February
2005
Well the season is ready
to start; we have had the managers meeting along with the annual reclassification
of players. All in all it was a very good meeting, all teams were
represented with the exception of the Outlaws. Lots of items were
brought up and...[Complete Article] |
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March
2005
When asked to write this
column several years ago, I said I would not use it as a political
platform and would only to express my observation on things, talk
about the game and its rich history. To this date I have tried to
calm the umpires, players...[Complete
Article] |
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April
2005
Saturday April 2, 2005, I
had the great privilege of attending the Central California Softball
Associations 1st annual Hall of Fame Banquet. This has been a long
time dream of mine, as well as Commissioner Dick Grove. It was so
nice to see old friends and recount the old days when men’s fast pitch
softball was king...[Complete
Article] |
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July
2005
Well,
I guess my crying and complaining worked. This past travel league
weekend I saw more $5.00 bills being passed out then in the prior
four travel leagues. The umpires did a fine job of keeping the language
a little cleaner. Many players were ejected for the use of the letter
“F” word and had to pay the $5.00 fee before being allowed to play
the next game...[Complete
Article] |
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August
2005
Well,
I guess my crying and complaining worked. This past travel league
weekend I saw more $5.00 bills being passed out then in the prior
four travel leagues. The umpires did a fine job of keeping the language
a little cleaner. Many players were ejected for the use of the letter
“F” word and had to pay the $5.00 fee before being allowed to play
the next game....[Complete
Article] |
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September
2005
This
past weekend several teams played in the California Invitational in
Stockton. Yes! Invitational since any team who wanted in was allowed
to play in it. Stockton called it the “C” ASA National tournament,
but we all know better. In past years you would have to play in a
local tournament of 24 or more teams, finish first or second to advance
to a Regional tournament....[Complete
Article] |
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September
2004
Well I have been
sitting here like an expecting father, heaven forbid at my age. But,
really, I have been waiting for the brackets to come out for this
years “C” Nationals to see what kind of draw the teams have gotten.
Many of you know, that can make or break team chances...[Complete
Article] |
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December
2004
TWAS ONLY WEEKS
BEFORE CHRISTMAS
As I sit here, looking out my window,
I just wonder what I might do, where I can go.
No more nightly softball games during the week, neither weekend tournaments
nor team I can beat. For all that is left that I can do,
are all of those....[Complete
Article] |
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June
2004
It was a Central
California Travel League weekend once again as the Central California
Travel League teams finished first, second, third and fifth. Not only
did they finish in that order, but also eight run ruled most of the
teams. Only the KHT Pumpers...[Complete
Article] |
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July
2004
This year it is a shame that we come down to the end of the season
and are hunting for teams to take a berth, which is available for
this year’s tournament. Teams start the season trying to win a berth
and wanting to go. But, when the time really comes...[Complete
Article] |
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February
2004
As I sit here, thinking of
the upcoming season as well as the state of the world today, I reflect
back on what a friend of mine once told me about day gone by and the
good old days. I want to take you back...[Complete
Article] |
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May
2004
At the last travel league
weekend, many individuals came up and asked me about my next article.
I never knew so many people cared or read what I had to say, it humbles
me. Many of those...[Complete
Article] |
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August
2003
Well as I stated earlier, the Central California Travel League has
the best teams and is by far one of the best places to play fast pitch
softball. This was bore out the past weekend as the leagues 4th place
team (River Rats) won the regional tournament and went undefeated.
While the leagues’ 7th place team (BRIK) finishes 4th in the...[Complete
Article] |
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December
2003
Here we are again, that time of year that we start recruiting and
rearranging our teams for the upcoming year, which will be upon us
before we know it. In the October meeting for the CCASA, I learned
that there will more then likely be no A/B travel league this next
year. That means we will be down to only the “C” Division,...[Complete
Article] |
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June
2003
Well folks, it is that time of year again, time for the single elimination
tournament to decide the 3rd team to go to Texas. First my congratulations
to the Valley Lyon, they played good ball throughout the season and
I hope it continues for them into the Nationals. OH yes! Congratulations
to the KHT Pumpers on their fine year and another trip to the Nationals;
they too had a fine season, unlike some of us that were up and down.
My hat really goes off...[Complete
Article] |
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July
2003
Well another weekend bites
the dust, and another season nears an end for many of us. I would
like to congratulate Raw on their impressive wins over the weekend.
Sometimes it is easier if you only have 9 players and 1 pitcher, and
then there is never any second guessing of yourself, and that way
everyone gets to play and you keep everyone happy. The pitcher for
Raw is a throw back to the...[Complete
Article] |
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April
2003
First! I would like to thank all that put in prayers and email about
my son Danny. I think it is great that we in the travel league are
all one big family of friends. Danny is doing great with the new medicine
the doctors have given him and will be ready to play ball in Tulare
in a couple of weeks. So thank you one and all. Now to the point of
this article, to the real reason we play the game. Many people think...[Complete
Article] |
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May
2003
Well BRIK bit the big one this past weekend in Tulare. After a 4-1
start it turned ugly at 1-4. Like a couple of other teams the weekend
was not good to us and nothing seem to go right. After coming from
behind to beat the River Rats with a great late inning rally to give
them their first defeat, we were emotionally spent and in our next
game were upset by Hayes Landscaping. It was with great pitching by
Jerry Nelson and solid defense, they prevented...[Complete
Article] |
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2002
"C" Nationals
Well folks, this past weekend was confusing for me at the "C" Nationals.
I do not know if I witnessed the birth of a team or saw its obituary
as the clock struck midnight on Cinderella. This BRIK team who has
never finished higher then next to last, whom over the 1999, 2000
& 2001 season had a combined ASA record of 10-71. National Qualifiers
2-6, Regional play 0-2, and travel league 8-63. In fact the record
was...[Complete Article] |
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March
2003
Well as I sit here this morning,
the events of the weekend loom larger then life. BRIK was picked to
win it all and for Saturday at least they looked the part as they
along with the River Rats, Valley Lyons, Silverhawks all went 3-0
and played some good games. Several of us made great come from behind
wins. Then on Sunday, several of us would meet and cut the field down
a bit. With the Silverhawks losing a...[Complete
Article] |
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September
2002
Well the Regionals are over and I give my congratulations to the "Gamecocks".
They played all the travel league teams and won them all. They first
came from a 3-1 deficit in the last inning to beat the Coyotes 4-3.
Then against BRIK they jumped out to a 7-0 lead only to have BRIK
tie it a 7-7 in the 5th inning, before a couple of two out errors
help propel them to a 14-7 victory. The next morning they ran up against
the Valley Lyons and found themselves once again trailing. Only this
time by a 10-1 score in the late innings. But once again they managed
to come from behind to take...[Complete
Article] |
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December
2002
Well Iren, here we are! Christmas
is over, and a new season on its way! Let’s take a look back
on 2002.It was a strange year, thinks just got different. As we reflect
back on this one, there are many thinks to be thankful for, and many
thinks to be sad over. Dreams fulfilled and others busted, new friends
made and old ones passing on. Last year this time, not many
were thinking about the future, what with 9-11, the anthrax scares
and such, and yet like always the world...[Complete
Article] |
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July
19, 2002
Well, we ran into the same
problem that the "A" teams did at the Nationals last year in Alabama.
Got there late Thursday, attended the draw Friday morning and got
ready to open the tournament that night. As luck would have it we
opened the tournament against a team from Houston, Texas. The Houston
"Hawks", a fair team, but very beatable. The was scoreless for the
first 4 innings before the Hawks broke through for two runs after
two were out in the 5th. Then in the top of the sixth they added another
on a stolen base and a...[Complete
Article] |
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August
2002
Well this past weekend was a good one for BRIK. A year of work and
retooling looked like it might have paid off. Close but no cigar as
they say, we had some luck with us this past weekend, but I think
it was some of the youth that we had on our team that shined. One
thing that I can say is different on my team this year from the past,
is the willingness of the players to listen and learn. I saw a young
man become a veteran pitcher this past weekend. Matt Dean who had
only pitched one game before this year came through in the...[Complete
Article] |
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June
2002
When I woke up this morning,
one of the few of late that I have been able to sleep in, I started
reading the paper and came across an article on how Baseball fans
are jumping ship. It talked about how commissioner Bud Selig appeared
before congress crying about the pocket book, singing a sad song about
the losses of $232 million that Major League Baseball was losing.
He went on to tell of how fan attendance is down 5.5% this season
so far, and how Milwaukee could be down as much as 35% this season.
Baseball is in some kind of trouble, it is a far cry from the game
I knew as a kid. I grew up watching Willie Mays, Roger Maris, Mickey
Mantle...[Complete Article] |
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July
2002
As I am sitting here watching my Senior League play, I am enjoying
the cool weather and looking forward to the heat of Paso Robles this
weekend. If things hold true to form, it will be hot and sunny at
the old ballpark. Being that it is a new park, I doubt that there
will be much shade. Having been by the ballpark, I can tell you that
it is a very nice complex, and should be an enjoyable time for all.
As I sit here, my thoughts turn to the ASA National fast pitch 50+
to be held in Cullman, Alabama in mid July. I have a team that is
going to participate, and again my thoughts turn to the quality of
players we have in our travel league that...[Complete
Article] |
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March
10, 2002
While going
through the records for my article on the CCMSA webpage, I came across
something that would fit in today’s travel league situation. It too
dealt with classification of pitchers. It was not until 1977 that
there was even any need for classification to be done. Up until then
you had only two types of fast pitch tournaments, they were men and
women’s. If you wanted to play ball you...[Complete
Article] |
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April
2002
First! I would like
to thank all of you who were asking about my column in Tulare who
said they missed it and enjoyed it. I need to explain that after my
business went under, (due to a breach of contract by a supplier),
I was unemployed for the past two years which gave me the time to
think a lot about softball and time to write my articles. It was nice
being a house dad, cleaning, cooking, washing, and...[Complete
Article] |
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February
2002
When Iren asked me to
write this section, at first I was not sure what to say, I really
didn’t think anyone would care about it, or for that fact, even read
it. But the more I thought about it the more I would think of what
to write about. The metro is 40 years old this year, and has a very
rich history concerning fast pitch softball. So I will tell you a
little about its rich history...[Complete
Article] |
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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...[Complete
Article] |
