Larry Wolfe We finally heard those two words we’ve been waiting to hear for months: “Play Ball!” After our Spring Season was shut down in mid-March due to COVID-19, and our summer season was canceled in its entirety, it was great to get the competitive juices flowing again! Our fall season opened on Oct. 27…
Larry Wolfe If you’ve ever played the game and been hit by a line drive or errant throw, you might wonder why the ball is called a softball—it’s hard as a rock! Well, to answer that question, we have to go back to the game’s founding in 1887. George Hancock, a reporter for the Chicago…
Larry Wolfe Thirty-five years ago, in September 1985, Jack Lander of Cottonwood put a notice in the Sun Lakes Splash newspaper requesting that anyone interested in participating in a senior softball program should meet up in a Cottonwood meeting room at a time and date lost in the annals of history. About a dozen guys showed up,…
Larry Wolfe The term COVID has, unfortunately, entered the lexicon of our everyday language. It, of course, isn’t a “real word,” but a contraction for COrona VIrus Disease. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could substitute softball terms for C-O-V-I-D? How about this: The batter Crushed a long fly ball, hoping for a home run,…
Larry Wolfe Why do most baseball and softball fans and players love statistics? It’s probably because stats give the game historical context and allow for the comparison of various accomplishments from the past to the present. They also are used to measure the performance of each player versus others on his team and in his…
Larry Wolfe At press time, one week remained in our Winter League sessions. In the Lakes Division, the Young Home Team Realty squad, managed by Tom Erpelding, had a two-game lead over the A-1 Golf Carts and Core Photography teams. In the Sun Division, The Farmers Insurance Team, managed by Ron Carmichael and sponsored by…
Larry Wolfe The Lady Sluggers complete their season with their final games scheduled for March 2 versus Fountain of the Sun at Resort Field and on March 4 at Sunland Springs. They wrapped up their home season on February 24. As of this month’s press deadline, the Sluggers had split their first 18 games, sporting…
Larry Wolfe Manager Mike Gloyd led the Brenden Financial Planning team to the Sun Division pennant, compiling a record of 13-5. That was three games better than the 10-8 mark posted by Manager Ron Carmichael’s Real Estate Rustlers team. The Rustlers are sponsored by the Jim Leckner Real Estate Agency. Bob Wicks led the league…
Larry Wolfe At press time, there were two weeks of play remaining in the Fall Softball seasons. In the Sun Division, the Brenden Financial Planning team, managed by Mike Gloyd, had a four-game lead over the second place Real Estate Rustlers, managed by Ron Carmichael and sponsored by the Jim Leckner Agency. The Planners sported…
Larry Wolfe John Castro was born in Caguas, Puerto Rico, but grew up in Chicago after his family moved there when he was just three years old. John graduated from Lane Tech High on the north side of Chicago where he was on the Indians baseball team. He also played Connie Mack baseball as a…