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Fastpitchwest Forum Registration Open

January 18th, 2012

Monday, January 18th, 1PM PDT – registration is open. If you’re among those who have been waiting to sign up, act quickly. Due to spammers, it will lock down shortly today.

Remember to look for the “welcome” email, forward to jim (at) fastpitchwest (dot) com with request to activate. (I need to do that manually), so please include your name and team affiliation.

Editor’s note: I received a number of emails asking me to add people to the forum – I can’t, as the process requires your confirmation when the “welcome/confirm” email comes back to your email address. Once that’s done, then I do need to activate you manually, but only after you’ve created the user name/login.

Click here to visit Fastpitchwest Forum.

Fastpitchwest Calendar

December 25th, 2011

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Westerville Capitals

November 25th, 2011

Shown above are the Westerville Capitals, from Ohio. Click the photo to visit their team site on www.myspace.com. You’ll spot a few familiar faces in their photo galleries, pitcher Jimmy Yates, our good friend Rich Markham. Rich spent a few years in San Diego, before returning home to Ohio. No matter where he is, you’ll be sure to find some good fastpitch nearby.

Vin Scully gets the OK to return to the Dodgers in 2012 for 63rd season

August 27th, 2011

Editor’s note: Say it again. Out loud. Sixty-third season. Remarkable.

From the Los Angeles Times

By Dylan Hernandez

The Dodgers could be even worse next season. Their ownership situation could remain unresolved and their stadium could remain half-empty.

But fans can take solace in at least this: Vin Scully will return for his 63rd season as the team’s broadcaster.

On a Friday night when Matt Kemp became the second player in franchise history to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in a season, Scully shared his future plans with the Prime Ticket audience watching the Dodgers’ 6-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies.

“God’s been awfully good to me, allowing me to do the things I love to do,” Scully said on the telecast. “I asked him one more year, at least, and he said OK.”

The Dodgers issued a news release soon after, confirming the 83-year-old Hall of Fame broadcaster would be back. The team said Scully would again call all home and select road games.

Scully said he made the announcement on the air to avoid the kind of news conference he held the previous year to declare his intentions to return for the 2011 season.

“I hate to make a big deal out of it,” he said. “I’m not trying to be a Brett Favre or whoever else.”

Scully said he was lured back in part by the familiar faces at the ballpark.

“I enjoy the people,” he said. “I really like newspapermen. I enjoy talking and visiting. The winning and losing doesn’t bother me. I think it’s just the love of people. I just don’t know what I would do without it.”

Scully handles the play-by-play for all nine innings of his Prime Ticket and KCAL telecasts. The first three innings of the games are simulcast on KABC 790 AM. His 62 years with the Dodgers is said to be the longest tenure of any broadcaster in American sports history.

“He’s the face of the Dodgers,” Kemp said. “If he was to leave, I think everyone would miss that voice.”

Scully’s announcement came on the week that Times columnist T.J. Simers reported that the Dodgers asked their season-ticket holders to evaluate the Hall of Fame broadcaster.

The ensuing uproar resulted in Current TV political analyst Keith Olbermann showcasing Dodgers owner Frank McCourt on his “Worst Person in the World” segment.

Scully revealed his decision in the sixth inning, when the Dodgers were trailing, 1-0. The Dodgers scored six runs an inning later.

“Can he announce it again tomorrow?” Manager Don Mattingly asked. Click here to continue reading.

Women Win Battle of the Sexes II

July 28th, 2011

From The Daily Herald, Chicago, IL

Bandits win “Battle of the Sexes II”
By Kerry Lester | Daily Herald
StaffContact writer


The Bandits’ Nicole Tromboli greets the Flyers players before the game Monday at Alexian Field in Schaumburg. MARK WELSH | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Girl power was in full force Monday night at Schaumburg’s Alexian Field.

Long after the Northern League Flyers had finished signing autographs, uniform-clad girls excitedly tossed bright yellow balls over the dugout of the National Pro-Fastpitch Bandits to their heroes.

“I want to be Jenny Finch!” 11-year-old Melissa Goldberg of Lake Zurich rattled excitedly, clutching a freshly signed ball inside her mitt.

“Yeah! Me too!” her 9-year-old sister, Rachel, seconded.

Around the stadium, dozens of park district and travel softball teams could be spotted in their respective jerseys watching the women take on the men in the “Battle of the Sexes II,” the local sequel to the 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs.

Attendance was so heavy that the original 7:05 p.m. game time was pushed back by 30 minutes.

The record-breaking crowd of 8,918 smashed the Flyers’ season average of 4,200.

“We thought it was the perfect end-of-season party,” said Steve Burns, coach of the 8- and 9-year-old Bartlett Park District Sidewinders, who had the chance to take the field with the Bandits during the national anthem.

The match grew out of a rivalry between Bandits President Bill Sokolis and his Flyers counterpart, Rich Ehrenreich, fueled by trash talking between the sexes.

But unlike the ’70s grudge match between the publicly sexist Riggs and grand slam titleholder King, women arguably had the upper hand. Or the underhand, to be more precise.

The “Battle” was played by National Fastpitch rules, including underhand pitching at roughly 65 miles per hour.

Bandits pitcher Eileen Canney, with a 9-1 season record, struck out three straight in the second inning: right fielder Victor Ferrante, left fielder Jeff Dunbar and designated hitter Richard Mercado.

As ringers, the Flyers brought in Australian softball pitcher Andrew Blackshaw and Amateur Softball Association Men’s Major Fastpitch pitchers Brian Tobin and Jason Iuli. Blackshaw plays for his country’s Queensland team and was recently named a member of the 2009 Australian national team.

The game remained scoreless until the third inning when Flyers’ third baseman Tony Mansolino hit a double to drive in two runs. The Bandits scored their first run in the fourth after Blackshaw, seemingly rattled, hit first baseman Samantha Findlay in the helmet with the bases loaded, minutes after he had pegged short stop Tammy Williams.

In the fifth, center fielder Rachel Folden hit a single down the right field line to drive in two runs. An unearned run on a pitcher’s error brought the score to 4-2, where it remained at game’s end.

Maybe the game proved right 8-year-old Katrina Smith of Bartlett’s theory that “girls rule and boys drool.”

The outcome, however, wasn’t the point of the evening for many fans.

“My son plays baseball, my daughter plays softball,” Dan Murin of Island Lake said. “Everybody’s into this.”

Editor’s note: Andrew Blackshaw the new Bobby Riggs? I’m not sure which amazes me more – the size of the crowd or that the men got beat. But they did. Here’s one to ponder: Is men’s fastpitch missing the boat by not involving women’s teams in or at our events?

Comments posted with the story below the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

West Texas Fastpitch

July 24th, 2011

West Texas Fastpitch Unveils New Website.

Click here.

Blog Updates Now at Fastpitchwest.com

December 1st, 2010

All blog updates are now posted at www.fastpitchwest.com (click)

If you are looking for an old Morning Brief post, you can find them by using the search box at www.fastpitchwest.com

Final Chapter for The Morning Brief

November 29th, 2010

Well, here it is. The last Morning Brief post. Post number 4,943. The final chapter for our daily news blog on men’s fastpitch. We thank all of our readers, many of whom have been with us since that first post back on March 1, 2004. We have enjoyed it, more than you could know.

-Jim Flanagan
Editor, Morning Brief

Read the rest of this entry »

Fastpitch softball player feels blessed to be in the game

November 26th, 2010

Cap tip Scott Standerfer via Blair Setford

By BOB FALLSTROM – H&R Community News Editor

Larry Moffett, 61, of Moweaqua, is still playing competitive softball. He’s third baseman and designated hitter for the Decatur Pride. Moffett said he was meant to play softball, after all, his mother and father met at a softball game. (Herald & Review/Kelly J. Huff)
He can run. He can hit. He can throw. He can field.

Larry Moffett thinks he was destined to play fastpitch softball. And he’s not going to stop.

The Decatur Pride third baseman and designated hitter will be 62 on Feb. 25.
“My dad and mother met at a softball game in Elwin.” Moffett pointed out. “My dad, ‘Lefty,’ an outfielder played until he was 50.”

How long will Moffett keep playing? “My eyes are still 20-20, I’m blessed,” he said. “My body will tell me when to quit. I have a passion for playing, I love the competition and the camaraderie. I’m sort of an ambassador for fastpitch softball. I tell everybody to keep playing.”

Click here for the complete story and photo.