Great South League: Baseball Fans Need to Know

If you're anything like me, right around this time of year, you are nearly overcome with a sense of optimism.

It's finally getting warm outside again, you can almost taste the hot dogs and hamburgers that will soon be in your mouth, and, best of all, baseball season is starting.

Right now, I feel like going to every game this season, following all my faves with religious fervor, and wearing a cap more than I wear socks.

I hate that reality will soon soak in. I don't have the money to buy tickets, nor the time to drive to the games.

Parking's a hassle, food will cost you an arm and a leg, and the players aren't all that accessible these days anyway.

So much for summer love, right?

Well, what if I told you that, if you live in the Southeast, high-quality ball is probably a lot closer and more affordable than you think?

I was skeptical at first, too, but stick with me as I introduce the Great South League.

There are 23 teams for the 2009 season of the association formerly known as the Georgia Collegiate League; you'll find representatives in Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama, and, by the 2010 season, South Carolina and Tennessee.

The clubs, sponsored by the non-profit Georgia Dugout Club, pull their talent from college teams around the nation.

Any player who participated in collegiate ball this past school year and gets his coach's approval is eligible, as are rising college freshmen and transfers intending to play next season.

Tickets to games are typically no more than $5, and group rates apply at many of the ballparks, which are all easily accessible to the community; for example, the Athens (GA) Pirates' home turf, Smith Field, is a privately-owned beauty in a residential area.

Contests are family-friendly events, and access to the players (who stay with host families during the campaign) is extensive, as some even offer private lessons to local youth during their time with their surrogate squad.

And best of all? You won't have to put up with that annoying "ping" sound that's characteristic of college baseball; this is a wooden-bat league, and proud of it.

Teams in the GSL are run by a few paid staff members and large groups of volunteers (which include the host families that house the players).

All Great South League teams are very involved in their locales, receiving sponsorships from local businesses and reaching out to little league teams nearby.

And it's not like this association serves solely to keep university athletes in shape during their time off from school; the GSL has also been a stepping stone to Big League ball. For example, the Atlanta Braves' Chuck James is a Great South League alum.

Even those GSLers who don't get drafted after their collegiate careers are likely to get pro contracts; one of last season's top Great South League pitchers had his rights purchased this spring by the Detroit Tigers from an independent American club for a cool $1 million.

The season begins on May 28 with a double-header between the Carolina (Charlotte) Hurricanes and Catawba Valley (VA) Stars. To see the full schedule, list of teams, all the rosters, and directions to each park, check out www.greatsouthleague.com.

Internet radio broadcasts are available for many games, and streaming video is coming soon for those who want to check out their club before taking the short trip to the park.

Watch each individual team's website (all available via links on the main league page) for specifics.

Don't let the summer swoon pass you by. Find a GSL club near you and experience America's pasttime at its best: honest, competitive, inexpensive, and Southern.