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Stratford Brakettes Announce 2023 Season Plans
 Jan 27 - The Stratford Brakettes will open the 2023 season on June 2nd with a doubleheader against the Junior Brakettes at DeLuca Hall of Fame Field in Stratford, CT. The Opening Day matchup will serve as a bittersweet start to the team’s 77th season, with the recent passing of longtime General Manager Bob Baird leaving quite a void for all.
 Baird served as the Brakettes GM since 1988, and covered the (Raybestos) Brakettes as a sportswriter for the Bridgeport Post and Telegram going back to the late 1960’s. During his run as GM, the Brakettes won nine ASA National Titles and 12 WMS Championships. He also navigated the franchise through potential financial disaster, twice overcoming the loss of major sponsors. Bob Baird left the Brakettes in solid standing to continue to lead the women’s fastpitch softball landscape for years to come. The Brakettes would like to thank Bob for his lifetime of service to the team.
Both the Junior Brakettes and Select Brakettes will return to action in 2023, with some familiar faces coming back, and many new players ready to compete. The Juniors finished tied for fifth in the 2022 WMS Nationals, while the Select squad finished fourth.
Some top dates for the 2023 season will include the Brakettes hitting the road to Lyons, PA for the Cornfield Classic Tournament (June 10th-11th), the return of the Maryland Chill and (New Jersey) Kaboom to Stratford for weekend series in June, and the Annual Micki Stratton Invitational in July. The Connecticut Freedom, who defeated the Brakettes in the teams’ first ever meeting during the 2022 WMS Nationals, will also visit DeLuca Field for a pair of doubleheaders in July.
Another fan favorite, the Sixth Annual Joan Joyce Memorial "Pitch and Putt" Golf Tournament, will take place in late June at Short Beach.
 The Brakettes will honor longtime Manager John Stratton on June 24th for his recent selection into the National USA (ASA) Softball Hall of Fame. The long overdue and well-deserved spot for Stratton in Oklahoma City is a testament to his legendary career as a coach and manager, and his extraordinary influence on the game of softball.
The Brakettes will also pay tribute to Bob Baird on July 8th at DeLuca Field, during the night’s doubleheader. The event’s proceeds will go to the Bob Baird Memorial Scholarship Fund (established by Bob’s wife Joy and the Baird family), to be awarded annually to a graduating Stratford High School senior with a strong connection to athletics.
The 15th Annual Women’s Major Softball National Championship will be held in Stratford August 2nd-6th, with games being held both at DeLuca and Short Beach Fields. All 2023 WMS tournament games at DeLuca Field will be live streamed.
All Stratford Brakettes, Junior Brakettes and Select Brakettes home games at DeLuca Field will also be live video webcast at brakettes.com.
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