Firstball gets season off to a flying start

NOTE: This article first appeared in Bases Loaded, the newsletter for all things Manchester Softball League. Subscribe now and learn more, including new rules for the 2026 season and an introduction to the new season.

The Manchester softball season got off to a splendid start with the now traditional pre-season tournament at Parrs Wood, this year bathed in warm sunshine and a light breeze. Returning to his post as Tournaments officer, Mike Goff did a great job of organizing the tournament, with the numbers of entrants at each level requiring some inventiveness as regards structure. Mike also doubled up as crew chief.

Teams from as far afield as Jersey and Ireland, as well as Leeds, Preston and Loughborough, joined local teams to compete at three levels: Gold (six teams), Silver (nine teams) and Bronze (seven teams).

The six teams in Gold played a double round robin, which Ireland (pictured) won with a final 9-1 win-loss record.

In Silver the top three teams–Universities of Lancashire and Loughborough and the Bean Machine from Jersey–played a three-way round-robin which ended up with all three on 1-1 records: University of Lancashire won by the slimmest of run-difference margins.

Hackers were the only local team to win a trophy, taking home the Silver group “Plate” play-off.

And in Bronze, there was a more traditional format leading to a final in which the Yorkshire Dales beat the Speeders—according to Fletch, a first win after many years of trying!

Full results and standings are available here.

Massive shout out once again to Mike for a splendid tournament.

 Photo credit: Ken McCarthy