To my pleasant surprise , driving my routine passing by the town of Grand Champ or Gregam in the Breton language, I passed a sign that says Baseball….Well I used to play the sport a lot in my youth, and curiosity took me to follow the signs. And voilà I found the baseball grounds of the Gregam Griffons a baseball/softball both sexes team!!!! I like to update this post for you and me of a old favorite pastime!
Before, I go into the new find, let me assure there is baseball in France. I had encounter a similar team in Montigny-le-Bretonneux (Yvelines 78) and the Rouen Huskies (Seine Maritime 76), where I have watched games. At Rouen even met the founding President and one of the main figures of baseball in France Xavier Rolland who was an French television 3 Normandie journalist.
For info the Rouen Huskies webpage: http://www.rouenbaseball76.com/
The French baseball and Softball federation webpage: https://ffbs.fr/accueil/#baseball
I search a bit more and found the webpage for the Brittany league or Ligue de Bretagne, I was surprise to hear that there are 20 teams in Brittany. More about it here in French: https://baseballsoftball-bretagne.fr/
And surprise there is a team in Grand Champ ,which is only about 11 kms (about 7 miles) from me,and I passed by it everyday to work! Now less often, but I was by there yesterday so the inspiration to update the post. I initially contacted the team went to the field and spoked with players, coaches, and organiser trying to find a hole in my schedule to help out; unfortunately it was not to be. This is the Gregam Griffons. Gregam Breton language in French is Grand Champ or big field or campo grande in Spanish.
So, we went by the field next to the water tower or chateau d’eau , this is Queneach Guen field. There was a practice day between the team of Grand Champ and Quimper, that as Quimper has no field at the time they were joining together to hold as one team for now. Now they do have a field at Fouesnant. There were quite a few enough to make two teams and more, with one referee. They went thru their exercise and warm-ups and then some batting and fielding session, before getting to play a game on both sides. Quite interesting to see folks here play the sport even in rudimentary fashion….
I was surprise to see Italian and even Cuban here on the team , who ,also serves as coach. Quite an interesting afternoon , and I did went a few times afterward in intervals until my foreign business trips did not allow for more involvement. Something to think about now to do …! I had some of my kids old gloves, balls,and bats that I donated to them as they also have an U12 (under 12 yrs old) and U15 (under 15 yrs old) teams and a softball team too.
The Gregam Griffons team webpage in French: https://www.gregam-baseball.com/
The city of Grand Champ on the Gregam Griffons baseball: https://www.grandchamp.fr/index.php/les-griffons-de-gregam-baseball
You never know what you can find in Brittany, and Baseball is certainly one big nice surprise. Something to get involved with in the future… Enjoy baseball in the Morbihan Breton !!!
And remember, happy travels, good health,and many cheers to all!!!
PS. A bit as to why I like baseball, well born in Cuba, our national sport, play in the under 15 teams even if was 10, all select all stars of Havana province; catcher and cleanup hitter (4th) ,left as Spanish to Spain,and there played for the Real Madrid organization in Elipa park on the Madrid junior league with 8 teams (see post) ; left that for New Jersey USA (see post) and played in freshman Perth Amboy High School team and then, Babe Ruth World Series Chicken Delight team reaching finals; also played softball intramural ar ERAU University (see post) in Florida. The sport really stop after high school really, playing it, but following my NY Yankees has continue to this day!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 