Softball N’ Roses

Sept. 1, 2021

By Donna McGuire
Senior Softball News Contributor

LAS VEGAS - A player on a special mission carried five roses with him as he entered the Big League Dreams softball complex in Las Vegas on Friday, the day play began in the 40s divisions of the SSUSA World Championships.

After the Maryland team reached its dugout at Dodger field, two players tied the roses to the backstop fence pole closest to the team’s dugout. Each time a player left the dugout for the on-deck circle, he walked past the red, pink, white and coral roses.

In a way, the story behind the roses began last year, when the Gigantes O.C. 40s team wore special jerseys honoring members of their extended softball family who had died of cancer.

This year, the 40s Major team chose to honor Jennifer Rose Kindley, the wife of outfielder John Kindley.

She died unexpectedly earlier this summer at age 48, leaving behind not only John but also a 19-year-old daughter and 14-year-old son. The Kindleys strong faith in the Lord is helping John and the children cope during this difficult time.

To honor Jennifer Rose, the team ordered special jerseys for Worlds with a rose on each sleeve and bearing the initials JRK.

Alas, the jerseys did not arrive in time for the tournament.

So, the team displayed real roses instead.

Donna McGuire is SSUSA’s Central Region (Missouri) UIC and Chair of the SSUSA National Rules Committee.