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Will to win drove Fincher to greatness

Wednesday, July 28th, 2010

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“He threw hard and he came to beat you. He believed that you were never supposed to get a hit off him.” – Bob Guy

TUCSON, AZ – Ty Cobb had it. Michael Jordan had it. Joe Namath had it. And so did K.G. Fincher.

All great athletes have it. That indomitable will to win.

For 31 years, from 1955 to 1986, no one in the sport of fastpitch softball competed harder and demanded more of himself than Fincher. No one willed himself to win more than Fincher.

International Softball Congress (ISC) Hall of Famer, Hice Stiles, said that Fincher was the guy you wanted on the mound in the seventh inning with no outs and a runner on third base.

THE PICK UP PROVES HIMSELF
Turn back the clock to the early 1960s. Milt Stark and the Whittier / Downey Impalas are headed to El Paso, Texas and the 4th of July Southwest Softball Classic Invitational Tournament.

The Impalas have ISC Hall of Famer, Don Sarno, hurling for them. But they needed a second pitcher. So they asked Fincher. And he rewarded their confidence.

“Sarno walked a couple of guys, and our manager, Dave Ball, told me to warm up Fincher,” said Stark, former ISC Executive Director, and Hall of Fame member. “Before you know it, Sarno had the bases loaded with nobody out.” Click to continue »

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Clock is ticking in bid to save softball

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010

Newspaper reporter and columnist, and former Australian national team player, Mark Long, who also played with the Denmark, Wisconsin Dukes (1999 and 2000) in the ISC World Tournament is writing a five article series about the state of men’s fastpitch softball. This is the second of his five articles.

By MARK LONG
Camden Advertiser

CAMDEN, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA - A decade ago, at 19 years of age, I was playing my second season in the US.

Turning up was a more accurate depiction, as unknowingly I was trying to pitch with John Miller’s Denmark Dukes (Wisconsin) with an undiagnosed bout of mono, known in Australia as glandular fever.

The US summer of 2000 was a great year.

The ISF’s were in South Africa, a movie about men’s fastpitch was released and subsequently saw Darren Zack throw down some pitches to Matt Lauer and Al Roker on NBC’s Today show.

The buzz around the movie was high, and I remember being part of a fastpitch fan filled theatre in St Joseph, Missouri during the ISC World Tournament.

As great as it was to see fastpitch on the silverscreen, the story arc was unfortunately morbid. The game was sick and dying. Continue Reading

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Teams we know so little about

Tuesday, July 13th, 2010

YUCAIPA, CA – There once was a pretty good ball club called the Bombers that carried the Yucaipa name. The team played at the ISC level and did well. But the thing that puzzled me is this.

Why didn’t the Bombers play any home games? And why didn’t they turn in any news to the local newspaper, the Yucaipa News Mirror? Which I’m sure would have published the Bombers’ schedule, along with game and tournament results.

The end result?

Few knew about the Bombers. Few heard about the Bombers. And yet, the Bombers (which alternately listed its home base as either Yucaipa or Palm Springs) were successful – finishing second in the ISC World Tournament in 2007, sixth in 2008, and ninth in 2006.
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California A’s, class of the Classic

Monday, June 21st, 2010


Canadian, Sean Whitten, allowed but three hits along with 10 strikeouts in leading the California A’s to a 7-0 victory over Rude-Pac to claim the championship in the 2010 California Classic, Sunday, at Sportsplex USA in Santee, Calif.
Photo By BOB OTTO

SANTEE, CA – A year ago the California A’s were a good ball club, but not great. This season with the addition of Canadian pitcher, Sean Whitten, and a few more key additions, the A’s have taken a giant leap into the elite class of International Softball Congress teams.

And the California ballclub proved they are going to be a team to be reckoned with come ISC World Tournament time as the A’s swept through their own “California Classic” 11-team tournament with a 5-0 record culminating with a 7-0 win over Rude-Pac in Sunday’s championship at Sportsplex USA in Santee.

An overpowering Whitten, held a good-hitting Rude Pac of Sun Valley, California to three hits, while striking out 10. The right-hander showed his dominance by striking out the side in the first and third innings. Only Jason Obregon, Caynon Vance, and Casey Pimm were able to scratch out singles.

Whitten said that on Saturday he felt he wasn’t in top form. But come Sunday was a whole new ballgame.

“The rise and the change were both working good,” said Whitten, who some believe to be the hardest thrower in the game today. “The defense and the offense were strong. I think we are progressing pretty good.”

Click to continue »

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The best of times for young pitchers

Wednesday, June 9th, 2010

YUCAIPA, CA – I’m borrowing a phrase from the English novelist, Charles Dickens, and tweaking it just a bit. “These are the worst of times and the best of times.”

At least for men’s fastpitch softball.

Let’s start with the worst of times and be done with the negative stuff. The numbers of men’s fastpitch teams keep dropping each year. Let me use Southern California as an example.

I moved to Yucaipa (near Riverside and San Bernardino) in 1977. I hooked up with a team right away, and there were plenty to chose from.

FASTPITCH GALORE Click to continue »

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Minnesota connection, a California manager’s dream

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010


“He brings a rare combination of veteran experience in a young pitcher.” – Dave Carlton about pitcher, John Peterson

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LAKE CRYSTAL, MN – The 2010 fastpitch softball season has been a big thrill for John Peterson of Lake Crystal, Minnesota. And why not? After all, how many Minnesota fastpitch players get to board an airplane on Friday afternoon and fly to sunny California and play ball on the weekends?

Well actually, with the shortage of pitchers in the men’s game, the odds are pretty good that some team in need of good pitching will call.

So for those windmillers with the talent, they can basically point anywhere on a U.S. Atlas Travel Guide, and say, “I think I’d like to pitch there.” Click to continue »

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Sioux Falls Sox play for the real reason

Friday, June 4th, 2010

“We all play for the love of the game.” – Mike Mueller


The Sioux Falls Sox roster: Zach Warne, Tim Hoover, Chuck Huntimer, Tim DeJong, Mike Mueller, Mike DeJong, Mark Mueller, Travis DeJong, Chris Becker, Lon Anderson, Jason Yttreness, Joey Brown, James Borgus, Sean Crick, Casey Becker, Josh Yttreness, and Kyle Eberts.
Courtesy Photo / Mike Mueller

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SIOUX FALLS, SD – The Sioux Falls Sox will never be known as a big budget team. They are one of the dozens of ISC, ISC II, and NAFA teams in which the players pay their own way.

“We have no sponsor, no budget,” says Sox Manager, Mike Mueller. “My guys pay out of their own pockets to play.”

But does that hinder their success? Click to continue »

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Step back in time: The Tampa Bay Smokers

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010


Tampa Bay Smokers photos taken during the 1998 ISC World Tournament in Kimberly, Wisconsin where the Smokers defeated the Farm Tavern of Madison to win the championship. The Smokers also won the 1996 World Tournament in Kimberly by knocking off another Wisconsin team, the Green Bay All-Car Roadrunners.

Story and Photos by BOB OTTO (first published Oct. 1999)
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Pete Porcelli and the Tampa Bay Smokers, gone but not forgotten

TAMPA BAY, FL - He blew into fastpitch softball like a young gunslinger eager to make a name for himself. Green but confident, he swaggered up to the fastpitch table, jostled aside the old guard and demanded, “Move over I want in the game.”

The fastpitch establishment soon learned that Pete Porcelli’s choirboy smile was deceiving: Underneath the salesman’s charm, there was toughness. He knew how to play his fastpitch cards. And the establishment soon realized they couldn’t take him lightly.

Bland? Not Pete Porcelli. Arrogant and cocky? Yes, a touch. Refreshing, accommodating, contradictory, and charismatic? Sure, that’s in his make-up too.

UPSTARTS WIN WORLD TOURAMENT
Like a cool breeze sneaking into a hot, stuffy room, Porcelli and his band of Tampa Bay Smokers turned the fastpitch world on it’s ear 14 years ago Click to continue »

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Talent and chemistry has the Kitchener – Waterloo Cubs ready for the challenge of the ISC World Tournament

Thursday, May 27th, 2010

“It will be interesting and we’re looking forward to it (2010 ISC World Tournament format). I think it’s good for the game for a chance to play those World Tournament teams.” – Brad Thomson, manager, KW-Cubs

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KITCHENER, ONTARIO, CA – The Kitchener-Waterloo Cubs had a great 2009 season, finishing second in the 40-team, ISC II Tournament of Champions.

And manager, Brad Thomson, expects success to come the Cubs way in 2010 as well.

He says the Cubs have a good mix of offensive weapons. They’ve got some long-ball power. They can spray hits to all fields, and they can play little ball. Defensively? They’re solid with the gloves.

But there’s also another factor that makes the Cubs go – they just plain like to play ball together.

“We have good chemistry,” said Thomson. “Eighty percent of our guys have been together since they were about 20 years old. All of our guys live within 10 minutes of the Kitchener – Waterloo area and have played together for about 12 years. We’re a close-knit team. We stick together.”

Click to continue »

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Mark Sorenson enters the ISC Hall of Fame

Wednesday, May 12th, 2010


Mark Sorenson, Class of 2010 ISC Hall of Fame, and ISF Hall of Fame in 2009.

NEW ZEALAND - For 18 years the New Zealander boarded a plane and flew halfway around the world. His destination, the United States. His mission, win another International Softball Congress World Tournament championship.

And Mark Sorenson has certainly won a few of those. Click to continue »

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