All-American Baseball Challenge
The All-American Baseball Challenge was a six-team recreational baseball league formed in July 2020 in the New [York City metropolitan area]. Local ownership quickly organized this pop-up league in response to the cancellation of the 2020 Frontier League season, which was to feature three of the teams involved, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Games were played at Yogi Berra Stadium in Little Falls, New Jersey, Skylands Stadium in Augusta, New Jersey, and Palisades [Credit Union Park] in Pomona, New York. Each stadium featured two teams, which included the New Jersey Jackals and Sussex County Miners each playing in their home parks. The owners of the New York Boulders also fielded a team in their stadium, but the team kept the franchise’s former name of Rockland Boulders for the season.
Major leaguers Vin Mazzaro and Taylor Motter played in the league.
Teams
The league featured players from independent, affiliated minor league, and college baseball.Rules
Initially, a 32 game, 8-week regular season was reported, but as games not played due to inclement weather were canceled, teams wound up playing fewer games. All games were scheduled were played on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The Sunday games were 7 innings due to shortage of pitching. Each game had a 2.5 hour time limit in which no inning could begin 2 1/2 hours after 1st pitch. Music was played throughout the games.New York Boulders founder and owner Shawn is credited with creating the League in conjunction with Greg Lockard in New Jersey and Michael Dorso in Sussex County.
Contests tied after 9 innings used a home run derby to decide the winning team. A player on each team took five batting practice swings and the player with more home runs won the game for his team.
GameChanger was the official scoring/statistical tracking platform for the league.
Season results
Playoffs
Round 1 September 11, 2020Skylands Stadium
New York Brave 5
Sussex County Miners 1
Palisades Credit Union Park
New Jersey Jackals 11
Rockland Boulders 2
Yogi Berra Stadium
Skylands Cardinals 0
Jersey Wise Guys 3
Round 2 September 12, 2020
Championship game
Yogi Berra Stadium
New York Brave 2
New Jersey Jackals 3
3rd place game
Skylands Stadium
Jersey Wise Guys 1
Sussex County Miners 5
5th place game
Palisades Credit Union Park
Skylands Cardinals 7
Rockland Boulders 6