Softball pioneer recognised as Wellington NZ sporting legend

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Received: 6/9/06 3:44:08 AM 
From:  Vance <vanf(at)ihug.co.nz> 

Subject:  Softball pioneer recognised as Wellington sporting
legend  
 

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Softball pioneer recognised as Wellington sporting legend
Friday June 9th 2006

Thirty seven years after retiring as a player softball pitching
legendBill Massey was this week inducted as a Wellington Sports
Legend at theregional sports awards. 

In his playing days Massey was the dominant figure in New Zealandsoftball
and as a pitcher was often called “The Man with the Golden Arm”.During
his time on the mound Massey led his club side Railways to sixnational
titles and Hutt Valley to seven provincial titles. He was alsopart
of the New Zealand team at the inaugural world championships
in 1966where the Kiwi side placed third. 

When reflecting on his playing days Massey recalls the hard work
put inat club level by supporters and administrators to make
everything happenout on the diamond. 

“For me it was special just to play the game, every time I donned
auniform for club or representative I always felt proud to play
the gameand proud to wear the uniform,” said Massey.

While Massey pitched his team to great success at club and provinciallevel
he says the honour of wearing the silver fern and playing for
hiscountry was a highlight. 

Massey recalls the inaugural world championships in Mexico in
1966 whenwith a playing of squad of 15 along with a manager,
coach and umpire theyset off with little knowledge of international
softball and the challengein front of them. 

“Mexico was a tremendous experience, we toured through America
and Hawaiithree weeks prior to the world champs. When we left
New Zealand wethought we were pretty hot we didn’t realise what
was ahead of us. Thelittle club sides we played against in the
build up were giving us ahiding and that woke our ideas up and
in the end I think we performedpretty well,” said Massey. 

Following his playing days Massey remained in the game as an
umpire andcoach. He achieved his New Zealand umpires badge in
the 1960’s andcoached senior and kids teams at the Railways club.


Softball New Zealand CEO, Dale Eagar, stated the award was recognition
ofthe huge effect Massey had on the game at the top level, especially
inhis time as a player. 

“It is great to see one of the pioneers of elite softball honoured
insuch a way, watching Bill’s reaction on the night, and then
being witnessto the very obvious respect, even reverence, shown
by a current Black Soxteam member congratulating Bill on his
achievement, were memorablemoments for me,” said Eagar.

Looking back to his times on the playing diamond Massey says
a lot ofthings have changed in the game. When he was on the mound
as a pitcherthe softball diamonds had no perimeter fences so
batters were looking tohit the ball hard through the field but
now with fences in place battersare looking to hit the ball high
and out of the park.  

Other changes have seen development in bats which have gone from
beingsmall and wooden to high technology aluminium and designed
to hit theball over the fence. 

While some things may have changed Massey says he still loves
the gameand when he reflects on the sport and looks back at the
worldchampionship winning record of the current Black Sox team
he is full ofadmiration. 

“Look at the Black Sox now and they are a team of athletes and
some ofthe other teams such as America and Canada don’t seem
as dedicated. I canremember years ago when America was really
good and it was years beforewe (New Zealand) could even score
a run off them,” said Massey.


By SNZ Media Liaison: Kelly Mitchell
* mailto:kelly.mitchell at xtra.co.nz 

http://www.softball.org.nz/
*mailto:snz at softball.org.nz 


Cheers Vance 
Softball New Zealand web master.
* mailto:vanf at ihug.co.nz 

 

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