The America’s Finest City Softball League (AFCSL) wrapped up its 2004 spring season with the final round of makeup games this weekend, followed by a barbeque and awards ceremony at Bourbon Street.

“I think it was a very good season for the league,” said Jim Costello, the AFCSL’s Open Division commissioner. “Unfortunately we were riddled with a rain out and some extra weeks off. Otherwise, I think once we got all of the play in, everything was competitive and I think everything went very well.”

Teams in the league were not only competing for the top spots in San Diego, but for an opportunity to compete in the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Association’s (NAGAAA) softball world series that will be held in Dallas, Aug. 15-21. So far, Bourbon Street Crush, Moby Dick’s and Viejas Fire have all indicated that they will be attending the series representing San Diego.

“As in every year, I think we always have a good opportunity,” Costello said about the AFCSL’s prospects at the national tournament. “Our A Division team [Bourbon Street Crush] played in some local non-gay tournament to help them get ready for Dallas, and the two C level teams have an equal opportunity. I think San Diego will present itself well at the World Series.”

San Diego also hopes that the teams representing the AFCSL will make a strong showing and promote the upcoming 2005 series that will be hosted here next year. The last time San Diego hosted the NAGAAA World Series was in 1997.

“We’re still looking for a major sponsor for the event,” Costello said about preparations for the upcoming event. NAGAAA has been working very diligently to find a corporate sponsor for multiple years. We just spoke with a couple of companies, and they were interested, but nothing yet.”

Even though the 2004 season is coming to a close, the AFCSL board will be remaining active over the next few months. In addition to preparing for the 2005 series, the league will also sell water during the Pride parade as a fundraiser for the league, and the annual “Fall Ball” season is just two short months away.

Fall Ball is expected to start up in early September after Labor Day weekend.

“We’re limiting it to 22 teams, men and women, and they will be playing it up at Poway, as we have the last couple of years,” Costello said. “It’s been quite competitive, but very relaxed. I just keeps softball moving.”

He added that the short fall season is also a great time for new and prospective players in the league to come out, find a new team and get involved in the GLBT softball league.

“One of the things we may try to do this year is use the fall league as a clinic time, instead of physically having a clinic, maybe trying to get people out ahead of time to join during that Fall Ball season and give them an opportunity to play and it actually gives us a better opportunity to see what level of players are coming in,” Costello said.

The Gay & Lesbian Times will have complete coverage of the 2005 Gay Softball World Series from Dallas and updates on all of the teams in attendance in the coming weeks. Be sure and check back for more details.