NAFA Masters – East, West and Vegas

September 15th, 2010

Coaches,

We have posted the East Masters Wrap Up on www.Nafafastpitch.com and on Fastpitchwest.com and Alsfastball.com.

It was a great time and I really enjoyed hanging out with each of you.

Please review everything for accuracy and get back to me if there is a typo.

Robert Hernandez and I and the rest of the NAFA Staff are looking forward to seeing the West Masters coaches and players in Carson City this weekend.

Everyone who is coming to Las Vegas, we need your commitment asap. for Oct. 23-24.

Benjie Hedgecock
NAFA Executive Director

Posted in General, NAFA, Teams, Tournaments | No Comments »

NAFA Masters East World Series Wrap Up

September 14th, 2010

September 10-12 Rockford, Illinois

The 8 field Sportscore Park was beautiful and the recent flood that closed the park was barely noticeable. 5 divisions (55,50,45,40,35) were held and 3 new Champions were crowned. One guy Mike White from Madison Wisconsin played in all 5 divisions. The field prep crew was awesome. Sportscore Manager, Marianne Larson and her staff were great to work with again providing gate keepers, scorekeepers, , hosting the umpires and staff and especially her hospitality ambassadors. The event went smoothly for the most part with cool playing weather.
Special thanks to tournament directors Loren Lathrop and Mike Watson and UIC Carley Parish and Kris Russom on souvenirs. The umpires also did a fine job with only a few complaints. Umpires were from Oregon, Canada, Kansas, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois. Player ages ranged from 32 to 71. Players asked if we could add a 60+ Division next year and that may very well happen. People were excited to hear that we are adding Niagra Falls July 1-3 next year and we had 11 teams verbally commit to attend(ok their wives committed for them). The fields really took a rain blast very well Saturday morning and all games still started on time at 8 am and the rain really helped to make it a pleasant day as there was no dust and injuries were low as the cool temperature aided players, many who were playing in multiple divisions. As usual players had many suggestions through the weekend to help make the event better each year such as using a yellow ball, getting the curfew waived, using wood bats, adding a 60+ Division, staggering the championship game times and having teams play their way into upper and lower divisions on Sunday. Any and all suggestions are appreciated by the NAFA Directors. Without the curfew being waived we can’t really stagger the championship games but that would be nice except for teams with long drives or plane flights. We may add the 60 as we had 4 teams commit to bring 60’s next year. As far as the yellow ball and wood bats go those are reasonable suggestions but would have to be asked for by a super majority of the teams on the survey forms before those changes could be made as the players drive our changes not the Directors. The surveys will be posted on the website Thursday. A breakdown by class is provided below and this information is also on the website at www.Nafafastpitch.com

2011 Sites and Dates

The Rockford event will be more appropriately renamed the Midwest Masters World Series(Sept. 9-11) and may come back to Rockford although there were requests to check into new locations. The Carson City event will remain the West Masters(Sept. 16-18) and the new Niagra Falls Canada event( July 1-3) will be titled the East Masters(U.S. East/Canada East). The Las Vegas (October 22-23) event will give Masters teams 4 quality events they can attend annually in each part of the United States.

55-Over Division(Complete Bracket with scores are on www.Nafafastpitch.com)
A new champion was crowned with Nohren Farms from Illinois taking a well fought championship game 6-4 over the 2008 Champion Cardinal Home Improvement from Minnesota. 61 year old Pitcher Barry Dalmasso earned the Most Valuable Pitcher Award and won the championship game over Lou Heller of Cardinal Home.

55 Final Standings
Nohren Farms, Illinois, 5-0
Cardinal Home Improvement, Minn, 3-2
3rd Bowar Electric, Wi, 3-2
3rd Insurance Center, Wi, 2-3
5th News & Lou’s Thunder, Mich, 0-4
5th Gushow Excavating, Mich, 0-4
55-Over All World Team
MVP, Mike Drew, Nohren
MVPitcher, Barry Dalmasso, Nohren
Steve Hall, Nohren
Ron Windsor, Nohren
Jim Bone, Nohren
Lee Patton, Cardinal
Al Killian, Cardinal
Lou Heller, Cardinal
Steve Fedie, Cardinal
Chris Gentilly, Bowar
Al Wong, Bowar
Joe Wrresdorf, Bowar
Chris Tanner, Thunder

50-Over(Complete Bracket with scores are on www.Nafafastpitch.com)
The big upset of the tournament was the gutsy gutsy performance by insurance Center who knocked off the favorite Ohio Battery in 11 innings 6-5 and then almost did the same thing to Harold’s in the final losing 5-4 in a late rally. Defending Champion Berkanpas Development was knocked out it a great battle against Harold’s 4-1. Harold’s Supermarket went 6-0 to take the championship. Clayton Fleeman, Ray Foster and Allan Speckels were a great pitching combination for Harold’s.

50-Over Finals Standings
Harold’s Supermarket, Missouri, 6-0
Insurance Center, Wi, 4-2
3-Ohio Battery, Ohio, 3-2
3-Nohren Farms, IL, 3-2
5-Berkenpas Development, Mi, 2-2
5-Des Moines Metros, IA, 2-2
5-Bowar Electric, Wi, 1-4
5-Gushow Excavating, Mi, 0-4
9-Sand Prairie Const., Wi, 0-3(could not play fri night)

50-Over All World Team
MVP
MVPitcher Ray Foster, Harold’s
Larry Cushman, IC
Jeff Zeller, IC
Kent Stelter, IC
Mark Palsrud, IC
Rich Roy, Nohren
Brian Marty, Nohren
Bruce Pirkel, Ohio
Jim Huerta, Ohio
Jeff Bohne, Ohio
Butch Smoot, DesM
Gary Franzen, Berkenpas
Jim Keller, Gushow

45-Over(Complete Bracket with scores are on www.Nafafastpitch.com)
Top to bottom the toughest division as only 2 runs separated the top team and the bottom team. Great Parity and tough pitching, fielding and hitting by all teams. The parity was displayed in the final as It was a 0-0 draw as darkness fell in Rockford and as lightning and rain approached the game was called in the top of the 9th as the lights curfew took effect at the park and the only choice was to move to another park and hope to beat the lightning and rain but the coaches opted to hit the road and both went home winners. Brent Stevenson and Kevin Kammueller put on beautiful pitching performances in the final and had the other teams batters in check in a game that may have gone on forever. Kurt Decker of Eagle Pack was MVP, while Kevin Kammueller was the Most Valuable Pitcher although he thought Stevenson, Bobby Ginger, Shawn Sampson, Greg Wright were all deserving of the award. Every Game on Sunday in elimination play was very competitive with 8-6, 5-4,4-1,7-6 and 0-0 scores. The two semifinal battles between Eagle Pack who fought back a late comeback from CPI Classics and held on to win 7-6 and the 4-1 Jordan Realty win over first time attendee Fox Negaunee were great spectator games.

45-Over Final Standings
Co Champs- Jordan Realty, Minnesota, 4-0-1 and Eagle Pack, Indiana, 4-0-1
3rd CPI Classics, New York, 3-2
3rd Fox Negaunee, Michigan, 2-3
5th Insurance Center, Wi, 0-4
5th The Stock, Wi, 0-4
MVP Kurt Decker, Eagle
MVPitcher Kevin Kammueller, Jordan
45-Over All World
Scott Nielson, Jordan
Gerry Gubash, Jordan
Bill Hafner, Jordan
Chris Hammock, Eagle
John Sudges, Eagle
Bob Ginger, Eagle
Shawn Sampson, CPI
Kevin Anderson, Stock
Davy Tomlinson, Insur
Gary Karpe, Fox
Greg Wright, Fox
Bob Rabitalle, fox
Mike Vanderlip, CPI
Mark Lazarro, CPI

40-Over(Complete Bracket with scores are on www.Nafafastpitch.com)
Cary Trucking and Jordan Realty have a great friendly rivalry from when they battled in the final in 2008 so it was no surprise when the Cary players waited patiently for an hour for Jordan’s players to get through most of their 45-over semifinal game as the Jordan team had to split into two to play in the 40 and 45 final game being held at the same time. In a well fought game Cary’s came out on top behind tourney most valuable pitcher Jeff Graf who outlasted Jordan’s Kent Casperson who threw a gem himself in the final losing 6-4 after Jordan led 2-1 early. First year attendee KC Indios did well taking third along with Point Blank Tattoo/Gardner Company.
40-Over Final Standings
Cary’s Trucking, Michigan, 6-0
Jordan Realty, Minnesota, 5-1
3rd KC Indios, Kansas, 3-2
3rd Point Bl Tattoo/Gardner Co, Il, 3-2
5th Marion Bombers, Indiana, 1-3
5th Montana Iron Works, Wi, 1-3
5th Central Illinois Bud, IL, 0-4
5th-Midwest Free Agents, 0-4
40-Over All World
MVP Chris Rivard
MVPitcher Jeff Graf
All World
Mike Koenig, Cary
Shannon Damron, Cary
Steve Meyers, Cary
Jeff Kochanczyk, Cary
Kent Casperson, Jordan
Bill Lesher, Jordan
Paul Arntsen, Jordan
Shawn McCarthy, Jordan
Dave Meyer, Gardner,PB
Mike Davenport, Gardner, PB
Jerry Showers, Gardner, PB
Kevin Shaw, Indios
Lou Ramirez, Indios
Louis Orpeza, Indios
Jan Caban, Cent Ill
Gill Rowley, Montana

35-Over(Complete Bracket with scores are on www.Nafafastpitch.com)
In what was a replay of the Saturday night all important final seeding game which went 15 innings and 3.5 hours (where the Bar’s Bryan Lathrop had New Image batters befuddled, New Image won 3-2), New Image and MVPitcher Jeremy Holman beat the Bar Of Appleton 5-4 in the final in just 7 innings. New Image knocked a tiring Lathrop out of the game early but Dave Meyers came in and held his own against the tough New Image hitting lineup. An interesting thing happened in the final though as Jeremy Holman kept batters off balance with three different pitching styles which included his normal 7 foot leap, then he went to a modified Fp slingshot style and the finished with what surprised spectators , directors and even his own players, which was a push and drag traditional style(which of course no one knew he was even capable of). He mixed in his world renowned changeup and sent batter after batter to the chiropractor. Using a bowlers finish bracket, the semifinal game was one of the most exciting of the tournament as the Bar of Appleton came from behind in the late innings to best the host team BAC Pride 3-2 and a great pitching performance by Ray Reynolds for BAC.

35-Over Final Standings
New Image, Wisconsin, 4-0
Bar of Appleton, Wisconsin, 3-2
Blackhawks Athletic Pride, Il, 2-3
Central Illinois Budweiser, IL, 0-4
35-Over All World Team
MVP Tom Crouch, New Image
MVPitcher, Jeremy Holman ,NI
Jeff Jahn, NI
Les Wood, NI
Harvey Knutson , NI
Tim Ganzer, Bar
Bryan Lathrop, Bar
Matt Horton, Bar
Rob Miscovich, Bar
Kent Evans, Cent Ill
Matt Smith, BAC
Ray Reynolds, BAC
Chad Cruscher, BAC

NEXT UP….Carson City and the West Masters….Brackets are on www.Nafafastpitch.com

Posted in NAFA, Tournaments | No Comments »

Storm Hits Fresno, Leaves with ASA 45+ National Title

September 14th, 2010

Information courtesy of Fred Hanker:

The Burbank Storm led by manager Terry Richardson won the ASA Men’s 45 and over Nationals this past weekend at Fresno Regional Park. The Storm cruised to a 4-0 record in the double elimination tournament. They outscored their opponents 34-4 in the span of 4 games. The Storm defeated a very tired and injured Santa Barbara Fast Pitch team 9-2 in the championship game. The Storm is composed of several players from the Burbank city league. Richardson has proven to be an effective general manager as well as a field manager.

The Storm in game 1 defeated the Savala Painters and ISC legendary pitcher Peter Meredith 6-0. Ed Gaspar went the distance for the complete game shutout and win. In game 2 Matt Barnes went the distance and shutout Bay City 7-0 in 5 innings. In the winners bracket game The Storm faced off against Santa Barbara Fast Pitch and Mark Bennett. Ed Gaspar took the ball for the storm. The game was a pitching duel for the 1st 3 innings than Craig Budrick singled with the bases loaded driving in 2 runs to open the game up. Gaspar would finish the game allowing 2 runs in the win. In the championship game The Storm faced Santa Barbara Fastpitch and this time they were banged up. The Storm took advantage and cruised to a 9-2 win.

The Storm landed 6 players on the All-American team. The Storm’s first 4 hitters were all selected. Keith Barker hitting leadoff batted well over .500 and was the catalyst all weekend. Craig Budrick hitting second had several clutch hits and was in the middle of every rally. The great Todd Budke well rested after an 8 month layoff led the tournament with 13 hits. Budke also reached base in 15 of his 16 plate appearances. He was voted tournament MVP. Fred Hanker batting 4th hit .788 with 11 RBI. He was awarded as the batting champion. Hanker reached base safely in 13 of his 15 plate appearances. Ed Gaspar was 2-0 in allowing only 2 runs with 2 complete games one of them being a shutout. Matt Barnes was also 2-0 allowing only 2 runs also. Barnes also had a complete game shutout.

The very courageous Santa Barbara Fast Pitch team playing undermanned placed several players on the All American team. Joe Vigil closing in on the magic mark of 3,000 hits was selected. The “Greek God of Hitting” Phil Hiromerides was also selected to the team. The durable Mark Bennett who threw most of the innings for Santa Barbara was also selected. Mickey Ventura a name from the past made the team although he was forced out of the final game with an injury.

The Storm in their last 2 tournaments (Santa Barbara last November and this weekend are 10-0 scoring 78 runs and allowing only 7). The Storm finished 3rd in the 45 and over last year. Terry Richardson is quickly taking his place among the elite managers in the game of fast pitch softball. Richardson’s style has produced a national championship for The Storm and he hopes to repeat next year.

Posted in ASA, Masters, Tournaments | No Comments »

‘Hammer Repeats as GHFL Champion

September 13th, 2010

Golden Horseshoe Fastball League
Niagara Falls, Ontario

The GHFL crowned a repeat champion Sunday afternoon as the Waterdown Hammer defended their league title with a thrilling 9-6 come-from-behind win over the top-seed Niagara Falls Fury. Full scores below.

Bob Blamauer, who belted six home runs in six games for the Hammer, was named the Gord Newman Memorial Playoff MVP.

Matt Lyon, of the Niagara Snappers, was the 2010 GHFL MVP, with a .610 average, nine home runs and 30 RBIs in 19 games played. Lyon also finished with 12-3 pitching record.

Scott Wagar, of the Niagara Falls Fury, was the 2010 GHFL Top Pitcher, compiling a 14-3 record leading his Fury to first place overall.

Rookie Joel Langford, second basemen for the Mississauga Arrows, was the 2010 Russ Dekker Memorial Defensive Player of the Year.

Dan Bernard, of the Niagara Snappers, was the 2010 recipient of the Janet Greatrix Memorial Sportmanship & Dedication Award for his tireless behind-the-scenes work over many years with his team and the league.

On behalf of the GHFL, congratulations to all award winners. Thanks to Rob Greatrix and the entire Niagara Falls committee for outstanding work in hosting the annual playoff tournament. We also want to thank Peter Kluszczynski and his Blue Crew for excellent work this past weekend along with all of the GHFL umpires who work the regular season.

September 10-12
GHFL Playoff Tournament
Niagara Falls, Ontario

Friday
Lizards 19 Dawgs 0 – 3 innings
WP: Rich Vassos 5Ks
LP: Jeff Bolton, relief Gerry Bongers
Lizards: Jason Surdyke 2-4 HR; Darren Newson 3-3 HR; Darryl Breadner 3-3 HR

Snappers 1 Tazco 0 – 9 innings
WP: Matt Lyon 6Ks
LP: Tom Berube 13Ks
Snappers: Scott Young 2-4 2b GWRBI
Tazco: Jeff Kraneyk 2-4

Fury 8 Royals 0 – 5 innings
WP: Scott Wagar 14Ks
LP: Marvin Smith, relief Joe Parker
Fury: Adam Dearborn HR, 3b 3RBIs; Ray Carr HR
Royals: Dom Demasi 2b

Saturday
Fury 1 Arrows 0
WP: Scott Wagar 4 hits 14Ks
LP: Jeff Wilson 3 hits, unearned run

Target 1 Knights 0
WP: Gord Scott 2 hits 13Ks
LP: Kyle Linton 9Ks
Target: Mark Cameron 1-3 RBI

Hammer 6 Tazco 0
WP: Doug Hoffman 3 hits 7Ks
LP: Mike Joseph 11 hits 2Ks
Hammer: Bob Blamauer 3-3 2 HRs 4RBIs; Steve Gillis 3-3 HR

Lizards 8 Royals 4
WP Dan Duemo
LP Marvin Smith
Lizards: Dan Edholm 2b 2RBIs; Darrin Newson 2-3 3RBIs
Royals Adam Solnik HR 3RBIs; Jason Young 2-3 HR

Arrows 7 Dawgs 0 – 6 innings
WP: Chris McColl
LP: Gerry Bongers

Hammer 10 Snappers 1 – 5 innings
WP: Rod Fevereau
LP: Jason Paylove, relief Perry Bartley
Hammer: Dave Brownhill 2-3 2b; Will Lake 2-3; Kyle Davis 2-3
Snappers: Mike Bateman HR

Fury 11 Dawgs 4 – 6 innings
WP: Butch Provost
LP: Brad Wills
Fury: Ray Carr HR 2RBIs; Phil John 3-4 HR; Mark Korten HR
Dawgs: Jordan Lewis HR; Steve Veenstra HR

Hammer 5 Knights 4
WP: Doug Hoffman in relief of Jim Hurst
LP: Kyle Linton
Hammer: Geoff Hornby HR; Kyle Davis 2b 2RBIs
Knights: Tyler Higgins 2-4 HR; Jordan Copeland 1-3 HR

Snappers 5 Target 4
WP: Matt Lyon
LP: Gord Scott
Snappers Trevor Falk 3-4 HR; Matt Lyon 2-4 2b HR; Kres Anderson HR
Target: Dave Harper 2-4; Brian Prowse HR; Mark Cameron HR

Hammer 11 Target 4
WP: Doug Hoffman
LP: Gord Scott
Hammer: Dave Brownhill 3-3; Bob Blamauer 3-3 HR; Mike Brown 3-3 RBI
Target: Dave Harper 2-3

Arrows 5 Royals 4
WP: Chris McColl, relief Jeff Wilson
LP: Marvin Smith
Arrows: Chris McColl 2-3 2b 2RBIs; Jeff Wilson 2BB RBI; Mike Oliver 1-2 2BB; Rob O’Neill 2BB
Royals: Glen Crocker 3b 2RBIs; Lance Galbraith RBI; Matt Smith RBI

Fury 6 Lizards 5
WP: Scott Wagar
LP: Rich Vassos, relief Dan Duemo
no details available

Lizards 5 Arrows 4
WP: Dan Duemo, relief Rich Vassos
LP: Jeff Wilson
Lizards: Mike Breadner 2RBIs
Arrows: Jeff Wilson HR 2RBIs; Blair Setford 2b RBI; Mike Oliver RBI

Royals 12 Dawgs 10
WP: Jason Young, relief Joe Parker
LP: Jeff Bolton
Royals: Jason Young 2-4 2 HRs 5RBIs; Adam Solnik 2-4 HR 2 RBIs; Glen Crocker 2-3 HR; Dom Demasi 2-3 HR
Dawgs: Jordan Lewis 2-5; Steve Veenstra Grand Slam 5RBIs; Ryan Nickels 2BB RBI; Andrew Lessard 2-4 2b

Snappers 2 Knights 1
WP: Matt Lyon
LP: Andrew Putnam
Snappers: Scott Young 2-3 2b RBI; Perry Bartley 3b; Alex Szockyj RBI
Knights: Barry Lexchin HR

Tazco 1 Target 0
WP: Tom Berube 14Ks 1 hit
LP: Gord Scott
Tazco: Pat McCloy 1-2 run
Target: Todd Townsend 1b

Tazco 6 Knights 1
WP: Tom Berube
LP: Andrew Putnam
Tazco: no details available
Knights: Tyler Higgins HR

Sunday
P1 Tazco 2 Lizards 1
WP: Mike Joseph
LP: Rich Vassos
Tazco: Mark Hall walk off two-run HR in B7

P2 Snappers 11 Arrows 9
WP: Matt Lyon
LP: Chris McColl, in relief of Jeff Wilson
Snappers: Trevor Falk 2 HRs 5RBIs; Ron Webb HR; Kevin Newhouse HR 2 RBIs
Arrows: Joel Langford HR; Rob O’Neill HR; Whitney Bridge 2-4 2b HR 3RBIs

P3 Fury 5 Tazco 2
WP Scott Wagar
LP Tom Berube
Fury: Tommy Watkinson 2-4 HR 2RBIs, Phil John 2-4 3b 2RBIs, Rob Greatrix 3-4 RBI
Tazco: Will Parent HR 2b, Pat McCloy HR 1b

P4 Hammer 14 Snappers 11
WP: Doug Hoffman 4IP, 7H, 4R, 2K, 0BB; in relief of Rod Favreau 3IP, 5H, 7R, 1K, 2BB
LP: Matt Lyon 6IP, 10H, 14R, 2K, 5BB; relief Mike Bateman 1IP, 2H, 0R, 1K, 0BB
Hammer: Steve Gillis 2-4 HR 5 RBI’s, Bob Blamauer 2-4 2 HR 3 RBI’s, Dave Kingdon 2-4 HR 3 RBI’s, Kyle Davis 1-4 HR 2 RBI’s
Snappers: Scott Young 1-3 HR 3 RBI’s, Trevor Falk 2-4 HR 2 RBI’s, Kevin Newhouse 2-4 HR 3 RBI’s, Dan Bernard 2-3 2 RBI’s, Alex Szockyj RBI

Championship Game
Hammer 9 Fury 6
WP: Doug Hoffman
LP: Scott Wagar
Hammer: Steve Gillis HR 1b; Bob Blamauer HR 1b; Kyle Davis HR 1b 3RBIs; Geoff Hornby 2b, Dave Kingdon 2-4
Fury: Mark Korten HR 1b 2RBIs; Ray Carr HR 1b; Rob Greatrix 2-3
Fury take a 3-0 in the second on the strength of a 2-run home run by Mark Korten and a RBI single by Scott Wagar. The Hammer answer on a Bob Blamauer HR to make score 3-1. The Fury get one back via a solo shot by Ray Carr. With the score 4-1, a solo HR by the Hammer’s Steve Gillis makes it 4-2 and a Dave Kingdon RBI double makes it 4-3. With the score 5-3 in T6, the Hammer’s Kyle Davis hits a 2-out, 2-strike 3-run HR and suddenly the Hammer lead 6-5. The Fury scratch out the tying run in the B6 on a 2-out RBI single by Rob Greatrix, setting up the 7th. The Hammer load the bases with none out and Dave Brownhill scores on a pass ball. The Hammer get a couple more on a 2-out Geoff Hornby single that the Fury outfielder gets a glove on but can’t hold. The Fury go down in order in B7.

Posted in Canada, Leagues | No Comments »

2011 ISC Rules & Procedure Changes

September 13th, 2010

From the ISC:

The following changes for the 2011 season, were recently approved by the ISC Board of Directors at the annual meeting in Midland.

A PRAWN that plays in more than one tournament for a team prior to the World Tournament, but is not included on that team’s roster for the ISC World Tournament, and does not participate for any other team in the World Tournament, will have his PRAWN status extended for one additional year.

Approved Out of Region (OOR) players on all ISC teams must play in an approved ISC Qualifying event or an invitational in both June and July with their current year’s team to be eligible for World Tournament play.

Each team will be allowed one exception to the requirement that Out-of-Region players on all ISC teams must play in either an approved ISC Qualifying event or an invitational in both June and July with their current year’s team to be eligible for World Tournament play.

For 2011 and beyond, teams will be limited to five (5) PRAWN players (combination of 1 pitcher and position players), plus age-related exceptions that have been named All-World in the last 3 years — only one of which may be a pitcher, regardless of which position the pitcher was named as PRAWN. Teams are still limited to 2 OOR pitchers for the season. All teams must name their PRAWNs to the Executive Director by May 1 each year.

Change the ISC Appeal Form – eliminate ISC II reclassification and insert Exemption. Note: This was previously announced and revised form is currently available on ISC web site.

If a non-PRAWN player or players makes an All-World team in the current year, that team will be allowed to carry that player or players until such time that a PRAWN player leaves the team or drops out of the 3-year criterion. If a player makes All-World while with Team A and they have 6 current PRAWN players (5 beginning in 2011 and beyond), then Team A would be able to carry 7 until one of the 7 leaves the team (or they fall outside of the 3-year boundary), then they will only be allowed 6 (5 beginning in 2011 and beyond) for the following year.
The exception does not apply for the one PRAWN pitcher stipulation.

The ISC Region Definitions is changed to move Alabama from US East to US Central because the entire state of Alabama is in the Central Time Zone.

Posted in ISC, Players | No Comments »

Video – Brad and Pita Rona on NZ News

September 12th, 2010

Cap tip, Al’s Fastball and Jason Gerbes.

Great video of Brad and Pita Rona on New Zealand news.

Posted in International, Players | No Comments »

Missouri’s fastpitch leaders planning for bigger better boy’s tournaments in 2011

September 10th, 2010

From OttoInFocus:


(click banner for original news story at OttoinFocus)

WINSTON, MO – Some men would just throw up there hands and say, “enough’s, enough, it just isn’t meant to be.”

But you won’t hear that from Eric Lewis of Winston, Missouri. The father of two fastpitch-playing sons is determined to keep the boy’s fastpitch game alive – at least in his part of the country – northwest Missouri.

Though denied participation in the 2010 ASA Boy’s National Tournament in the 10-under and 12-under age divisions because of a lack of teams to offer competition in the two brackets, Lewis is undeterred for the 2011 tournaments to be held in Mankato, Minnesota.

And even though his teams couldn’t play at Rolla in the 2010 event, his boys played non-the-less.

“I stayed home and played a fantastic game between my two boys teams,” said Lewis, who is the principal, athletic director, and boy’s softball coach at Winston High School. “I had nineteen little boys age 12 and under play a scrimmage game….we had uniforms, umpires, PA announcing, etc. Great time was had by all.”

And as for the ASA national in Mankato next year?

“I am planning on going to Mankato and taking a 10-Under and a 12-Under team. I am also talking to a couple dads about putting a 14-Under team together. And I’m sure my brother-in-law, Greg “Skipper” McQuinn will have at least an 18-Under
and 23-Under (this year he had those two and a 16-Under).”

Lewis added that it’s possible that northwest Missouri will have a team in every division of the ASA boy’s and young men’s tournament.

And he sees a glimmer of hope that he and McQuinn aren’t alone in the push to revive the boy’s and young men’s sides of the sport.

“I saw some of the younger boys division dads and coaches playing fastpitch in Des Moines in the NAFA World Series tournaments,” he said. “They spoke very confidently of taking teams to Mankato (and) some spoke of taking multiple teams.

“Let’s try and reverse the tide and have a tournament with more teams in every age division.”

Posted in General, Teams, Youth | No Comments »

Dolan & Murphy wraps up season

September 10th, 2010

The Dolan & Murphy Shamrocks men’s softball team wrapped up its season last month by competing in the International Softball Congress World Tournament in Midland, Mich.
It was one of three national or international tourneys in which the team competed.

The Aurora Fastpitch Softball Association’s men’s entry defeated Carey’s of Midland 9-2 behind winning pitcher Ales Jetmar, getting a home run and five RBIs from Dave Perkins and two hits each from Robert Reder and Cooper Carson, but lost three other decisions to be eliminated from the tourney.

It dropped the Shamrocks to the ISC II tournament where they went on to tie for third place. D&M defeated Palermo, Ontario, Canada 2-1, topped Ashland, Ohio 5-2 and Toronto 5-1 before falling to Wyevale Tribe of Canada 3-1 in the semifinal. Mark Kleffner earned all-tournament honors.

Click the logo above for the complete story online.

Posted in ISC, Teams | No Comments »

Men AND Women’s Fastpitch at ISF Site

September 9th, 2010

See it HERE..

Posted in ISF, Tournaments | No Comments »

Al Savala on deck for LB Hall induction

September 8th, 2010

KEISSER: Savala on deck for LB Hall induction

From the Long Beach Press Telegram
By Bob Keisser, Sports Columnist

The heyday of fastpitch men’s softball in Southern California passed long enough ago that most people can’t remember its demise, much less its history.

The game thrived longer in Long Beach than other communities, too, thanks to the Long Beach Nitehawks, Lakewood Jets and Long Beach Painters.

But the sport will have its day on Sept. 18 when the softball branch of the city’s Hall of Fame inducts five new members, including three men who are proof that the sport still has a profile in town.

Hice Stiles, a 2001 inductee into the International Softball Congress Hall of Fame, will be inducted – and Stiles can still be found playing the game today in masters leagues.

Darrell Kam, who played for the Nitehawks and only retired from active play a few years ago, will join Stiles, as will Al Savala – the player/coach of the vibrant Long Beach Painters who were the last local team to play high-end softball at Joe Rodgers Field, and the last local team to reach the ISC World Series (1998).

How vibrant are the Painters? Savala still fields three teams, two of them in the masters divisions (45-and-older and 50-and-older).

Their moment in the spotlight will come at the same time that the softball park gets a name change. It now will be named Red Meairs Field at Joe Rodgers Stadium, in honor of the late Meairs, the longtime Nitehawk who succeeded Rodgers as manager and kept the team on the field until financial issues and the changing times led to its closure in 1988.

Savala, on the other hand, never stopped even as the sport’s ranks were thinning. He’s the beacon of the sport, which he’s been involved with for 50 years.

His Long Beach Painters reached the ISC world tournament in four of five years between 1993 and 1998, finishing fifth in 1994 while earning the ISC Sportsmanship Award. The 2009 Long Beach Painters won the American Softball Association’s 45-and-over title.

“We’ve probably qualified for more than 100 national tournaments over the years and won 18 or so different titles,” Savala said. “We traveled a lot, too. I always thought that was the best part of the game, challenging teams from other parts of California and other states.

“When the Nitehawks and other teams stopped, we just kept going.”

Savala talked with Meairs about co-sponsoring the Nitehawks when the team was facing financial hardships, but Meairs wanted to homestand and bring teams to Rodgers Field before competing for a spot in the worlds.

Savala wanted to travel.

“I wanted exposure for the team,” he said. “I think some of the teams I had (in the ’90s) were as good as some of the championship Nitehawk teams.

“It’s worked pretty well for me. I’m pretty well known around the country for playing teams in tournaments, and it’s been fun now to go to nationals and see guys I played against. Now many of their kids are playing.”

Savala, who grew up in Northern California and started playing softball when he was 15, got his start at a high level when he was 16.

“The Knights of Columbus team lost its pitcher and my uncle asked me to teach him how to pitch,” he said, “I showed him, and he said, `heck, why don’t you pitch for us? You’re better than anyone we have.”‘

He played for several teams in the Western Softball Congress before launching the Painters. The name of his team has a story of its own.

Al Savala has been a painting contractor almost as long as he’s been playing softball. He started in high school and launched his own company in his 20s.

He’s left a literal mark on several local fields. Years ago, he noticed Lakewood’s softball fields were “starting to look a little raggedy,” so he told the city he’d paint them for free if they supplied the materials.

He would eventually paint Lakewood’s baseball fields, too … and Poly’s field when Bill Powell was coach … and the field at Cal State Los Angeles when he was asked by old friend and then Golden Eagles coach John Herbold.

“I just enjoy doing it and helping when I can. There’s no rhyme or reason for it. I just enjoy it,” he said.

His commitment to softball – he’s sponsored boys and girls softball youth teams and donated to the softball programs at Long Beach City College and Long Beach State – and well-kept fields isn’t his only contribution to Long Beach.

He was a Little League and Pony League coach in Lakewood and saw more than 30 of his former players reach the pro ranks. He’s often been invited to sit on the bench by Lancers coach Spud O’Neill since Savala knew so many of the kids.

When an illness left Lakewood High shorthanded on the soccer field, he filled in as coach, a stint that lasted six years. When then-Long Beach City College coach Larry Reisbig needed a tutor for a kicker, he asked Savala for help, and he would spend 19 years as a specialist coach for the Vikings.

The Century Club’s award for the high school athletes of the year is sponsored and named after Savala.

Savala said Stiles had – and still has – one of the smoothest swings of any player he’s ever met. Kam played for the Nitehawks and Painters, and the late Meairs said Kam was one of the grittiest, unsung players he ever had with the Nitehawks.

Induction day will revive the sport, however momentary.

“I still haven’t gotten to the point where I know what to say about this,” Savala said. “It’s nice that someone thought of me. But it’s not like I’m going away.”

Savala said he’ll coach and lead the Painters until someone pries the bat, or paint brush, out of his hand.

bob.keisser (at) presstelegram.com



Editor’s note: I had the chance to attend a couple of the Long Beach Softball and Baseball Hall of Fame luncheons at Blair Field in Long Beach.

Here is the “Wall of Fame” at Joe Rodgers Field in Long Beach from that inaugural class of 2004:


(click photo to enlarge)

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