Last weekend, the Essex Arrows claimed their first ever National Baseball Championship.

Their pursuit of a title gained a boost earlier in the year thanks to the capture of sluggers Edwin Alcantara and Maikel Azcuy and, having completed their successful title challenge, they created a little piece of history, as revealed by Project COBB:

7 September 2014

Edwin Alcantara and Maikel Azcuy have become the first players in British baseball’s 125 year competitive history to win four straight national titles

Both were key players on the Essex Arrows squad that swept the London Mets in a best of three national final over the final weekend of August.

The slugging pair have been playing together since both players joined the Southern Nationals in their founding year of 2011.

The Nationals became the first British baseball team to win three titles in their first three seasons of existence but this year they fell to the London Mets in the wildcard final.

Alcantara and Azcuy moved to the Arrows during the last offseason and, in winning the championship with their new club this year, added their names to a list now 17 strong of players with four or more national titles. The full list can be viewed at:

http://www.projectcobb.org.uk/national_finals/titles-players.png

Also adding his name to the list of four-time winners was Steve Simmons, player–manager of the 2014 national champions. His titles span a period of 25 years – the longest among such players.

If the Arrows are to retain their title in 2015, you suspect keeping hold of Alcantara and Azcuy will be an important part of the process.