We were scanning some scoresheets from the 2009 AAU International Tournament, and thought some of our readers might enjoy perusing. Click here to view the official scorekeeper’s original scoresheet (not mine) and lineup cards in PDF format.

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Winger: Plummer’s book a great read for fastpitch fans
By Don Winger
for the Daily News

If you want to know anything about softball, just ask Bill Plummer III. Actually, you can get all your answers in Plummer’s recently published book entitled The Game America Plays: Celebrating 75 Years of the Amateur Softball Association.

A former sports writer for the Syracuse Herald Journal, Plummer has been employed by the ASA at its Oklahoma City headquarters since 1979. He began as publicity director and has worked his way up the ladder to ASA Hall of Fame Manager.

Plummer, who was a frequent visitor to Midland when the city played host to several ASA national tournaments, gives a detailed history of the ASA, beginning with its founding in 1933 by Leo Fischer and M.J. Pauley.

The book details the history of the ASA decade by decade. It talks about the early financial struggles of the ASA until it was able to get on its feet following World War II.

Among the early supporters of the ASA was William Randolph Hearst, who promoted the first national tournaments through his many newspapers and supplied the trophy presented to the winning team.

The book also details how the rules of softball were developed from the beginning of the ASA through today. It also talks about the development and popularity of slowpitch.

Particularly interesting are anecdotes about some of the famous players of the game, both men and women, many of whom are enshrined in the national Softball Hall of Fame.

Midland native Bill Humphrey’s contributions to the game are highlighted in a section dealing with umpires. It was Humphrey, along with ASA National Umpire-in-Chief Tom Mason and Ron Jeffers of Cincinnati, Ohio, who convinced the ASA Board of Directors to establish national umpire schools in the early 1980s.

Humphrey also was chosen by the United States Olympic Committee to umpire games in the 1978 U.S. Olympic Festival. In 1997-98, he served as national president of the ASA.

His many works with the ASA have earned him enshrinement in the National Softball Hall of Fame.

Plummer’s book contains many photographs of past and present players, managers, sponsors and commissioners. It also has action photos and still photos of both players and teams.

Another interesting section contains records from both the men’s and women’s national fastpitch championships.

For example, longtime local fastpitch fans know about the feats of Al Linde when he pitched for the Dow A.C.s. But before that, he was an ace pitcher for the Hammer Field Raiders of Fresno, Calif., helping lead them to back-to-back national championships in 1943 and 1944.

It is evident that Plummer has put a lot of work into researching material for his book. I think it is a must for every fan of the game.

Don Winger is the retired executive sports editor of the Daily News. Email him at dwinger103@aol.com or telephone him at 631-0347.

I thought while we’re talking about the 2009 ISF World Championships coming up in July, that the recaps from the 2004 ISF Worlds, held in Christchurch, New Zealand, might make for interesting reading.

Fastpitchwest’s coverage of the 2004 ISF World’s, pre-dated this blog, but can be found here.

It was New Zealand and Canada in the finals, for gold and silver, respectively, and Australia earning its first medal in ISF play, with the bronze. All three medal winners came out of a very tough Pool A. only unbeaten team in round-robin play, at 6-0, with New Zealand and Canada finishing 6-1. The USA did not have to face the medal winners during round robin play, and were the only unbeaten team in round-robin play, at 6-0, with New Zealand and Canada finishing 6-1. The USA sailed through robin robin play, with 5 shutouts in 6 games, surrendering runs only to Japan in a 7-3 win.

The USA stumbled in the playoff round, though, going 1-2 and was knocked off the medal stand, with a fourth place finish. Japan was fifth.

Final standings here.

Round Robin Scores

Many fastball fans are predicting a repeat final in 2009 between New Zealand and Canada. Time will tell, as a number of countries would like to have something to say about that. Certainly Australia, with Kirkpatrick and Folkard figure to be in the hunt. Curious who handed New Zealand and Canada their losses in 2004 round robin play? Well, Canada beat New Zealand 5-4, and it was upstart Samoa (eventual 6th place finisher) that beat Canada, 3-1.

From the official ISF website:

NEW ZEALAND THREE-PEATS AT MEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
2004-02-09

by: Andrea Blackshaw in Christchurch

New Zealand’s Black Sox have achieved an historic three-peat at the ISF XI Men’s World Championship in Christchurch.

The Black Sox beat Canada, 9-5, to win their third consecutive title, after wins in Michigan (USA) in 1996 and East London (South Africa) in 2000.

It was a fitting farewell for several veteran players who will be retiring, including Mark Sorenson, Marty Grant, Jim Wana, and Jarrad Martin.

Earlier in the day, Canada had sealed their place in the final with a one-sided 7-0 win over Australia. Despite that loss it was a great day for Australia, claiming their first medal at an ISF Men’s World Championship in taking the bronze.

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