Feb. 1, 2025
By Donna McGuire
Softball News Report
Come-from-behind victories have a way of warming up a team on a cold, cold night.
Just ask the National All-Stars who rallied with eight runs in the open inning to defeat the American All-Stars 18-14 at the SSUSA Original Tournament of Champions in Polk County, Florida, on Jan. 22.
When the game ended, the temperature was 40 degrees with a “feels like” temperature of 32. A breeze and fine mist conspired to chill some participants to the bone.
Yet one victorious player quipped afterward that he didn’t feel too cold while playing. The glow of victory emanating from his face helped, too.
Each participating TOC team was able to nominate one player to represent them on one of the All-Star teams. The teams were randomized, making sure each age group and division was represented on both teams.
Because of the weather, organizers shortened the normal nine-inning contest to six innings. To quote a football cliché, the game became a tale of two halves.
The first three innings featured older players, many from 65+ and 70+ teams. During those frames, the American All-Stars sprinted to a 12-3 lead, ignited by Alfredo Poblete of the New Mexico Boomers 70+ team. Poblete singled to lead off a five-run first inning, and he also drove in a run with a third-inning triple.
In those first three innings, the National All-Stars managed only six hits while the Americans smacked 18.
“My older group beat Terry’s older group,” said American All-Star Co-Manager Art Graebe, who manages the Scrap Iron Diamonds 70+ team.
Graebe was referring to SSUSA Chief Executive Officer Terry Hennessy, who co-managed the National All-Stars with Dina Hidalgo, manager of the Cali Gold Ladies 50+ team. Graebe split American managerial duties with Bob Ruiz of the 70+ New Mexico Boomers.
After managers revamped their lineups with younger players starting in the fourth inning, the National All-Stars’ bats came alive.
The Nationals scored four two-out runs in the fourth inning, three runs in the fifth and eight in the top of the sixth, when the first seven batters reached on consecutive hits. The Americans, meanwhile, did not plate any runs the fourth or sixth innings.
During the final three National frames, two singles and a triple were supplied by Jim Wilkom of the 50+ team Roebell Painters/Paradise Painting/AllState Carburetor of New York. Eli Miller of the 40+ team Smokin Aces/American Legion Post #327 of Virginia smacked a three-run home run. Dan Christensen of MN 50 Core added a two-run home run and a single.
“We had a great bunch of guys and gals,” winning Co-Manager Hidalgo said. “We never put our heads down.”
Co-manager of the National All-Stars, Dina Hidalgo (Cali Gold Ladies), kept her team going for the win.
One of her players, Cali Gold’s Cheryl Henry Sweet, added that “it would have been better if it was not so cold.”
On that, everyone could agree.