BSF Hall of Fame

[Al's Fastball News]

Received: 8/28/06 1:58:17 PM 
From:  "nick danger" <the.coach(at)hotmail.co.uk> 


  
Subject:  BSF Hall of Fame  
   

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First Members Chosen for BSF Hall of Fame

The first group of people to be inducted into the new British
Softball 
Federation Hall of Fame has now been chosen by the BSF’s Hall
of Fame 
Committee.

The Committee has chosen twelve individuals who are former players,
umpires, 
organisers, national team managers or development workers and
who, in the 
words of the Hall of Fame statement of purpose, have played “a
major role in 
the growth and development of, or demonstrated outstanding achievement
and 
ability within, British Softball.”

The men and women who have been chosen as the first Hall of Fame
inductees 
will be honoured at a ceremony to be held at the 2007 BSF AGM.

While these first Hall of Fame members have been elected by a
Committee 
established by the BSF Executive, nominations in 2007 and succeeding
years 
will be opened up to the Softball community as a whole based
on criteria to 
be published by the Committee during the closed season.

Below is a list of the first members who will enter the BSF Hall
of Fame and 
the categories in which they have been chosen.

In order to be eligible for Hall of Fame selection, an individual
must no 
longer be active in the category for which he or she has been
nominated.


BRITISH PLAYERS



Kate Allen: Pioneer GB Women’s Team player who played her first
game in 1985 
and her last in 2003, and was a mainstay at shortstop for the
GB Women over 
that period in European Championships, Olympic Qualifiers and
the 1994 World 
Championships.


FOREIGN PLAYERS

Tim Ritchie: Highly competitive and skilful shortstop for 69ers
for many 
years and a great clutch hitter.

Paul Gambaccini: Paul was a key player/organiser in the Regents
Park pick-up 
game that started in 1974 and carried on until the late 80s and
eventually 
morphed into the Zoo Crew. This was where many British players
got their 
start. Paul didn’t look like an athlete, but was a surprisingly
good hitter 
as well as a dedicated pitcher. And of course his knowledge of
pop music was 
unsurpassed!

Eddie Sanchez: Eddie played for the US military out of Ruislip
in the late 
1980s and early 1990s and was a tremendous shortstop and power
hitter – one 
of very few players ever to hit a home run into the bank behind
left field 
in the Stadium at the University of Westminster Ground at Chiswick.
His 
range and athleticism at shortstop was an eye-opener to British
players.


UMPIRES

Dave Allen: Much-loved American blue who died very recently of
cancer. While 
not always reliable in terms of showing up at tournaments, Dave
was an 
excellent and player-friendly umpire with his own unique style.

Vince McGuire: Ever-present BASU stalwart for many years who
helped solidify 
the organisation in its development phase and always promoted
a professional 
approach to umpiring.


NATIONAL TEAM MANAGERS/COACHES

Mark Berman: Mark founded the GB Men’s Team in 1997 and led the
team through 
2005, taking it from a standing start to third place in Europe,
a World 
Championship qualification and ninth place in the world rankings.
Mark also 
served as Fastpitch Officer on the BSF Executive for several
years, took the 
lead in writing the current BSF Constitution and served as a
member of the 
ESF Legal Commission.


ADMINISTRATORS/ORGANISERS

Andy Cannon: Without him there would be no Softball in Scotland.
He started 
the Picts Softball Club in Edinburgh which at one time had 55
members over 
three teams. Many of these players went on to build their own
teams and 
three original Picts still play in the Edinburgh Softball League
under the 
Picts banner. Andy also started the Edinburgh Festball in 1991.

Rikki Gemmell: Andy Cannon’s equivalent in Glasgow, who built
up a thriving 
Glasgow Corporate League in the mid-90s and encouraged Scottish

participation in the Softball world south of the border.

Julian Aldridge: Julian has been elected to the Hall of Fame
as an organiser 
as well as a player (see above). He brought Triple Crown to the
UK, founded 
the Jersey Tournament, brought in the first major Softball sponsorships,

took Softball into the UK Corporate Games for the first time
and was a key 
organiser in the London Advertising League. Julian was Softball’s
first and 
most successful “entrepreneur”.

Sarah-Jane Glover: An ever-present London organiser in the 1980s
and early 
1990s both for the London Softball Federation and the London
Advertising 
League. Sarah-Jane was a tireless worker who set high standards
for 
tournament organisation. The annual BSF award for Outstanding
Service to 
Softball in a non-playing capacity, the Glover Cup, is named
after her.


DEVELOPMENT ACHIEVEMENTS

Natalie Fox: Elected for her enormous contribution to developing
and running 
the GB youth Softball programme for the five years to the end
of 2005, as 
well as for her outstanding work as a youth coach before and
during that 
time.
 
From:  "nick danger" <the.coach(at)hotmail.co.uk>


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