From co-tournament director Ken Hackmeister: Here are first round pairings for both Championship and Consolation brackets. The order in which pairings appear is exactly how the bracket is laid out so you can determine who plays one another in the 2nd and subsequent rounds. Saturday 1:15 PM - Championship bracket Chicago/New York vs Petroleros CPI vs Team … [Read more...]
Jessica Mendoza: On leaving the U.S. team
By Jessica Mendoza Since the International Olympic Committee voted to remove softball from the Olympic Games for 2012 and beyond, the sport has not been the same on the international level. However, here in the U.S., the sport has continued to grow on the youth level in huge numbers, from T-ball through college. In my work as a college softball analyst for ESPN, I have … [Read more...]
50 years of teaching for Clyde Bennett
Our congratulations to Clyde Bennett, skipper and driving force behind the Santa Barbara Young Bucks 23-and-under team and longtime umpire. Tomorrow, at Monecito Union in Santa Barbara CA, he will celebrate 50 years of teaching. It was January 1961. Baseball fans were still talking about Mazeroski's home run in game 7 of the World Series. Babe Ruth was still the home run … [Read more...]
Merry Christmas
To all our readers, we wish you a Merry Christmas! … [Read more...]
Fastpitch Bulletin – April 1986 Issue
Another issue of the Fastpitch Bulletin, circa April 1986. Front page shows some familiar, albeit more youthful faces of some of the top So Cal players of the day, from Magna Plating and San Bernardino Stars. Page 15 has a story on the Midland Explorers, with pitchers Peter Finn and Doug Gillis. So, Kyle Beane, how old were you when this story ran? Page 17 - The … [Read more...]
Farewell Monkton
Monkton - World Fastball Invitational Friday, December 10, 2010 MONKTON ON, "you don't cry because it's over, you're happy because it happened" Pat Burns I knew 7 years ago that this moment would come - at some point. But that does not take away any of the sting I feel as I compose this email. I am writing this email, to notify the softball world that … [Read more...]
Hitter’s-Jack Grafmeier Tournament (WI) – June 3-5
Sunset Park in Kimbelry, WI will again host the Hitter's- Jack Grafmeier tournament in 2011. The tournament will be held on it's traditional first weekend of June, June 3-5. Get all of the details at Al's Fastball. … [Read more...]