SPA News

PANAMA BEACH, FLORIDA - With ANN HUMBLE looking down from above  the initial SPA ANN HUMBLE MEMORIAL WINTER WORLD SERIES went off in perfect weather November 1-3 at the PANAMA BEACH'S FRANK BROWN PARK COMPLEX.

HUMBLE (1948-2018) was a well loved and dominant force in women's softball, especially in the GULF area where she spent 30 years with the HILTON SOFTBALL team as player, manager and coordinator.

HUMBLE was also a member of THE SPORTS HALL OF FAME.

She along with her husband ROBERT HUMBLE , who is still involved with HILTON SOFTBALL, together were mainstays of women.s softball.

In its initial appearance as a SPA TOURNAMENT, the ANN HUMBLE MEMORIAL saw champions crowned in five divisions.

In a white-knuckler 55'S BRACKET, SHO ME 55'S won by edging SLUGGERS 22-21 and 13-12 in the bracket finals. In opening action they beat SHO-ME 60'S 21-9.;

In bracket play the champs edged SLUGGERS 22-21 for the title  and 13-12 in an earlier bracket game. In pool play.

The SLUGGERS reached the finals by beating SHO-M 60's 22-9.

But talk about close games, in pool play the SLUGGERS beat SERIOUS FUN 9-8 lost to FIRE&ICE 12-13 but beat SHO-ME 55'S 10-9. Then in bracket play they lose to SHO-ME 55's 21-22 and 12-13.

In five of their six tournament games they scored 63 runs and their opponents 65 with all games decided by one run. In their only non-one run game they beat SHO-ME 60'S 22-9.

The champion SHO-ME 55's were similar scoring 63 runs in five games and gave up 69 with the sixth a 21-9 win over SHO-ME 60's.

FIRE&ICE downed JWP 50'S twice 19-10 and 14-11 in winning the 50 PLUS CROWN.

EAST COAST GEMS continued their domination of SPA WOMEN'S 55 PLUS division by going 6-0 in pool and bracket play to easily take the title.

The Champs beat SERIOUS FUN 19-6, 12-8 and THE PLAYERS 12-6 in bracket play. SERIOUS FUN downed THE PLAYERS 21-15 to reach the finals.

HIGH CALIBRE dropped LADY SHOT CALLERS 20-6 and 13-3 in winning the 45 PLUS championship.

PITCHES BE CRAZY 35's downed HILTON 40's 35 PLUS 15-13 and 11-7 to take the 35/40 title. PITCHES other bracket win was 26-13 over their sisters the PITCHES BE CRAZY 40's.

HILTON 40'S 35 PLUS bear PITCHES BE CRAZY 40'S 22-3 to reach the finals.

DALTON, GA  - WAYPOINT FINANCIAL FANATICS left no doubt at to who the 2019 SPA WOMEN'S 55 SILVER DIVISION CHAMP was as they beat the other three teams to claim the crown.

In the tournament held SEPTEMBER 18-22 at DALTON, GEORGIA'S HERITAGE PARK, WAYPOINT went 3-0 in bracket play. The champs opened with a 17-7 win over SASSY SENIORS, followed by 17-3 win over SHO-ME and took the tournament final 19-12 over SLUGGERS.

The SLUGGERS reached the finals coming out of the loser bracket with close wins wins over SASSY SRS 17-15 and SHO-ME 13-12.

MEMBERS OF THE SPA 2019 SILVER DIVISION WAYPOINT FINANCIAL FANATICS CHAMPS are: CANDY FREDERICK, ANNETTE M. KIMERY, DEBRA RODERY, PAMELA MOORE, CINDY MOSGROVE, SHEILA LEDFORD, CATHY BELCHER, TERESA BROWN, RHONDA WILLIAMSON, SANDY BRYANT, DOROTHY ADKINS, MARVA ANDERSON, CHRISTINE SEAL and SANDY LOCKWOOD.

DALTON, GEORGIA - The EAST COAST GEMS 'polished' off the competition Sept 18-22 at the 2019 SPA  WOMEN'S 55 GOLD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS at DALTON, GA'S HERITAGE FIELDS.

The champs disposed of SERIOUS FUN twice (10-9,15-4) to take the title in two games.

SERIOUS FUN reached the finals by edging THE PLAYERS 8-7 in the three-team bracket.

MEMBERS OF THE SPA 2019 WOMEN'S 55 GOLD CHAMPIONS are: ANDREA HINTON, MONA ONYEMELUKWE, KELLY HARRIS, JEANETTE BAILEY, ROSE DAVIS, BRENDA JONES, CYNTHIA SMITH, CHERRI CLARK, KATHY KEYS, MISTY MCGILL, LOUISE O'DONNELL, CYNTHIA NELSON, JODY ANN TRIMMER, DEBORAH FRANKLIN, PAMELA GAMBLE, MARILYN JONES, DIXIE DALTON, TERRY JERMAN, PORTIA SLATON and DEBORAH KNAPP. 

DALTON, GA - The TN CONNECTION took no prisoners in the 2019 SPA 55 AAA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP July 4-8 at DALTON'S HERITAGE PARK to gain the title with an undefeated mark.

Although the CONNECTION went 3-0 in bracket play, each of their three wins were in doubt until the final out.

The champs edged MONTGOMERY SWARM 18-14 in their bracket opener before beating MARYLAND COUGARS twice 15-12, 22-20 for the 55 WORLDS crown.

The COUGARS reached the finals with wins over DARRELL HARRIS 14-8 and GLOBE TRAILERS 20-19 in the five-team bracket.

Members of the TN CONNECTION are: STEVE NECESSARY, JOEL JACKSON, DONNIE REGISTER, DARRELL DOUGLAS, BRUCE FAIRCHILD, LEWIS GRACE, JOHN HANSON, MICHAEL JOHNSON, CARL MIZE, BRETT COOPER, PHIL PEARSON, ERIC GRANT, CLIFTON PARKER, RANDAL HACKLEY, TIM DRIES,MARK FULCHER, JOE SNYDER and ALAN JACKSON. 

RAYMORE, MO - The weather was not friendly to the 2019 SPA ISENHOWER MID-AMERICA NIT JUNE 22-6/23 in RAYMORE MISSOURI.

Only nine teams were able to last out the rain delays with four champs being crowned in the round-robin events.

KC CLASSICS took the 50 MAJOR TITLE  with wins over ELITE 50 (19-17) and SENIOR DOGS (18-17). They did suffer two losses to KC VINTAGE 15-21 and IOWA DEAMONS  18-23.

The SENIOR DOGS BEAT kc vintage 19-16 and IOWA DEAMONS 15-9 for the 50 AAA crown. Their only defeat was 17-18 to the 50 MAJOR CHAMP KC CLASSICS.

OMAHA SILVER BULLETS beat KC STAMPEDE 14-13, KC RENEGADES 17-16 and SCRAP IRON EXPLOSION 16-12 TO WIN THE 55 AAA TITLE.

SCRAP IRON was the 60 AAA winner.

Two SPA mini-tournament in NC and VA crowned champs this summer.

The 2019 SPA PLAYERS AWARDS EXPRESS in CONCORD, NC JULY 2-28 had champs in the 50 and 55 Division.

TN CONNECTION bested LEXINGTON MERCHANTS 20-17 and 1-12 to win the 50 AAA while THE GRILL disposed of the GA RENEGADES 18-3 and 23-18 to claim the 55 AAA CROWN.

The SPA EASTERN NATIONALS JULY 12-14 a GLEN ALLEN, VA saw the MARYLAND COUGARS outgun both the CHESTERFIELD CLASSICS and MARYLAND COUGARS to take home the 55 AAA title.

DALTON, GA - SUNCOAST ADDIDAS SHADES is the 2019 SPA 55 MAJOR PLUS champs earning the title JULY 19-21 at the SPA WORLDS held at DALTON, GA's HERITAGE POINT PARK.

Although they went 2-0 in bracket play it wasn't exactly a cake walk.Counting their two wins in pool play, they won the four games by a total of 13 runs. In pool play they beat DLB SOFTBALL (15-14) and RBC WEALTH MANAGEMENT(30-25). In bracket play ADDIDAS

But they did enough and at the right time to win the SPA 2019 SPA 55 MAJOR PLUS CROWN.

ADDIDAS downed RBC 25-20 in the finals and NORTHWEST STORM )(17-15) in the semi-finals

RBC eliminated SA 55 SOFTBALL CLUB 25-21 to reach the finals.

LEE TROTTER was the SPA 2019 55 MAJOR PLUS MANAGER-O-THE-YEAR while TROY PICKLES took home the MVP AWARD.

Selected to the AA;AMERICAN TEAM were DAVID BOGATZ, PHIL HARDY, ROBERT NOETH, GERALD REYNOLDS, and JOSEPH WINNER.

Other members of SUNCOAST ADDIDAS SHADES are: REGINOLD BROWN, RICHARD PAT BURKHART, PATRICK BURNETT, DAVID CRAWLEY, ROBERT P. DAVIS, DAVID DOERBAUM, HENRY GARRIS  and LARRY VEAHMAN.

DALTON,GA - ACTION AUTO PARTS is the 2019 SPA 55 MAJOR WORLDS CHAMPION,.

The AUTO PARTS gang claimed the title by downing OHIO ELITE/AMR 29-23 and MONSTER SOFTBALL 17-16 at DALTON, GA'S HERITAGE POINT PARK JULY 19-21 in the bracket semi and finals.

OHIO ELITE/AMR beat DAYTON LEGENDS 20-15 to reach the title game.

ACTION AUTO PARTS manager DAVID ANDERSON was awarded the SPA 2019 55 MAJOR WORLDS MANAGER-OF-THE-YEAR.

ERNEST BACON WAS SELECTED AS THE TOURNAMENT MVP.

Other AUTO PARTS team members recognized as ALL-AMERICANS were MARK ANDERSON, GARDNER HAGUE, JOHN KILCOYNE, MARK MONIZ and HUMBERTO MONTALBAN.

Other members of the 55 MAJOR WORLD CHAMPS are: RONNIE CHARCHAFLIAH, STEPHEN DUPONT, GEORGE PEDRO, ROBERT PUTNEY, ANTHONY RAMPONE, ROBERT SMITYH and GEORGE TROUPE.

MARIETTA, GEORGIA played  host to 21 teams JUNE 20-23 at the AL BISHOP SOFTBALL COMPLEX in the SPA PEACH STATE CLASSIC senior softball tournament..

Ten teams squared off in the 50+MAJOR bracket with LIGHTHOUSE going 4-0 in lighting up the scoreboard to take home the title.

In their four wins the champs touched home plate 134 times in wins over SE SWARM (35-5,35-33), BEST WAY (31-16) and RIVER ROCK (33-19).

SE SWARM reached the finals beating BEST WAY 28-27 to take runner-up honors.

Others in the bracket were DUDLEY, WALKER BROS, TN COMETES, DOC'S SOFTBALL, ATLANTA MONARCHS and TEAM INTENSITY.

The MONTGOMERY SWARM bested KENT PLAYERS 23-15 and 21-17 along with a 25-18 defeat of WDMS to win the 55 AAA bracket. KENT PLAYERS reached the finals by downing GEORGIA RENEGADES 19-8.

DARRELL HARRIS took the top prize in the 55 AAA group with a pair of wins over ATLANTA RECYCLE (20-12, 26-16) and a 23-18 defeat of TN CONNECTION.

ATLANTA RECYCLE edged PANHANDLE 22-21 reaching the finals.

Three teams battled in the 60 AAA/65 MAJOR group with GAS downing COLUMBUS LXV 24-11 and MOBLEY ROOFING 117-10 for the title. COLUMBUS LXV beat MOBLEY ROOFING 22-10 to reach the finals.

DAYTON's FIRST FLIGHT TOURNAMENT held JULY 1-7 at the KETTERING FIELD COMPLEX combined with an earlier one day event (DICK ERNST SR SOFTBALL CLASSIC) held in APRIL registered a new high with 53 teams in attendance.

FIRST FLIGHT was the leader of the pair as 30 teams battled it out six brackets.

The DAYTON 70'S took the 65AA/70AAA title by going undefeated in bracket play with wins over DOC MARTEN (15-1), DR VINYL(15-14) and DOC MARTEN again in the finals.

The DAYTON DIAMOND DAWGS was the lone 65 AA team in the bracket.

The DAYTON SILVER EXPRESS won a home-town battle over the DAYTON LEGENDS with a pair of 15-10 and 17-16 for the 70AA title.

The RARE BREED out of COLUMBUS, OHIO beat the DAYTON 75's 18-9 and 17-5  for the 75 AAA crown.

CHICAGO PRIME downed the OHIO teams AAA CINCINNATI (21-9,14-6) and MAJOR DAYTON LEGENDS (23-5) to take top prize in the 60AAA/65 MAJOR five-team group.

AAA teams OHIO ELIE DOCS and DAYTON LEGENDS also were in the bracket.

The NINE TEAM 50 AAA group MJ LOWE and MIAMI VALLEY declared co-champs as the rain kept the two teams from playing each other in the finals.

MJ LOWE reached the finals beating the OHIO HITMEN 32-13 and DAYTON PROFFITT 9-5 to reach the finals while MIAMI VALLEY eliminated CIRCLE CITY 14-8 and DAYTON LENER 23-22 to get there.

ACTION SPORTS CINCINNATI 50's and BULL MOOSE 50'S were also in the bracket.

TEAM ILLINOIS with wins over ANTIQUES ROAD SHOW 12-5, DETROIT PONY EXPRESS 20-16 and touch em all 17-9 were the 55 AAA champs. BUCKEYE CLASSICS WAS THE FIFTH TEAM IN THE BRACKET.

GEM CITY downed LS?DB 21-7 for the 50 MAJOR crown with the DAYTON LEGENDS taking home the 55 MAJOR title.