It started with signs by the road
Dave Gold formed the league in April 2009 because there was no adult baseball on the island, and gathered players using roadside signs, news articles and word of mouth. The first season was a best-of-five between the Dirtbags and the Wild Things: first game July 19, 2009, Dirtbags 8-5, series taken 3-2 on August 16.
The written history then covers every year. Fifteen men renting a house on the Big Island in 2010 to play five exhibition games, thoroughly over-matched, ending in a barbecue with both leagues. Four teams that spring — Upcountry Dirtbags, Central Rays, Southside Mariners, West Maui Brewers — with the Brewers breaking the island-themed naming rule because a player got them a sponsorship where he worked. Expansion to six, then seven, then eight. A food bank drive at Maehara Stadium in 2014. A photograph of the first six men to reach a hundred games, standing with the founder. Every season played on High Cheese keeps itself as standings, box scores and rosters together, so a history written this carefully has the data underneath it rather than beside it.
Maui Adult Baseball League in detail
- Formed 2009, now in its 34th season: seven clubs, 120 players, 21 and over.
- Two seasons a year, spring and summer, with the schedule kept beside the scores.
- Thirty-five seasons selectable, with clinch markers built into the table.
- Results feeding standings, career stats, records and awards at once.
- Brewers, Centipedes, Dirtbags, Gorillas, Pirates, Sharks and Warriors — named for the island.
- Career leaderboards with a 300 plate appearance minimum, and men with over 1,300 of them.
- A Contact page under About, and seven named board members behind it.
- Twenty-one and over, a player waiver, and 120 men already in.
- Field maps published as their own page, with Maehara Stadium named in the history.
- A published rulebook, and a premise the umpires and fans are held to as well.
- A News page, a Players Tribune, and a Swinger Series.
- A Players Tribune, a Swinger Series, a Media section and a shop.
- One sponsorship important enough to break the league's own naming rule.
- A champion for every season since 2009, twice a year.
- Seven board members named, including an Umpire Liaison and a Media & Awards seat.
- Who, what standard and how big are answered. The fee is not.
- Rules, a waiver, field maps, and published board meeting minutes.
- Spring and summer seasons, every year, plus a tournament off-island.
- A Shop in the main navigation, between Records and Media.
- A board seat exists purely to be the Umpire Liaison.
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