Amber Ring saved the baseball after her first hit in the Capital Region Men's Senior Baseball League.

Amber Ring wears a special uniform number, given to her by her skipper and mentor James “Jimmie” Dalton, a member of the New York State Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2024. “Skip put me in number 42 because I’m breaking barriers like the league’s ‘Jacqueline’ Robinson,” Ring said.

The Capital District Men’s Senior Baseball League isn’t all that it seems.

It’s more.

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In an effort to continue attracting new members to play, CDMSBL president and longtime coach and organizer John Reel is promoting the league’s gender- and age-inclusive policies.

He proudly points to the league’s only female member to prove women have a place in the league.

“Amber Ring came to us a couple years ago looking to play ball. She had an audacious desire to just be in the game which eventually led her to play catcher as we had a shortage at that position. Since that time she's improved drastically,” Reel said.

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I joined both Reel and Ring for coffee this week in Albany.

Amber Ring reached out to John Reel hoping to play in the Capital Region Men's Senior Baseball League . Reel, president of the CRMSBL, waived the age requirement and Ring joined the league's 62 and over Pirates team. Both want to encourage other women to join.

I came away from the discussion........

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