JIM 'SHERM' SHERMAN 1ST HALL OF FAMER DIES

June 1, 2010 – Senior Softball-USA

SEATTLE – Jim Sherman, 71, the first player to be inducted into the Senior Softball-USA Hall of Fame, died here March 25 after a long battle with cancer. In recognition of his many contributions to Senior Softball, SSUSA has renamed one of its top tournaments the Jim Sherman Memorial Northwest Championships.

Sherman, who won three Triple Grand Slams in a row and 40 major championships, was known as an outstanding hitter.

“Without question, Sherm was, is and will always remain a Legend,” said Bill Ruth, SSUSA president and longtime friend. “His softball exploits on the field, his vision in the formation of the life-saving defibrillator program and his genuine caring for those around him, be it family or friends, will live on forever.”

A native of Seattle, he was the chief safety officer for the Seattle Fire Department for 30 years. He was in charge of training firemen in first aid, CPR and the use of defibrillators until he retired.

After retiring, he continued offering classes and CPR training to several groups throughout the Seattle area and four years ago proposed establishing training and providing defibrillators at SSUSA tournaments.

For the past three years, Sherman has trained scores of SSUSA officials, umpires, players and managers at no charge. That training – and the defibrillators – has resulted in the saving of four lives during SSUSA tournaments since the program began.

On the field, Sherman has been a key force in his teams winning more than 40 major championships. The cap of his career, however, was winning three Triple Grand Slams in a row.

“The Triple Grand Slam crowns meant the most,” Sherman said in his Hall of Fame acceptance speech in Nashville during the SSUSA/ISA National Convention in December. “We won in Mobile in 2005 with the Emerald City Masters, then in 2006 with the WE Ruth Realty 60s and in 2007 with Joeseppi’s.”

Sherman had a career batting average of .700 over a 21-year span, won 24 world rings and could hit the ball with precision anywhere he wanted.

“Jim had a unique ability to reach inside a person’s soul and make an instant connection,” said Terry Hennessy, SSUSA’s chief executive officer. “Even when Jim couldn’t understand a word they were saying, he broke into people’s hearts with his infectious laugh.”

His talent for bringing joy cut across language and country borders and he became easily the most popular and sought-after official during the several years he coordinated SSUSA’s exchange of international teams at the World Championships.

“I’ll always remember Jim acting as our ambassador for the Japanese teams, standing a good foot taller and smack in the middle of a large group of Japanese players who could not understand a word Jim was saying, but they were all smiling and laughing,” said Hennessy.

“Jim Sherman was more than just a good man – although he indeed was a very good man. He made the most fundamental difference that a person can make – he saved lives.

“In his career Jim trained firefighters and many others who went on to save countless lives. Later as National Director of Safety for Senior Softball-USA, his CPR/ defibrillator program saved four lives … and laid the groundwork to save many more lives in the future,” Hennessy said.

“But we can take comfort in the fact that Jim’s work will continue to save lives and his memory will bring a warm smile to our lips, a twinkle to our eyes and deep appreciation to our souls,” said Hennessy.

The Jim Sherman Memorial Northwest Championships will be played in Portland the end of June. Gifts of remembrance can be given in Jim Sherman’s name to: The Charteris Foundation, PO Box 24766, Federal Way, WA, 98093.