Battle for Britain: 2025 Edition

Registration is now open for the 2025 Battle for Britain Baseball Tournament. Please watch our social media channels for updates on teams entered, announcements and general information regarding the tournament.

The dates for the tournament are:

Higher Division (4th May, 5th May, 6th May): £350 per Team (6 Spaces Available)

Lower Division (24th May, 25th May, 26th May): £350 per Team (6 Spaces Available)

The Higher Division is for AAA/NBL standard teams, and the Lower Division is for A/AA standard teams.

You can secure your team’s spot by registering using form which is accessed via the link at the top of this page, and by paying the entry fee by bank transfer (instructions at end of form).

We are currently looking for an official sponsor for the tournament. If this interests you or your business, please contact sponsorship@kentbaseballclub.co.uk

For any questions or more information, please contact info@kentbaseballclub.co.uk

TOURNAMENT HISTORY

The tournament started in 2019, in Hadlow, with teams from Scotland, Ireland, and, of course, Kent taking place. Baseball Scotland took home the inaugural title in a great display at what was then a brand new, high standard facility for Baseball based in Hadlow.

In 2020, the tournament was originally postponed from its planned Spring Bank Holiday weekend, due to the National Lockdown. Fortunately, the tournament was able to go forward with a modified format in September of that year, where the Northern Knights took home the title after a fierce competition in Essex, at the home ground of Essex Arrows Baseball Club who were kind enough to make their field available for us following a number of issues we were facing in Hadlow in regards to hosting tournaments during the ongoing pandemic.

In 2021, Kent Buccaneers partnered with BaseballSoftballUK (BSUK) and organised a great event at Farnham Park. Having two quality Baseball diamonds at our disposal, we were able to double the number of teams, from 6 to 12. Consequently, we took this opportunity to split into ‘Lower’ and ‘Higher’ divisions, ensuring lower level teams that wanted to participate would not face unfair competition. The tournament was held over the traditional Spring Bank Holiday weekend, honouring the date of the first edition in 2019. Milton Keynes Boks fought off the closely following West Midlands Baseball League in the Lower Division in what was a very close Final finishing 3-0 in favour of the Boks. In the Higher Division, SW Rebeldes took a victory over Northern Knights in another very tense, close Final, which saw Rebeldes battle back with a three-run double off the bat by Jose Lopez, securing the win for the Rebeldes on what was, at that point, the hottest day of the year.

The 2022 edition of Britain’s biggest Baseball tournament saw the teams return to Hadlow, Kent to face off on two separate weekends. The tournament was split into categories once again, this time hosting the Higher Division alongside the newly formed Elite Division over the Early May Bank Holiday, and the Lower Division in August. This was the first tournament we have held that has featured live, online scoring of all games, thanks to the scoring app and website powered by the British Baseball Federation. Teams were amazed to be able to view all their stats online, and even watch play-by-play of games that were occurring live. Buccaneers Travel Team defeated the Milton Keynes Boks in a tight Higher Division Final that went to extra innings - definitely the most tense and exciting game across the whole weekend. Haringey Hackers slaughtered BC Vetra in the Elite Division Final off the back of an incredible pitching performance by the Hackers, led by Rich Minford.

2023 saw the removal of the Elite Division, and two divisions of Baseball took place just like it did in 2021. The Lower Division was a fantastic weekend of Baseball, welcoming new teams to the tournament such as Sandlot Baseball, SWWBL, Liverpool Tro-A-P’s and the Sheffield Grizzlies. Liverpool Tro-A-P’s walked away with the Lower Division trophy after going undefeated over the full weekend, who beat the Kent All Stars in the Tournament Final. The Higher Division was much more competetive, seeing Sheffield Bruins take on the Buccaneers Travel Team in the Final on a sweltering hot Monday. The game went into extra innings due to a tie result in the 7th inning, and a great last push by the Buccaneers Travel Team saw them take home the trophy in what was the second closest/most enjoyable Final we have ever seen at the Battle for Britain (nothing will ever top the 2022 Higher Division Final between Milton Keynes the Buccaneers Travel Team - if you know, you know!).

2024 was the introduction of a Home Run Derby at each tournament, and it was the year that saw the first ever rained off Finals day at the Battle for Britain Higher Division. After a tense two days of baseball, Croydon Pirates were crowned the winners based on regular game seedings on the Monday once the field was deemed unplayable, during the second Semi Final of the day. In the Lower Division, Bootle Trojans were crowned champions, after Kent All Stars issued a walk-off walk in a tied game, in the last inning of the Tournament Final.

Thank you for taking the time to read this piece, and we hope to see you at the Battle for Britain!

Kent Baseball Club