Larry Wolfe Rene Vallieres grew up in Utica, N.Y., a baseball town, but left the sport at age eight to pursue golf. His golf career peaked at age 11 when he came in second in a junior tournament. He envisioned a PGA career, but “lack of talent surfaced quickly,” he says. That second place was…
Tag: Softball Player Profile
Sports, April 2024
Softball Player Profile: Bob Zeidler
Larry Wolfe California native Robert “Bob” Zeidler was born in San Diego and grew up in the San Bernardino area, graduating from Eisenhower High School in Rialto. As a 19-year-old, Bob decided to join the Air Force. He served for four years, first as a flight line mechanic for B-52 bombers, then as a telephony…
January 2024, Sports
Softball Player Profile: Dennis Henderson
Larry Wolfe Music has been in Dennis Henderson’s DNA since the third grade when he started playing the string bass in a youth orchestra. By the time he was a sophomore at Arcadia (Calif.) High School, he was playing the electric bass guitar in his own rock ‘n’ roll band. He then attended Pasadena Arts College…
Sports, November 2023
Softball Player Profile: Dan Ziccarelli
Larry Wolfe This guy makes the Energizer Bunny look like Eeyore! To say that Dan Ziccarelli is full of energy is an understatement! A native of the North Side of Chicago, Dan graduated from Buffalo Grove High where he played several sports for the Bisons prior to being injured and then becoming the trainer for…
Sports, May 2023
Softball Player Profile: Bob Reed
Larry Wolfe Wisconsin native Bob Reed says that baseball and softball have been “the theme of his life.” Bob started playing organized ball as a seven-year-old and has never stopped. That’s about 60 years! And he’s not close to being done yet! Bob graduated from Greendale High where he played third base for the Panthers.…
Sports, March 2023
Softball Player Profile: David Platt
Larry Wolfe Mystery solved! After several years in the Sun Lakes Witness Protection Program, Dave Platt has finally emerged to share his story! Don’t ask! A baseball and softball “lifer,” Dave was a three-year letterman for the South Minneapolis High School Tigers team, then transitioned to softball. Much more on that later in this article.…
Sports, February 2023
Softball Player Profile: Dave Kratz
Larry Wolfe Dave Kratz was born in Warren, Ohio, and spent his younger years in Fort Mitchell, Ky., before his family moved to Tucson when he was 10. He graduated from Cholla High School in Tucson where he played basketball, baseball, and tennis for the Chargers. Basketball was “his game” as a high schooler. He…
Sports, January 2023
Softball Player Profile: Dave Cooper
Larry Wolfe Dave Cooper has had a “very diverse career,” including the local radio industry. From 1994 to 2001, he worked at Phoenix radio station 95.5, KYOT, as a full-time production assistant, public service director, and weekend on-air personality, known as Coyote Dave. He later joined 91.5, KJZZ, for a couple years as a DJ. He also…
Sports, December 2022
Softball Player Profile: Brian Brockman
Larry Wolfe This is the story of the “Jurassic Narc,” a nickname fondly bestowed upon Brian Brockman by his younger co-workers at the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) where he spent over 24 years as a Special Agent. But, first, some background information … Brian is a Bah-ston-area native, graduating from Framingham North High, where he…
Sports, June 2022
Softball Player Profile: Marty Hobby
Larry Wolfe Rockford, Ill., native Marty Hobby seems to have been born with a baseball in his hand. From pitching a perfect game as a Little League hurler to going 7-0 with 49 strikeouts in 49 innings as a high school senior for the Rockford West Warriors, he was always the star. After playing summer…