The Gallup Amateur Baseball Softball Association elected new members to the organization’s Board of Directors during an open meeting on Dec. 12. The meeting lasted one hour and was held at Gallup City Hall.
Mayor Jackie McKinney presided over the meeting for about 35 minutes. Outside of folks connected to the league, nobody attended the meeting.
“This is the annual meeting that takes place every year,” McKinney said. McKinney is a volunteer announcer at some league games played at Ford Canyon Park. “When you leave this meeting, you will have new officers,” McKinney said to those in attendance.
WHO’S WHO?
Tammy Houghtaling was elected president; J.P. Madrid is the new league vice president by absentia; Amanda Carey was voted in as board secretary; Christa Raney remains treasurer; and Tommy Gonzales, Jr., is the president of league baseball. Madrid will also serve as the organization’s umpire agent. The board position as president of softball will be solidified at a later meeting.
Charles Lundstrom, who helps run a similar baseball league in Grants, attending the meeting and asked about bringing over two teams which’ll play in the Willie Mays and Pee Wee Reese divisions. The folks in attendance welcomed Lundstrom’s suggestion at the two teams joining GABSA. Lundstrom noted that the Grants summer baseball and softball league is going through some growing pains, saying the number of participating teams in that league has dwindled over the years. Lundstrom pledged to help out in whatever capacity possible.
“We’re very happy with the new board members,” Houghtaling said. “I think everyone looks forward to the start of the 2017 season.”
Raney noted that last year’s city league featured teams ranging in age from 5 to 18 years old. There were a little more than 1,100 participants in the league, which is comprised of baseball and softball teams, Raney said.
In existence for four years, the Gallup Amateur Baseball Softball Association, commonly called the “city league,” is very popular. At least one of the teams has gone to Puerto Rico to play in the past-season. That team lost both times, but players, parents and coaches have said the trips were good experiences for the kids.
The league games take place at city ball fields.
By Bernie Dotson
Sun Correspondent