| March 3, 2002 I read in the guest book that Mr. Robinson felt that I left out some
people in my article, for this I am sorry. I was not talking about the State of
California, I was trying to talk about our Metro.
The Camarillo Kings are a team that I am aware of,
but had never seen play. They won the ISC in 1981 & 1982 and are only 1 of 7 teams to
win back to back championships. Other then these two dates I show that they never finished
in the top four. They also had several great players; Chad Corcoran made the
All-World 6 times (1981,82,83 with Camarillo and 85,86,87 with Pay-n-Pak from Bellevue
Washington) as an infielder. Then there was Larry Nolan who made it as an
outfielder with the Nitehawks in 1980, then with the Camarillo Kings in 1981, 1982 and
1983. What about Mark Smith who made it as a pitcher in 1981 and 1982 with
Camarillo and in 1986 with the Chameleons from Lakewood, and then as an infielder in 1990
with Payless from Victoria BC. There was Ted Dominguez in 1981 with the Bombers
from Oceanside, K.G. Fincher 1963,64,66 with the Merchants from Gardena, Bob Guy
1972,73,74,1977 with the Jets out of Lakewood, Floyd Lavergne 1981,82,83 with the
Camarillo Kings, Jack Randell 1951,52,55,56,57,58,59 with the Nitehawks from Long
Beach.
I could go on and on about the great players from
California. After all there was the Long Beach Nitehawks who have the most championships
with 10, next came the Mary Start All-Stars from San Pedro who won 5, then the Hoak
Packers from Fresno with 4. The Camarillo Kings, the Merchants from Taft, Hanford Kings,
Merchants from Gardena, Bombers from Pomona, Comets from Burbank, Jets from Lakewood,
Chameleons from Lancaster. Other noted teams were the Clovis Cowboys, Ed Smith Welding,
Dave Frye, Guanerlla Bros., Manny's from San Bernardino, L & L Hustlers from
Hawthorne, Der Weinerschnitzel from La Mesa, M & M Charter from Lakewood, Paramount
Chevrolet from Downey, who won it all in 1964, I could go on & on but I think you get
the point. I may have missed some great ones from these teams. It was not my intention to
mention everyone, not my intention to leave anyone out.
For this I am sorry, but I do hope you get the point that
there is a rich, rich history for men's fast pitch softball from our Metro. It is
something we should draw on and I think all of us who love fast pitch softball should
start promoting it to our kids, grandkids and the kids in the neighborhood. It is nice to
look at the past but without a future no one will care about the past.
Respectfully
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