Message board »Message Board home »Sign-in or register to get started
Online now: 2 members: Rangview85, TABLE SETTER 11; 74 anonymousDiscussion: I didn\'t find Toto or Dororthy in Kansas
| Posted | Discussion |
| July 16, 2007 einstein Men's 50 3112 posts | I didn't find Toto or Dororthy in Kansas Great tournament at the SPA in Kansas. Thanks to Ridge and his crew. Well run, very competitive, good umpiring, good balls, OK fields, good weather. We (Old A's 60's) got eliminated midway but I got to see some terrific games. Mac 2, showing characteristic grit and toughness, kept coming back time and time again, falling just a little short in the Championship game. Way to go Mac and Johnny, Roger, Jeff, Big and Little George, Brad and the rest. MTC fought valiantly in the finals against GSF who played a little better and prevailed in a memorable battle on Sunday. I saw Ken Van Bogaert from Robert's Construction who was 8 for 9 his first two games hitting his first seven shots out of the park. This is the guy who produces power hitting videos and he obviously knows what he's talkin' about. Check them out, they're fabulous. There's some wonderful men in Senior softball I'm happy and proud to say. I've mentioned George Santoro of the Mavericks and Little George from Mac 2 in earlier posts but there's no more competitive a player and better man than Joe Reed who was playing for Randy Smith. For any of you out there who might still think you have to be an butt-hole to play the game at the highest level Joe Reed will blow you're mind. He plays the infield as good as anyone, can hit with anyone, loves to win as much as anyone and must have the confidence and innner peace of a guru because he's not afraid to be friendly and warm to anyone who engages him. Thanks, Joe Reed. You made the weekend for me and you're the best. Last but not least, I got to see Mike Smith and Clatterbaugh again even though they were on the wrong side of the field. These guys are best friends, fabulous people and powered their team, Spicer-Rekko, through us and the losers bracket to a National Championship. Way to go, Clatter and Mike. |
| July 16, 2007 turn2 489 posts | mr einstein, it was a pleasure to see you play this weekend. you are a stud. you played a hell of a third base and pitched against our team (spicer /turn two). i just wish i knew that you were 60 and we could have had you on our team for this great tourny. this was a superb complex and very easy to get to. i think we went through 2 traffic light to go the 12 mile to the fields. this was by far one of the easiest places to find you way around. good job to all the players and staff. donnie chavis scorekeeper spicer / turn two |
| July 16, 2007 einstein Men's 50 3112 posts | Sorry Donny, for getting the name of the team wrong. Getting old is a beeeahhtch. Right A/C? The team I mentioned and Spicer/Rekko, the guys who beat us and double-dipped their opponents in the 60 and over major plus championship round is Spicer/Turn 2. Hope to see you guys soon somewhere down the road. Say hi to Clatter and Mike for me. |
| July 16, 2007 STONEMAN Men's 50 535 posts | MAN on FIRE: U were in Liberty, Mo. TOTO & that skinny ho, were in Wichita, Ks. Witch.. is over 250 miles from Liberty. Did I every tell u the story about an x room mate, that sawed his way out of the Liberty Jail?? His sweet heart, put a file in my bible! NO.... O.K. The SM.... no not S & M. |
| July 16, 2007 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | Great tournament! Congrats to GSF. I was surprised at the bat "inspections". It wasn't very scientific. The inspector would hold the bat at a "midpoint" and see how balanced or endloaded the bat was. We didn't have any rejected but I heard that several from a 55 Major team were tossed. I was told that a magnet was used, although it wasn't used on ours. The stick-on stars were affixed to our bats and then covered with clear fingernail polish. A 55 Major team member told me that they got the stars, no fingernail polish over them, making it easy to move the star to another bat. I wish I had know Ken Van Bogaert was there. Joe Reed is a class act. |
| July 17, 2007 jah#4 Men's 70 576 posts | I agree great tournament in Kansas City, Great umpiring, good balls, hot weather for us in the south going west. some of the best games our team (Kayson Grille) has been in a long time, Our brkt in the Major 55's where evenly matched. any of the 10 teams could have won the title. met some very good players from the other teams that friendships will grow from.Great teams like D & K, NJ hitmans we played for the first time graet group of players. Ridge Hooks like Terry runs a first class tourney and trys to put the players first even if it costs a little more. Great job to all the staff Don Ward Kayson's Grille 55's |
| July 17, 2007 Elmo Men's 50 69 posts | Bruce, They threw out my new u2 because the magnet would not stick to the handle. Also, the new bats do not have serial numbers. Finally, when I took the factory grip off the bat the magnet stuck and they allowed the bat. They still didn't like the idea of no serial numbers on the bat. Oh, the letters on the bat are raised liked the bat has been relabeled. They didn't like that ether. |
| July 17, 2007 the wood Men's 65 1123 posts | We agree that it was a pretty well run event. We did have 6 teams in our division (major +), which is the largest number we have over the past 6 years... SSWS and LVSSSA have also had 6 major + teams a few times. We feel that most, if not all, of the best 55 teams were there... certainly the ones that usually finish at the top. The lone exception is that Turn Two is now a 60 team (Spicer-Recko) and we missed them. We also liked the fields, the grassy area for BP, nice awards, etc. What we didn't like was the disfunctional scheduling. We never played 2 games within 6 hours of each other. Rather than seeing some of local sights, we were driving back and forth. We feel this way in regional and national events. SSWC uses 'sessions' for different age/skill levels and we prefer this type of schedule... SSWS and LVSSA do as well. KC is known for its steaks and BBQ... we would have liked to have sampled more of it. I will also give SPA some kudos for being willing to delay one of our games in the interest of safety... sun in the pitcher's eyes. That field was running an hour behind but they still made the right choice. It's nice to see safety concerns actually put into practice. However, there were too many night games. We'll be back to play in 2008, wherever this might be. Bob Woodroof, GSF |
| July 17, 2007 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | Bob, I agree with you about the scheduling. I never did get to go to Arthur Bryant's for the world famoud BBQ! Our Saturday night game was postponed due to lightning. We finished it Sunday morning. Unlike you, I enjoyed the night games/ The temps were great! We did have a couple of umpires that didn't see any reason to move to the play to get a better view. Besides those two, the umpires did a good job. I do have a sugguestion about marking the inspected bats, use the armbands instead of stars. |
| July 17, 2007 the wood Men's 65 1123 posts | Bruce: We did visit Bryant's on Saturday afternoon.... it was real good. :-) The thing about the night games was that some of our guys couldn't see that well... we are all old. We had to use one of our outfielders as a DH Sat night for this reason. But, as you stated, it was cooler. See you in LV. Bob Woodroof |
| July 17, 2007 18mike Men's 55 23 posts | Joe Reed...one of the class guys that play senior softball |
| July 17, 2007 Hittman Men's 55 13 posts | This was a great tournament and the 55 Major division was really a group of great guys and evenly matched teams. I will never forget the 3 hour 46 to 45 epic we had with the Titans. This had to be the most grueling, but fun game I have ever played in. We also had 2 great games with Kayson Grille and congratulations to them on winning the championship. For me it was fun, as always to see many of my former teammates and friends from Georgia and Arkansas as well as all the other friends I have made around the country. Jeff Hitt/ New Jersey Hitmen |
| July 25, 2007 Robo2 238 posts | Joe, as much as I wold like to agree with you on the SAP Nationals, I cannot! I thought it was the worst run tournament that the SPA has put on to date and I like the SPA very much. We played our first game at 10:00 AM and the second at 4:00 PM and the first round of double elimination at 9:30 PM followed be a secon game. We arrived at the ball park at 9:00 AM and didn't leave until after midnight. Very poor planning! The umpires were a mix of very good and very bad. One umpire stopped a game when a batter did not wear a hat and insisted he was an illegal plaer and could not play until he put a hat on! That was over ruled by the torunament official. Otehr umpires were making calls when they were out of possition (homeplate calling plays in the field wehn a second umpire was 15 feet away. Other umpires called a pitch a ball when it struck the plate and then decided to say it was illegal. One very good thing was that Ridge listen to my complaints and agreed with their validity. It is nice to know that a tournament director is willing to listen and make a sound judgement even though it was a negative against his tournament. He stated it wold be corrected for next year. What more can anyone ask. One more thing, nothing against female upires, but at least get some that know the rules and are in position to make the call. Who wants to travel 1,000 + miles to be stuck with bad a umpire? Ridge is a man of honor and I believe he will make the necessary adjustments for next year. I hpe to be there! Congrats to the Chicago Classis (Windy City) for winniing the 50 majors. I'm sure you will do well in the Major Plus division as well Very talented group of guys. |
