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THE NJIBL STORYThe New Jersey Independent Baseball League (NJIBL) is a locally formed and operated wood bat baseball league located in Southern New Jersey. The league is open to all players 18 and over with no limitation or waiting period for those with professional experience. We provide adult players from throughout the Southeastern PA and Southern New Jersey area with an opportunity to play weekend baseball with other players in their own age group and skill level. The league was formed by ball players for ball players in order to provide the highest level of competitive baseball to fit the schedule of working men who still have the desire to play ball at the most affordable price possible. The New Jersey Independent Baseball League was established On August 20, 2008 in Magnolia, New Jersey by Gary Shears. The purpose for the leagues formation was to offer adult baseball players in Southern New Jersey and the Greater Philadelphia area a quality weekend men’s recreational baseball league that was fun, affordable and run fairly with the best interest of the players as a priority. This locally owned and operated league was formed to be an alternative to the nationally owned league franchises that were the only weekend men’s leagues in the area for ball players for many years. It was common place for these national franchise leagues to have costs that were too high and run by leadership that made decisions at the direction of the national organization as opposed to consulting the members who made up the league locally on decisions which impacted them. The inaugural season of the NJIBL kicked off on Sunday April 5th 2009 across 21 fields in the Southern NJ/Greater Philly area. The NJIBL consisted of 42 teams that had defected from the South Jersey chapter of the Men’s Senior Baseball League, the Tri-State chapter of the National Adult Baseball Association as well as newly formed teams. These teams were spread across three age divisions, a 14 team over 18 division, a 23 team over 25 division and a 5 team over 35 division. The NJIBL also featured an 18 team Fall League as well. By the end of the year the league had 60 teams take the field under its banner. By opening day of the second season, the NJIBL had increased its membership from 42 teams to 54 teams in the summer season and a 25 team Fall League. Additionally the NJIBL had its inaugural Mid-Week League of 8 teams as well as sponsoring a team in the Rancocas Valley League. All in total the NJIBL grew to 85 teams by the end of 2010. At the end of each of the first two seasons, the NJIBL held All-Star Games at Frawley Stadium in Wilmington Delaware which serves as the home of the Kansas City Royals minor league affiliate, the Wilmington Blue Rocks. Also, the league rewarded the accomplishments of its championship teams and accomplished players at a yearend league party held at PJ Whelihan’s in Cherry Hill, NJ. One of the aspects of the NJIBL that makes it truly unique is that it was initially formed as a non-profit organization whose aim was to raise money for charities that supported cancer research organizations. In its first season the league fundraised close to $3,000 with its primary donation going to the Salt Shaker Foundation. By the end of the second season the NJIBL had fundraised over $7,000 to charitable causes. With the help and support of the leagues sponsor, PJ Whelihan’s, the NJIBL is not only a community of good baseball players they are good players in the community as well.
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