From Benjie Hedgecock, NAFA
[We are adding results here as they come in, so scroll to the bottom for the most recent results]


3 Upsets in first round of NAFA Open World Series

[Middleton, Wisconsin] – After a bucket of rain fell in Madison last night, it looked like the NAFA Men’s Open World Series might not get started at all but the top notch field crew at the Bowling Green Sports Complex overcame the rain and all games started near or on time this morning.

The day started out pretty exciting as three upsets unfolded in the first 3 games. (more…)

“News” item: Canada 30, USA 29 in Slow-pitch Border Battle. 59 runs scored on 67 hits. Two of the final three outs by the USA were made when they hit home runs over the fence. Yes, you read that right – two of the final outs were made when USA batters hit the ball out of the park. “Sorry, you’re over your 10 home run limit, those are outs”. See it to believe it.

Even ESPN’s announcer thinks it’s a joke – listen to the intro….”I’ll get the beer……” Any doubt what they think of this “sport”?. Get a look at the expression on the face of the guy that hits one out of the park for the second out of the inning. You’d think he’d struck out. What kind of “sport” calls you out when you go yard? “Whoops, sorry, I didn’t mean to hit it that far. I was trying for a dying quail into shallow centerfield. ” What are they trying to do? Keep the score under 100?

They couldn’t convince the USA and Canadian men’s fastpitch teams to play on TV?

Reader Brian Helwig writes:

I want to encourage others to voice their opinions about this, and their lack of ever covering mens fastpitch. Here is the address www.ISCfastpitch.com and consider covering the game in the future. Thanks
Brian Helwig

Click to send email to ESPN.

Editor’s note: I used the link to send an email to ESPN this morning, and encourage all of our readers to do so. It’s a great chance to give voice to our sport. My suggestion is to be respectful and avoid profanity — but let them know that there is interest in real men’s softball, and it’s fastpitch, not slow.

The article notes 650,000 viewers for this slow-pitch event. My website hit meter at Fastpitchwest says more than 10 million times a year, people choose FASTPITCH. Let them know there is an audience they are missing out on.

Want to get motivated to write that email? Try reading the article below:

The money quote:

“While I would truly love to see it men’s slopitch] considered for Olympic inclusion, the efforts of both slow-pitch and fast-pitch softball fans around the country are focused on returning women’s fast pitch back into the Games. There are simply more competitive international teams and the sport truly deserves reconsideration.”

In other words, there are no competitive international men’s fastpitch teams and men’s fastpitch is not worthy of inclusion as an Olympic sport, but men’s slopitch should be considered ? Really?

Men’s softball set for 2nd Border Battle
Joanne C. Gerstner July 23, 2010

The covers of J.D. Genter and Rusty Bumgartner were blown sky high in 2009, thanks to television.

Genter and Bumgartner live average lives, save for their long-time association as star members of USA Softball’s men’s slow-pitch national team.

(more…)

(click logo for original news story)

Charlottetown team plays final league home games this weekend

The Charlottetown Gahan House Fawcetts will host the Glace Bay Mets and Fredericton Twins this weekend at Central Field complex in Maritime Fastball League action.

This will be the final league home games for the Fawcetts before hosting the 2010 national senior men’s fastpitch championship, Aug. 29 to Sept. 5, in Charlottetown.

The Mets and Twins will also be competing for the national title at this year’s event.

Mitch Hardy, Mike Bishop and Mark Quinn will be the pitching staff this weekend and are tasked with shutting down their Maritime league foes.
Fawcetts veteran Steven Larter has been leading the offence for most of the season. Larter is returning after breaking a finger three weeks ago in Fredericton.

Team Canada member Jeff Ellsworth will be also be in Charlottetown this weekend to play with the Fawcetts. The team looks to have a strong showing as they contend for the national title.

The team started building toward the national championship six years ago when it began building a roster that would be able to contend for the national title. Over the past year, the Fawcetts have recruited five current or former national team members to compliment their existing roster of talented local players. “Some of us have been with the Fawcetts organization for many years,” said Mark Arsenault, who started with the organization as a bat boy at the age of eight.

“To be able to have a strong team as we do now and to be able to compete for the national title at home is a dream we have been working toward for many years.”

For Arsenault, this year’s championship will mark the 16th national event he has participated in as a member of the Fawcetts’ softball team, having played at all levels within the organization.

This weekend’s event will provide the Fawcetts with an opportunity to check out some of their competition.

For more information on the 2010 nationals, visit www.seniormensfastballcharlottetownpei.com.

Full event passes for the championship ($59 each) are on sale and can be purchased online at www.civiccentre.pe.ca, by calling 629-6625 or at the Charlottetown Civic Centre box office.
Following is this weekend’s schedule at the Central Field complex:
Today
2 p.m., Fawcetts vs. Fredericton
4 p.m., Fredericton vs. Glace Bay
6 p.m., Fawcetts vs. Glacey Bay
Sunday
11 a.m., Glace Bay vs Fredericton
1 p.m., Fawcetts vs. Glace Bay
3 p.m., Fawcetts vs. Fredericton