Tournament wrapup

72 Teams Liked the Odds of Las Vegas Challenge Cup

May 1, 2000 – Senior Softball-USA

LAS VEGAS - The first Senior Softball World Championships Challenge Cup here drew 72 teams from eight states during the first week of April.

In addition to the Las Vegas Challenge Cup, another 76 teams played in Qualifiers in Phoenix, San Diego and Austin in March and April.

The biggest news at the Las Vegas Challenge Cup was the emergence of a strong 13-team women's division. Women's teams played in two divisions, 45+ and 55+, and attracted teams from Arizona, California and Nevada.

"This is our fastest growing division - and we expect the women's division to continue to rapidly expand over the next two decades," said Terry Hennessy, SSWC executive director.

There were three teams from Tucson - the Las Amigas (see story on Page 14), Rancherettes and Rainbo Chiquitas - and a new hometown team: Vegas 45s.

In addition to excellent softball in all four SSWC qualifiers, there were precision and home run contests, parties - and controversy.

The controversy surrounded the 50+ Seacrest Mavericks of Huntington Beach, California, which brought a suspended player to the San Diego Top Gun Qualifier.

The Mavericks was mired in scandal last year when three players were banned for life for lying about their ages (See story on Page One). The team put the player on their roster and played him in San Diego. The player, Bruce Walker, was suspended through the 2001 season for falsifying his records.

"I asked the SSWC Tournament Director and the other 50+ managers if it was OK, and they agreed," said Mavericks manager Ken Lipinski, who said he was playing as an exhibition team.

SSWC officials said they are investigating the matter.

Las Vegas Challenge Cup

The Las Vegas Challenge Cup was played from April 1-9 at Arroyo Grande, Lorenzi and Freedom Softball Complexes.

One of the highlights off the field was a party at Del Webb's Sun City Anthem, a sponsor of the Challenge Cup. The party, on the manicured lawns of model homes overlooking the colorful Las Vegas skyline, included prizes for all participants, a barbecue and a roving band.

On the field, the Southern California powerhouse 2nd Wind swept to 5 straight wins and 1st place in the 45+ women's division. However, the Tucson Chiquitas - which posted a 0-5 record - surprised 2nd Wind in a close contest during the last game of the Challenge Cup. In a strong defensive contest, the Chiquitas kept the 2nd Wind to a slender 1-0 lead until the top of the sixth inning, when 2nd Wind scored two more runs. Then, in the bottom of the sixth, Chiquitas scored three runs and tied the game. The powerful 2nd Wind came back in the top of the seventh inning to score three more runs for a 6-3 win. California Express came in second in the 45+ division with a 4-1 record.

In the women's 55+ division, California Spirit Major beat the Las Vegas Neons in the championship game 11-0 to take the title.

In the 50+ division, Grimes Trucking won the Major Division with a 4-2 record, Las Vegas Posse took the White Division with a 5-1 record and El Paso Legends won in the Blue Division with 5-1.

In the 55+ competition, Skinny Dugans swept the Major title with a 5-0 record, California Crush won the AAA with a 4-1 record and the Southern California Chiefs, a 60 Major team playing in the 55+ AAA bracket, took second place with a 4-1 record.

D-99 took the 60+ Major title with a 5-1 record. The Palm Springs Strokers took first in the AAA Division posting a 5-1 record and the Old Rebs placed second with a 5-1 record. The Las Vegas Squad took the AA Division with a 3-2 record.

The D-99 65+ team captured the Major title with a 5-0 record and the Challengers soundly defeated Top Gun 20-10 in the championship game to win the AAA Cup.

Top Gun edged out the Texas Lonestars 12-7 to capture the 70+ division title and Desert Storm beat Palm Springs Nationals 11-5 to win the 75+ championships.

Winners included:

Women 45+>

1st: 2nd Wind, Lake Forest, CA

2nd: California Express, Half Moon Bay

Women 55+

1st: California Spirit Major, Irvine

2nd: Las Vegas Neons, NV

Mens 50+ Major

Grimes Trucking, Scottsdale, AZ

Mens 50+ White Division

Las Vegas Posse, NV

Men's 50+ Blue DivisionEl Paso Legends, TX

Mens 55+ Major

Skinny Dugans, Las Vegas, NV

Men's 55+ AAA

1st: California Crush, Garden Grove

2nd: So. California Chiefs, Irvine (60 Major team)

Men's 60+ Major

D-99, Huntington Beach, CA

Men's 60+ AAA

1st: Palm Springs Strokers, CA

2nd: Old Rebs, Las Vegas, NV

Men's 60+ AA

Las Vegas Squad, NV

Men's 65+ Major

D-99, Huntington Beach, CA

Men's 65+ AAA

1st: Challengers, Long Beach, CA

2nd: Top Gun Kaiser, San Diego, CA

Men's 70+

1st: Top Gun Gold, San Diego, CA

2nd: Texas Lone Stars, Fort Worth

Men's 75+

1st: Tremont Hotel, Rockville, MD

2nd: Las Vegas 70s, NV

Phoenix Challenge Cup

The third annual Phoenix Gold Glove Challenge Cup was played from Feb. 26-March 2 at Desert West and Rose Mofford Softball Complexes.

Grimes Trucking swept the 50+ Major division with a 5-0 record, Metro Air took the AAA title with a 5-1 record and the El Paso Drillers captured first in AA with a 3-2 record.

In the 55+ division, New Mexico 55s took first place with a 5-1 record and Boys of Summer came in second with 3-4.

Arizona 60s took first place in the AAA division with a 6-0 sweep and Arizona Cougars took the 60 AA.

In the 65 division, two Mesa teams came out on top. The Mesa Mustangs went 5-1 for the Major division title and the Mesa Cardinals went 5-1 for the AAA title. The Arizona Outlaws took the 65 AA.

The Precision Hitting champion of the Gold Glove Challenge Cup went to Lloyd Scholl of the Summerlin Old Rebs, who picked up 30 points and won a Grover bat. Rick Everett of the Del Webb Sidewinder 60s came in second with 25 points.

Here are the winners:

Mens 50+ Major

Grimes Trucking, Scottsdale, AZ

Mens 50+ AAA

1st: Metro Air, Scottsdale, AZ

2nd: Rhinos, Gilbert, AZ

Men's 50+ AA

1st: El Paso Drillers, TX

2nd: Tucson Hawks, AZ

Mens 55+

1st: New Mexico 55s, Albuquerque

2nd: Boys of Summer, Queen Creek, AZ

Men's 60+ Major

Arizona 60s, Mesa

Men's 60+ AAA

1st: Sunshine Boys, San Clemente, CA

2nd: Del Webb 60s, Sun City, AZ

Men's 60+ AA

1st: Arizona Cougars, Scottsdale

2nd: Summerlin old Rebels

Men's 65+ Major

Mesa Mustangs, AZ

Men's 65+ AAA

1st: Mesa Cardinals, AZ

2nd: Del Webb 65s, Sun City, AZ

Men's 65+ AA

1st: Arizona Outlaws

2nd: Summerlin Old Rebels, AZ

San Diego Top Gun Qualifier

The SSWC Top Gun Qualifier, from March 25-29 in Escondido, California, attracted 40 teams. The early Southern California qualifier hosted some of the top teams in the southwest.

Here are the winners:

Mens 50+ Major

Grimes Trucking, Scottsdale, AZ

Mens 50+ Pool B

All American Cougars, Calabasas, CA

Men's 50+ Pool C

Play2Win, Valencia, CA

Mens 55+ Major

GSF Classics

Mens 55+ Pool B

Bickerton Iron Works, Northridge, CA

Men's 55+ Pool C

Top Gun, San Diego, CA

Men's 60+

Practice Squad, Las Vegas, NV

Men's 65+

Fairway Ford, CA, Placentia, CA

Men's 70+

D-99, Huntington Beach, CA

Austin (Texas) Challenge Cup

The Austin Challenge Cup was played March 11-12 at the Pleasant Valley Sports Complex. Three Texas teams took the first place awards in the 50, 60, and 65 divisions. Texas Legends took first place in the 50+ Division with a 4-2 record, the Texas Greyhounds won the 60+ title with a 4-1 record and the Lonestars swept the 65+ division with a 5-0 record.

Joe Read of the Texas Legends 50s blasted his way to become Home Run King of the Austin Challenge Cup by hitting 5 balls for 5 home runs in the Home Run contest. Read won a DeMarini bat.

In the 60, 65, 70 precision hitting contest, Eddy Hogan of the 60+ Texas Greyhounds took first place in a field of 11 competitors with 50 points.

Here are the winners:

Mens 50+

Texas Legends, Arlington

Mens 60+

1st: Texas Greyhounds, Irving

2nd: Corpus Christi 60s, TX

Men's 65+

1st: Lonestar, Ennis, TX

Texas Classics, Richardson