts: 69, Dirk Hayhurst (2001)
- Wins: 6, Scott Schneider (2008) and Cameron Love (2009)
- Saves: 10, Justin Davis (2000) and Matt Hiserman (2008)
- Batting Average Against: .099, Nick Del Prado (2022)
Notable alumni
editCal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League
edit- Nolan Schanuel, 2021 Big Train – first baseman for the Los Angeles Angels; was first round draft pick (#11) by Angels in 2023 draft and highest draft pick in Big Train's history.
- J. P. France, 2014 Big Train – right-handed pitcher for the Houston Astros
- Alec Burleson, 2018 Big Train – outfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals
- Hunter Brown, 2018 Big Train – right-handed pitcher for the Houston Astros
- James Outman, 2017 Big Train – outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers
- Ken Waldichuk, 2017 Big Train – left-handed pitcher for the Oakland Athletics
- Logan Gilbert, 2016 Big Train – right-handed pitcher for the Seattle Mariners; 14th overall pick in 2018 MLB Draft; 2024 American League All-Star
- David McKay, 2015 Big Train – right-handed pitcher for the Seattle Mariners, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays. and Oakland Athletics
- Brandon Lowe, 2014 Big Train – Tampa Bay Rays second baseman; 2017 Florida State League MVP
- Ty France, 2013 Big Train – infielder for the San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners and Cincinnati Reds; 2022 American League All-Star
- Hunter Renfroe, 2011–12 Big Train – right fielder for the San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Angels, Cincinnati Reds, and Kansas City Royals; 13th overall pick in 2013 MLB Draft; first player to have his number retired by Big Train in the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League; owns several single-season franchise records, including home runs, RBI and runs scored[16]
- Ryan Garton, 2011 Big Train – right-handed pitcher for the Seattle Mariners and Tampa Bay Rays
- Matt Bowman, 2010–12 Big Train – right-handed pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, and the Arizona Diamondbacks
- Cody Allen, 2008, 2010 Big Train – right-handed pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland Indians; all-time Indians saves leader
- Joe Mantiply, 2010 Big Train – left-handed pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, and Arizona Diamondbacks; [17] 2022 National League All-Star
- Brian Dozier, 2006 Big Train – second baseman for the New York Mets, Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Dodgers and Minnesota Twins; 2015 American League All-Star; 2017 AL Gold Glove[18]
Clark Griffith Collegiate Baseball League
edit- Michael McKenry,[19] 2004 Big Train – Pittsburgh Pirates, Colorado Rockies and St. Louis Cardinals catcher.[20]
- Mike Costanzo, 2003 Big Train – Cincinnati Reds first baseman
- Bobby Livingston,[21] 2001 Big Train – left-handed pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds and Seattle Mariners.[22]
- Dirk Hayhurst,[23] 2001 Big Train – right-handed pitcher for the San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays.[24]
- Steve Schmoll,[25] 2000 Big Train – right-handed pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers.[26]
- John Maine,[27] 2000 Big Train – right-handed pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets and Miami Marlins.[28]
- Charlton Jimerson,[29] 1999 Big Train – outfielder for the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners.[30]
References
edit- ^ "Walter Johnson" at Bethesda Big Train official site. Retrieved 2015-06-02.
- ^ Walter Johnson: Baseball's Big Train, by Henry W. Thomas, Published by U of Nebraska Press, 1998, page 288. On Google Books.
- ^ "Big Train official web site". Retrieved 2023-07-31.
- ^ "Clark Griffith League History". Retrieved 2008-03-29. [dead link]
- ^ "Big Train CRSCBL Announcement". Archived from the original on 2008-09-08. Retrieved 2008-03-29.
- ^ "CRSCBL Archives". Archived from the original on 2008-04-05. Retrieved 2008-03-29.
- ^ "For Baseball That Feels Right, Try Bethesda at Night". Bethesda Big Train. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
- ^ Simpson, Allan (August 22, 2011). "Bethesda No. 1 ranked summer team". Perfect Game USA. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
- ^ "Through the Years". Bethesda Big Train. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
- ^ "OUTMAN NAMED SUMMER COLLEGIATE PLAYER OF THE YEAR BY PERFECT GAME". Sacramento State Athletics. 2017-08-22. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
- ^ "Big Train wins fourth-consecutive CRCBL Championship". The Montgomery County Sentinel. 2019-08-02. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
- ^ "Bethesda Big Train baseball returning to the field this summer". 2024-07-31. Archived from the original on 2024-07-31. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
- ^ "News: Big Train Wins Championship with 12-3 Victory over Senators - Bethesda Big Train". 2024-07-31. Archived from the original on 2024-07-31. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
- ^ a b c "News: Andrew Williamson Earns Big Train MVP Award - Bethesda Big Train". 2024-07-31. Archived from the original on 2024-07-31. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
- ^ "The Official Site of Bethesda Big Train Summer Collegiate Baseball: Records". www.bigtrain.org. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
- ^ "The Official Site of Bethesda Big Train Summer Collegiate Baseball: Records". www.bigtrain.org. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
- ^ "The Official Site of Bethesda Big Train Summer Collegiate Baseball: Major Leaguers". www.bigtrain.org. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
- ^ "The Official Site of Bethesda Big Train Summer Collegiate Baseball: Major Leaguers". www.bigtrain.org. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
- ^ "MLB Player Profile". Retrieved 2011-08-22.
- ^ "Baseball-Reference web site". Retrieved 2017-01-03.
- ^ "Cincinnati Reds Player Profile". Archived from the original on August 18, 2007. Retrieved 2008-04-16.
- ^ "Baseball-Reference web site". Retrieved 2017-01-03.
- ^ "MLB Player Profile". Retrieved 2009-03-21.
- ^ "Baseball-Reference web site". Retrieved 2017-01-03.
- ^ "MLB Player Profile". Retrieved 2009-03-21.
- ^ "Baseball-Reference web site". Retrieved 2017-01-03.
- ^ "MLB Player Profile". Retrieved 2009-03-21.
- ^ "Baseball-Reference web site". Retrieved 2017-01-03.
- ^ "MLB Player Profile". Retrieved 2009-03-21.
- ^ "Baseball-Reference web site". Retrieved 2017-01-03.