Larry Wolfe

“She doesn’t throw like a girl!” That’s an accurate description of the way Terry Finley plays ball. She also doesn’t field or hit like a girl! Thanks to her brothers, she learned how to play ball just like them. She’s had plenty of practice since she started playing as a nine-year-old in the Bobby Sox League in her native San Pedro, California.

Terry was good enough to be selected for the boys’ Senior Little League team, but decided to stick with girls’ softball instead. She played in the International Girls Softball League for several years and was a member of the San Pedro All-Stars’ National Championship team in 1973.

During high school she dated the son of Jerry Moss (the M in A&M Records; Herb Alpert is the A) and got to attend many concerts as a VIP with limo rides, super seats and backstage passes. She got to see nearly all the big names of the mid-‘70s in concert.

Terry stopped playing softball after high school and concentrated on the SoCal lifestyle, including beaches, water sports, tennis and paddleball. Her first real job was as a bartender at the historic and ritzy Palos Verdes Golf Club. She later worked as a 411 Directory Assistance Operator for Orange County.

She and her son, Harwell, followed her parents and a brother to Arizona in 1990 and began a career in automotive sales. She worked for ABC Nissan in Phoenix where she sold 42 cars in her first month, obviously earning Salesperson of the Month accolades. It was the first of many Top Salespersons awards she would win during her career. She also worked as a salesperson for Brown & Brown Nissan before joining Freeway Chevrolet as Assistant Manager in charge of closing car deals. Her last position was Used Car Director for Mel Clayton Ford back in Santa Barbara, California.

In 2005, she retired and moved back to Arizona. Terri stumbled across the Field of Dreams and played some recreational ball before joining the Sun Lakes ladies team. She also played with the Mesa Diamond Divas, a non-senior team, and is the token American on a Canadian all-star team that plays in the annual St. George, Utah grand tournament.

Terry’s in her second year as an Arizona Diamondbacks’ Golden Glover (the guys and gals that run down foul balls at Chase Field.) The TV announcers have affectionately nicknamed her “The Flash!” Additionally, she keeps busy volunteering in the Sun Lakes Fire Department’s Community Assistance Program and works in office administration for the United Methodist Church. She also volunteers for El Tour de Mesa, the annual bicycling event. Any remaining spare time is spent playing pickleball, water volleyball and hanging out with her dogs.

Terry took over as manager of our Sun Lakes Sluggers last year and will manage and play for them again in the coming season. She’ll be the one firing the ball across the diamond – just like one of the guys!