SPA News

The CHICAGO HITMEN finished off a championship season by winning the 2018 SPA 70 AA WORLDS Sept 14-16 at HERITAGE PARK in DALTON, GEORGIA.

The CHICAGO team came out of the loser’s bracket to beat LEGENDS of DAYTON 25-16 and force an “IF” game. The HITMEN took the title deciding game by a 13-9 count.

CHICAGO started their run out of the loser’s bracket with a 10-3 over the TEXAS GREYHOUNDS after losing 21-22 to LEGENDS of DAYTON in the bracket opener.

The HITMEN added the WORLD’S crown to SPA TOURNAMENT titles they had won previously at the HOOSIER CLASSIC and HEART OF OHIO. Ironically the runner-up team in those events was LEGENDS of DAYTON.

In pool play at the WORLDS the HITMEN went 3-0 with wins over OKIES (19-14), DEEP SOUTH SOFTBALL (21-5) and NORTHERN VIRGINIA FORCE (9-5), all AAA teams.

Members of the champion CHICAGO HITMEN are: Manager MIKE SABATINO, STEVE DECORI, AL BARTOLOTTA, FELIX GARCIA, JACK JOST, JIM KUPIEC, RICK MASINO, PHIL WHITMAN, STEVE GAJDA, DAVE VORWALD, WARREN YORK, DANIEL TODD and PAT JOPS.

The BIRD was not the word at the 9/9-9/11 SPA 2018 75 AAA WORLD SERIES at DALTON, GEORGIA’S HERITAGE PARK.

The INDIANAPOLIS CLASSICS downed the SENIOR RED BIRDS two out of three times in the double-elimination bracket competition to win the WORLD SERIES TITLE.

The CLASSICS beat the BIRDS 23-19 in their first encounter in bracket play sending the winged wonders to the loser’s bracket. The BIRDS fought their way out of the loser’s bracket beating the TEXAS LEGENDS (9-7) to get another shot at INDIANAPOLIS.

This time the BIRDS won (10-9) to set up an “IF” game but the CLASSICS came back to win 9-5 in the finals.

For the tournament the two teams (CLASSICS and REDBIRDS)  were 2-and-2 against each other since the BIRDS edged the CLASSICS 15-14 in pool play which making the REDBIRDS 3-0 and the number one seed. In the end all it earned them was the runner-up spot in the 75 AAA 2018 SPA WORLDS SERIES TOURNAMENT.

Ironically it was a repeat of the SPA JIM WELCH CLASSIC in TROY, ILL when the CLASSICS beat the SENIOR REDBIRDS twice to win that tournament. For the year the CLASSICS won three SPA TITLES the WORLD SERIES, JIM WELCH and THEE BUCKEYE CLASSIC. They also finished second in the WORLDS in COLUMBUS to PRO HEALTH.

The other two teams in the 75 WORLD SERIES were TEXAS LEGENDS and FLORIDA’S PREMIUM SEATS.

Members of the championship INDIANAPOLIS CLASSICS are: KEN BONHAM, ROBERT BRABENDER, LARRY COOPER, JEFF CRUMP, DICK DOUGLAS, FLOYD EDWARDS, CHARLES FEDERLE,ELDEN FORTHUM, WILLIAM GREENWALD, WILLIAM HUDSON, HAROLD KENNEDY, JOHN LOIACANO, ROBERT WILLOUGHBY, WES WORLEY, GEORGE MILLS, GEORGE HULL, ROGER REVEAL, KEN KEELER, JAMES PATTERSON and STEVE SWICK.

The CANTERBURY CRUISERS added their second SPA 2018 75 MAJOR WORLDS to their resume winning the SPA 75 MAJOR WORLD SERIES at DALTON, GEORGIA’S HERITAGE PARK September 9-11.

In August they won the SPA 2018 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP played at COLUMBUS, OHIO’S BERLINER PARK.

It only took two bracket games to add their second title in DALTON. They knocked off SE LEFTOVERS 24-9 in the first game and HILL CONTRACTING 21-6 in the championship battle.

HILL made it to the finals beating SE LEFTOVERS 17-6.

CANTERBURY wasn’t perfect in the tournament losing to 75AAA WORLD SERIES winner INDIANA CLASSICS 14-7 in pool play. However, they did win their other pool games over two other 75 AAA teams PREMIUM SEATS (21-7) and SR REDBIRDS (29-8).

Members of the new 75 MAJOR 2018 SPA WORLD SERIES champs are:

RON HELLIER (mgr.), DAVE BEEBE, AL BROWN, VAUGHN COVERT, GERALD DEMARA, RAY DYE, CHARLES HROBOWSKI, RON HUSER, SAM LOPICCOLO, JIM RANISZEWSKI, RON SANNER, BRAD SMITH, LEWIS SOTO, MANUEL FENECH, JERRY L. JOHNSON and DOUG HOGUE.

The OHIO SILVERADOS won the SPA 2018 65 AA WORLD Championship played Sept 6-9 at DALTON, GEORGIA’S HERITAGE PARK.

For the OHIO team it was their fourth SPA championship in 2018 tournaments. They had previously won THEE BUCKEYE CLASSIC, HOOSIER CLASSIC and the GREAT LAKES CLASSIC.

Ironically of the four tournaments, only the HOOSIER CLASSIC with three AA’s had more than two 65 AA teams in the event.

There are only six AA teams (thirty AAA teams) in SPA. The six teams are BRANTFORD (CAN), (by) GRACE REDEEMED (TN), INDY FOG (IND), ROBSON RANCH TEXANS (TEX), UPSTATE EXTREME ROYALS(NY) and the SILVERADO’S (OH).

Tough to have a tournament with more than two teams.

The SILVERADO’S made the most of the opportunity beating INDY FOG 20-11 and 19-7 in a two out of three for the crown..

In pool play the SILVERADOS played three AAA teams losing to RPR SOFTBALL 9-23 , SCRAP IRON MIKE HIGH 3-20 and MIDSTATE SRS 9-11. RPR and SCRAP IRON both went 3-0 in pool play while MIDSTATE was 2-1.

Members of the OHIO SILVERADO’S are manager RANDY BALLARD, JEFF BRENNEMAN, DAVE CAPLINGER, BILL FOLK, KEN SPOERNDLE, LARRY OMALLEY, JIM KIRBY, RANDY MILLER, STERLING MELODY, KEN PODOLAK, LYLE CARPENTER, JOHN WALDSMITH, DAN GERIN, MARK MARINI, LARRY CHIMENTO, THOM BLASDEL, LE GERIN and DANA PAUL BARNETTE

SUPERIOR SR SOFTBALL and VENOM used five head-to-head games to decide the 2018 SPA MAJOR PLUS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CROWN played Sept 14-16 at DALTON, GEORGIA’S HERITAGE PARK

When the smoke cleared SUPERIOR SENIOR SOFTBALL had the 3-2 edge winning the final game 28-13.

Not only were the two teams close on wins 3-2 but VENOM only had a 83-82 edge in runs scored for and against.

SSS won a close first game 25-24 and the second game 16-4 before VENOM fought back winning 25-5 and 17-7 to force the deciding contest.

Some interesting facts about the two teams SSS had four impact players on their roster C. BALLARD JR, DON CLATTERBOUGH, CHARLES CREGAR and JOHN DAVIDE while VENOM had only two DAVE CLOVER and TOLS MIHAILOFF.

The SSS 15-man roster had players from six states (VA 5, MD 4, NC 3, NJ, TN, NY) while VENOM’S 11-man contingent had 10 from FLORIDA and one from KENTUCKY.

Members of the champion SUPERIOR SR SOFTBALL team are; C.BALLARD JR, PHIL BIEDRONSKI, GEORGE CHANCE DON CLATTERBOUGH, MEL COLWELL, CHARLES CREGAR, JOHN DAVIDE, THOM DOMMEL SR, JAMES MCLAMB, JOHN SCRUGGS, WILLIAM TIPTON, THOM TUDOR, RAY WIMBROUGH, ANDREW ZITNAX and JAMES SEARS.

The Alphabet team, LOTA SOFTBALL easily won the four-team 80 SPA inaugural WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP at DALTON, GEORGIA’S heritage park SEPT 9-11.

LOTA which stands for LOUISIANA, OKLAHOMA, TEXAS, ARKANSAS was perfect (3-0) in bracket play and 2-1 in pool.

The champs only loss came in their first pool game 28-20 to the CHICAGO GEEZERS. After that defeat they finished pool play with wins over PRO HEALTH CARE 80’s (20-16) and EAST COAST LEFTOVERS (20-10).

In bracket they got revenge against the GEEZERS beating them 18-9 in the opening round. The EAST COAST LEFTOVERS fell 15-2 and LOTA SOFTBALL finished the tournament with an 18-8 win over PRO HEALTH in the title game.

LOTA SOFTBALL also won the SPA 2018 JIM WELCH CLASSIC in TROY beating the CHICAGO GEEZERS and KC ANTIQUES. They did not fare as well at THEE BUCKEYE CLASSIC in BARBERTON going 1 -5.

Members of the championship LOTA SOFTBALL team are: DAVID BOONE, ELDON BRAST, RICHARD BULLOCK, ARNO CHASTEEN, EDDIE GLOVER, ED HARDY, ARTHUR HARRIS, EDDIE HOGAN, JOE HOUSLY,HARLAN JENSEN, RON PERDUE, FERRELL ROTON, MARLYN SCHROEPFER, JESSE SMITH, DON SWIFT and F.JAMES TIBELLI

DON HARRIS is the manager.

UNFAZED certainly got their money’s worth at the 2018 SPA WOMEN’S 50’S WORLD TOURNAMENT. The VIRGINIA team played NINE GAMES in the tournament including six in bracket play.

They proved more is better as they beat the top two seeds TN TRI STARS 21-9, TEAM WORKS 18-2 and TEAM WORKS again in the title game by a 14-13 count. The TN TRI STARS and TEAM WORKS had both gone 3-0 in pool play.

UNFAZED beat SUNNY BEACHES (15-8) and SASSY SENIORS (15-9) in pool play as well as losing to TN STARS (11-5).

UNFAZED won their first two bracket games (WAYPOINT FINANCIAL FANATICS 15-0 and TN TRI STARS 17-8) before losing 9-8 to TEAM WORKS in the winner’s bracket.

The champs downed TN TRI STARS 21-9 in the loser bracket finals and forced the “IF” game beating TEAM WORKS 18-2. UNFAZED finished their marathon edging TEAM WORKS 14-13 in the title game.

Others in the nine-team tournament were SHO ME 50’S, FIRE & ICE and JWP AR MIX.

UNFAZED individual awards: CYNTHIA NELSON, SPA 50 WORLDS MANAGER OF THE YEAR and SYLVIA ECHOLS, TOURNAMENT MVP.

Players selected to the ALL-AMERICAN team were DOLORIS PATTERSON, DEBORAH ROBINSON, ELLA ROGERS, MELISSA WILSON and CYNTHIA ROBERSON.

Members of the 2018 champion UNFAZED team: NELSON, ECHOLS, PATTERSON, ROBINSON, ROGERS, WILSON, ROBERSON, LINDA PUENTES, JANICE R. JACKSON, THELMA MASON, ARETHA TILLEY-PIGRUM, SONJA FULTZ, YVONETTE JOHNSON, MICHELLE BROWN, DEBORAH DEEG, CORNIECE KEENE BROWN, PORTIA SLATON, CHARLENE SUGGS, NEDRA BARNARD HILL and MELISSA SPENCER

The FUN BUNCH was one year older this year and moved up to the SPA 70 DIVISION with the result being the 2018 WORLD CROWN.

In 2017 the FUN BUNCH was runner-up in the SPA 65 DIVISION and the rest of the teams in the 70’s group wish they would have stayed there for another year.

The FUN BUNCH took no prisoners going 5-0 in poll and bracket play. Where most teams win championships with their bats, they did it with their gloves.

In five games they allowed only 32 runs (6.4 per game). Offensively they were not to shabby either scoring 77 runs (15.4 per game).

Only the 2017 70’s runner-up GOLDEN GALS 70’s gave them a battle losing 8-9 in the winner’s bracket semi but FUN BUNCH drilled them 16-4 in the title game. The JERICHO SR 70’s fell 6-17 to FUN BUNCH  in the opening bracket game.

In pool play they defeated GOLDEN GIRLS of VA 13-9 and CHATTANOOGA CHARGERS 22-5

The only teams they did not play in the seven team bracket were NORTHWEST MOUNTAIN MAMA’S (2-4) and the CLASSICS (0-5).

FUN BUNCH individual awards: SPA 70 MANAGER OF THE YEAR PEGGY O’NEILL and MVP entire team. Selected to the ALL-AMERICAN team were JILL SMITH, KAT BONDS, PAT STEPHENSON, MARCIA HILTABIDLE and DUSTY LEVERSKY.

FUN BUNCH 70’s team members: O’NEILL, SMITH, BONDS, STEPHENSON, HILTABIDLE, LEVERSKY, ARLENE GOMEZ, JUANITA GRANDSTAFF, MARSHA MOORE, CLARA ODOM, ELLEN WOODARD, JONI SHIRLEY, SUSAN THOMPSON, DIANNE DOBBINS, EVELYN EVANS and BARBARA PEAVY.

Led by manager RANDY MOSES, the HAMEL LADY 60’S won the 2018 SPA 60’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP August 19-23 at DALTON, GEORGIA’S HERITAGE PARK.

It wasn’t easy as HAMELS LADIES had to beat the 2016 and 2017 champs JOLICO twice, both times by one run.

‘11 was our magic number,” MOSES said. “We tied it in the seventh inning of the first game with 11 runs to go to extra innings for the first win and won the championship game with 11 runs.”

HAMEL LADIES beat JOLICO13-12 in the first game with THELMA MASON supplying the game winning hit in the bottom of the ninth. CAROLYN COTTERELL came through with a two-out bases loaded hit in the bottom of the seventh for the 11-10 win in the championship game.

It was quite a celebration for the second year team who had just stopped JOLICO’s string of 17 straight wins in the SPA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP dating back to 2016 when they were a 55 team.

“It was quite a win for us,” MOSES said of his team. “We knew going in if we wanted to be the champs we would have to beat JOLICO”

HAMELS also beat MARYLAND ROADRUNNERS 24-10 in the first game in bracket play and SHO-ME 60’s (11-1) and NOR’EASTERS (7-6) in pool play.

HAMEL LADIES 60’S Individual award winners: RANDY MOSES, SPA 60 WOMENS’ MANAGER OF THE YEAR and TOURNAMENT MVP SANDY MURPHY.

ALL-AMERICAN selections were KATHERINE SIVELLS, DIANE GARDNER, JANIS JOHNSON, JAN JONES, JOYCE DONALDSON and DELORES GRANDISON.

HAMEL LADY 60’S team members: MOSES, MURPHY, SIVELLS, GARDNER, JOHNSON, JAN JONES, DONALDSON, GRANDISON, SYLVIA JONES, BETTYE MCCLENDON, KATHY KEYS, CAROLYN COTTERELL, SHIRLEY JOHNSON-WEBB, THELMA MASON, BARBARA DAVIS, KATHERINE ROBINSON-CAIN, KAREN BENTON, PATRICIA GAINES, PEGGY JO NEFF and RAMONA WIGGINS.

The PITCHES BE CRAZY FORTIES actually went CRAZY celebrating their first ever SPA TOURNAMENT title of any kind.

The champs pulled it off August 19-23 at DALTON, GEORGIA’S HERITAGE PARK in the 2018 SPA 40’s WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.

“It was really great,” PBC 40’s manager BRENDA DEWITT said. “We are an offshoot of the PITCHES BE CRAZY 35’s and we just put the team together this year.”

It has been a long year for PBC 40’s as their record was 3-7 in SPA tournaments (TWITTY, ROCKY TOP, SPRING NATIONALS).

“In pool play at DALTON we went 0-2 playing teams like KRYPONITE before we got to bracket play,” DEWITT said.

In bracket play they defeated ARKANSAS SYNERGY 40’s 10-5 and 21-9 for the title.

“I think that may have been the first time we beat SYNERGY this year,” she said,”When we beat them in the finals at DALTON, we actually did go crazy celebrating.”

“We have a great team and a great attitude,” DEWITT said.”It was great to finish the year on a positive note, we all excited now anticipating the 2019 season.”

Individual Awards: BRENDA DEWITT SPA 40’S MANAGER OF THE YEAR and JANE COLSON TOURNAMENT MVP. Selected to the ALL-AMERICAN TEAM were BARBARA HARE, NICOLE BASILE, DEANN DEITSCH, JEANIA HASTINGS and TIFFANY MACKEY GUTHERIE.

Members of PITCHES BE CRAZY FORTIES are; HARE, DEWITT, MACKEY-CUTHERIE, BASILE, HASTINGS, DEITSCH, COLSON, CRYSTAL WHITE, SHERRI RUF, JAN GREATHOUSE, SABRINA CAMPBELL, ERIKA ROACH, CONNIE JONES, JULIE DAVIS, SHERI YOUNG, JULIE KELSO, LISA LONG GILES, CONSTANCE RAMIREZ and REBECCA DAY.