Rochester Hosts Recreational Tournament

Oct. 1, 2008 – Senior Softball-USA

By Steve Simmons, Softball News Report

ROCHESTER, MN – After taking the summer off, the SSUSA North Region Recreational Tournament Circuit resumed with a one-day tournament here. The tournament was held Sept. 4 with six teams taking part. Significantly three of the teams hailed from the host city of Rochester and represented 75 percent of that city's first-year senior softball league.

The tournament was moved from Walker, MN, where it had been played the last two years, to Rochester to recognize the fledgling local league. The turnout from the home town league displayed the enthusiasm that has been generated here for senior softball. Credit needs to be given to league president Bill Miller and his fellow league administrators Clyde Steddum, Ray Barnett, Bob Horstmann, Bill Beaupre, Dave Warnke and Randy Kahl who have gotten this program off the ground.

The Rochester teams were joined in this tournament by two recreational teams from the West Metro Senior Softball League (Edina, MN), and another recreational team from Mason City, IA. Ages ranged from Scott Hanson, the youngster at 50 years old, to Irv Didderich, the elder statesman at 79. Didderich edged out Jim Staiger, another 79 year old, by 16 days to lay claim to the oldest player in the tournament title.

The teams were very well balanced which made for some very competitive games. The championship went to the Tough Kookies of the West Metro League who edged Butler Video (Rochester) 15- 14 in the deciding game. Second place was secured by Smart Candle / Prime Time Health (Rochester), in their inal game of the tournament, with a bottom of the seventh tie-breaking run which crossed the plate as a result of Dave Warnke's blast to the fence for a 13-12 win over the Bad Boys (West Metro).

The final event of the 2008 SSUSA North Region Recreational Tournament Circuit won't take place until December. This will be the fourth North region recreational tournament of the year and it will be held Dec. 11-12, inside several domes in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

Plans are in the works to expand the 2009 circuit to six or seven tournaments. It will be comprised of a variety of events including dome tournaments, outdoor two-day tournaments played during the week, outdoor one-day tournaments played during the week and a weekend tournament with umpires. Tournament sites will be in Minnesota, Iowa and possibly Omaha, NE or Kansas City, MO.

To learn more about the 2009 SSUSA North Region Recreational Tournament Circuit, contact Steve Simmons, SSUSA C/L North Region Director. Simmons' contact information is (952) 470-9250, (952) 239-7674, or via e-mail: stnlsimmons@aol.com.