For the seventh time in eight years, the 27th annual National Amateur Baseball Federation World Series presented by Buckeye Cable Sports Network will be played in Toledo — with a new man in charge.

East Toledo native and local baseball staple Aaron Myers has been named NABF College Division director, putting him in charge of summer college wood bat baseball leagues across the country.

Myers and associate Shawn Sobel will be sharing co-tournament director responsibilities for the NABF CWS for the fourth time.

Myers, a 1993 Waite graduate, firmly believes Toledo is a terrific baseball market to host a national showcase tournament. For this reason, Myers has big future plans for retooling the NABF College World Series in Toledo.

Action from the National Amateur Baseball Federation College World Series at Ned Skeldon Stadium. This year's CWS is Aug. 4-7 at Skeldon, Fifth Third Field and four other local venues. (Press file photo by JohnPollock/www.pollock.smugmug.com)

“I want to get kids in here from some of the big-time college conferences — the SEC, WAC, PAC 10.  I would like to pursue some avenues with the Cape Cod League and get bigger leagues represented by the NABF. This will not instantly change, but hopefully I can change the makeup of the NABF within the next few years.”

Myers hopes to use contacts through the NABF, a member of USA Baseball, including other NABF board members from around the country, to get top level summer college leagues involved making it a true national summer college world series.

Summer college baseball teams typically consist of varsity NCAA, NAIA, or NJCAA players who find teams to play for during the months of June, July, and August. The NCAA allows up to four players from any D-I or D-II school to play for a single summer team.

The NABF is headquartered in Crofton, Maryland and its long time executive director, Charlie Blackburn, has a booth reserved annually at the Major League All-Star Game.

This year’s 22-and-under College World Series will be held August 4-7 at various greater Toledo locations including Ned Skeldon Stadium, Owens Community College, Rich Arbinger Field at Bowman Park, and St. Francis de Sales High School. The championship is scheduled for 1 p.m. on August 7 at Fifth Third Field.

“The facilities we have here are great but in the future I would like to get more cooperation from our area universities and colleges which will only add to the quality of our venues,” said Myers, who coaches baseball at Otsego. 

The University of Toledo’s Scott Park has typically been a pool play site, but the past two years a conflict with the women’s soccer team has prevented its usage. Bowling Green State University’s Warren Steller Field was used the first three years the CWS was held here.

Myers’ employer, the City of Toledo’s Division of Recreation, is hosting this national showcase, which will feature 16 teams from Missouri to New York. There will be 31 nine-inning wood bat games with many games internet broadcast on WRSCradio.com or televised on BCSN.

“We will see some great young talented players come in here. You will see players from your small (NCAA) Division I schools and Division II schools. We do have some Big Ten kids. Last year we had some kids from Ohio State, Michigan State, and Illinois. There is an occasional Major League draft pick. It’s a good brand of baseball,” Myers said.

Two days of pool play will take place on Thursday and Friday. Games will be played at all four facilities at 9 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 4 p.m. those two days. Players will compete in a home run derby, scheduled for 7:45 p.m. on Thursday night at Skeldon Stadium. Quarterfinal play begins on Saturday and the semifinals will be played later that night at 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Skeldon.

Daily admission passes are $5 and a tournament pass is $15, but there will be no admission charge for the championship game downtown.

“Skeldon is a nice facility and Fifth Third is great. It is one of the best in all of Minor League Baseball,” added Myers. “The opportunity to play the championship game there will only benefit the NABF as a whole, open some eyes, and generate more interest at the college level.”

Myers is hopeful a world-class organization like the Toledo Mud Hens providing usage of their facility for the first time can help to bring increases in attendance this year from out-of-town baseball fans.

 “We’re trying to do the best that we can with the tools we have to advertise and market this tournament,” Myers said. “In the last couple of years our attendance has grown. Hopefully with Fifth Third Field as the championship venue we will draw more than we have in the past. After all, admission to the championship game is free this year.  You can’t beat that.”

At all sites, batboys are needed (ages 10-16), providing a chance for local youth to sit in the dugout with the college players during the tournament. Contact Myers at 419-936-3881 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Sobel at 419-936-3887 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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