HALL OF FAME INDUCTION SPEECH FOR MIKE ROBERTS

Commissioner John “Stray” Corrado’s Hall of Fame Introduction Speech for Mike Roberts:

We play in this Mid-West Baseball League and we know names, and franchises, and we often feel like we all know each other a lot more, than we really do. Growing up together here in the Detroit area we have a conglomerate of franchises and most of us know each other. But Baseball & the MWBL is the things that continue to bind us together as friends. We don’t hang with each other often; our wives don’t hang out, but “We the Detroit Crew” are good friends. Yet though the Mid-West Baseball League has bonded us as friends and some of us have been friends for 20+ years, though again we don’t hang out, or exchange holiday cards, or even know one another’s birthdates. We are friends; bonded by the MWBL & MWWL. We all had a friend in Mike Roberts from day one. He was a league mate, online friend & someone who cared for the Leagues’ well-being & was always there to give support when needed.

I was very fortunate to meet Mike Roberts in person once about 2-3 years before the MWBL was formed. The Iowa Baseball Confederacy (IBC) & the International Computer Baseball League (ICBL) used to hold their annual Drafts on Saturday & Sunday in Terre Haute, Indiana. This is going back to 1994 or so. Terre Haute, Indiana is where I met Mike Roberts for the one and only time. We had a great weekend drafting our teams and enjoying the fun of making new friends, reacquainting with old ones, and giving each other good ribbing about whom they just drafted and how his arm was going to fall off. As I said, it was the one and only time I met Mike. But when I met him, it was great to find out he was everything I expected.

What made that trip & draft even more special and made me think of Mike as a friend from then on, was what Mike did after the Draft. About 2 or 3 weeks after the draft I received a letter from Mike. Not an E-Mail, but an actual letter. Mike wrote how great it was to meet me and what a fun time he had that weekend. What hit me most was his mention of how a group of guys could actually get excited over “Owning & Drafting” Bip Roberts and what that thrill was like on Draft Day when your selection came up and you got to announce “Bip Roberts”. I put that letter away, and one day when I come across it, I will post it onto the MWBL Website for all to see what an impact that letter continues to have on me.

This past December 31st, (2013) we lost Mike as he just didn’t wake up on the last day of the year. He was taken from this life way too early. Not even yet 50 years of age, with a wife and two children. We lost a friend and league mate, but his family lost a whole lot more – losing a partner, and parent – I can’t imagine the pain they are suffering. We lost an Original Member of both the Mid-West Baseball League & the Mid-West Winter League. 17 Seasons in MWBL & 18 Seasons in MWWL. We’ve had owners come & go in both leagues, but Mike was a constant, through all the years – but now sadly he’s “part of our past” as Terrance Mann / James Earl Jones said in Field of Dreams “Part of our past – it reminds us of all that once was good and that could be again”. We need to recruit more league mates and members “Like Mike”.

Mike is not here to accept his Hall of Fame Plaque so I will accept it on his behalf and give a little history of Mike’s Franchise the Severn Express.

The Sever Express have been a franchise in the Mid-West Baseball League under the leadership of Mike Roberts since the league was formed in 1997. In his first three seasons, Mike & the Express accumulated a combined record of 163-321. During that inaugural season, Mike was more concerned about building for the future by acquiring prospects and draft picks. From 2000-2002, the Express reaped the benefits of their Manager/GM’s hard work as they tallied a combined record of 325-161. During this time frame, Mike guided them to two American League West titles (2000 and 2001), where the Express posted identical 118-44 records each season. After the 2002 season, Mike recognized that his team was not going to compete at the level it takes to win a World Series & that he would like, so once again Mike went into a “rebuilding mode” by trading superstar players Pedro J. Martinez and Manny Ramirez. The Express struggled again from 2003-2005, but they reached the playoffs again in 2006, 2007, and 2008.

Mike has managed to win two (2) MWBL World Series in 2000 and 2007 (Only four total Franchises have done this (Tempe, Kentucky & Sacramento) all National League Franchises. Both of Severn’s World Series wins came against the Tempe Tempers (Only one other MWBL Franchise has defeated Tempe in the World Series – Chicago).

Mike was also a World Series finalist in 2001, 2009 & 2011 has 1 Manager of the Year award to his credit. Mike also guided the Express to five (5) – 100+ win seasons in a Division that has sent nine (9) representatives to the World Series (Needless to say, the AL West has been a pretty tough division to manage in) & Mike’s made it look easy.
Additionally, Mike was the Manager of the 2007 & 2000 All-Star teams & seven (7) time Coach of the All-Star team. His players have earned three (3) Cy-Young awards; four (4) MVPs; two (2) ROY’s; and 9 Gold Glove awards.

Since joining the Mid-West Baseball League in its inception Mike was a very active manager, making multiple trades every year and submitting game results to the Commissioner’s Office in very a timely manner each week. As a member of the Mid-West Baseball League, Mike said “I feel very privileged to be led by a very determined Commissioner who is dedicated to running the best APBA League possible”. Mike also stated that “I was probably not as active in the league as much as I would have liked (primarily due to the fact that my wife, 2 kids, work, and 4 other leagues took up a bunch of my time), but I consider myself very lucky to be in this league with a great bunch of guys/competitors”.

It is my honor and privilege to welcome the late Mike Roberts into the Mid-West Hall of Fame. We all wish you could be with us today Mike, and your presence will be missed in our League every day.

MWBL Commissioner – John “Stray” Corrado