PHOENIX TEAMS REMEMBER BOB DOBBINS

March 1, 2016

Nancy Dobbins with players from Santisi Brothers team 

PEORIA, Ariz. – The Sun City AZ Sidewinders held their 31st annual senior softball tournament here in February, attracting a record 33 teams playing in six divisions.

While small by some standards, the tournament was huge for the Sidewinders.  92 games were played over five days at Rio Vista Park and more than half of all the SSUSA registered teams in Arizona took to the field.

The 50s and 55s played together to establish seeding for the championship rounds.  The 50s division was won by AZ Old School and the 55s division was taken by AZ Old School No. 1. The AZ Old School organization, which is hosting this year’s Pinetop Tournament in July, entered three teams and won two divisions.

The 60s division was dominated by a very strong Hunter Aerospace team.

The Sidewinder 65s dominated the first day. However, going into bracket play the Sidewinders lost to AZ Ancients who went on to play ROX 65s in the championship game where the ROX 65s came out as champs.

The 70s and 75s were also combined the first day. When split up for bracket play, Ponchos 70 from Sun Valley won the 70s division and Kokopelli Eye Institute from Prescott took the 75s division.

In the Rec division, a team made up of primarily Wisconsin natives won for the third year in a row.

This year's primary objective was to remember Bob Dobbins, who was killed in a car crash in July 2015.  Bob joined the Sun City Sidewinders in 2007 after playing softball in Pennsylvania for TNT and the Stahl Post. Within the Sidewinder organization, Bob was a member of the executive board for many years, managed teams, and had been the director of this tournament.

Bob’s wife, Nancy was in attendance every day, watching play, talking to players and friends, and managing the Sidewinder 65s. Conversations about Bob were everywhere. It was an amazing and wonderful experience.

For the people in Arizona and the Southwest who played with Bob, his sudden death is a tragedy and huge loss. Bob was a leader, an outstanding player, and most important a loyal friend to all who knew him and played with him.

The Sidewinders thank SSUSA for their support as well as thank the teams that played.  We look forward to the 32nd Annual Tournament in February 2017.

Below are the final standings for each age division:

75’s
1. Kokepelli
2. Sidewinders

70’s
1. Ponchos
2. Old Pueblo

65’s
1. Rox
2. AZ Ancients

60’s
1. Hunter Areospace
2. Ambush

55 AAA
1. Santisi
2. Sidewinders

55 Major
1. Old School #1
2. Tucson Bandits

50 Major
1. AZ Old School
2. Phoenix Bulldawg

Recreation Division
1. Wisconsin Rec
2. Trilogy