The Northern Queens Baby Tigers are a new team competing in the Queens Alliance Baseball League in 2025!

 

The team originates from the NYCSB Tigers, who competed in the NYC Summer Baseball league in 2024 and won its championship. The NYC Summer Baseball league is a family oriented, 4-team baseball league based in Cunningham Park, NY that competes on Saturday mornings. Along with some of the original 2024 Tigers, many of the Baby Tigers consist of those on the other three teams. 

 

At the championship dinner this past year, Justin Ramos and Max Melo approached then manager Alec Smalley with the idea of somehow keeping the team together. After much convincing, Smalley reluctantly accepted and thus the Baby Tigers were born!

 

The original Baby Tiger hat was a birthday gift from Smalley to longtime friend and 2024 NYCSB Playoff MVP Thomas Rizzotto. The hat comes from New Era's "Mini Mascot" edition hats for the Detroit Tigers. Patrick Luk, who was also a member of the original Tigers expressed a liking to the hat and is credited with the original concept of the "Baby Tigers" theme. After much debate over switching the name to another MLB team, the team voted to stay original and go ahead and compete as the "Baby Tigers."

 

"Northern" in Northern Queens represents the part of Cunningham park and borough of  Queens where the team originates from. The team proudly wears the unisphere on its right sleeve to show its Queen's roots. The "Northern Cardinals" were a concept team designed in the mid-late 00s by Smalley and his father Bobby, which ended up never competing. The "Northern Cardinal" is a frequently seen bird in Cunningham Park. 

 

The combination of ideas has given us our name, Northern Queens Baby Tigers.

 

The Baby Tigers are a fun, baseball loving team that is excited to be participating in the QABL in 2025. We are excited to be competing with Queens' best as we look to grow as individual baseball players and as a team. We look forward to bringing great energy to the league and enjoying a summer of great baseball. Can't forget the Kona's, Modelo's and Corona's to follow!

 

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