SPA News

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.

DALTON, GEORGIA - FENCE BROKERS/TEAM KITTY/MIKEN/WORTH is a 2019 SPA WORLDS repeat winner.

The FENCE BROKERS took their second straight SPA 50 MAJOR PLUS TITLE JULY 19-21 at DALTON'S HERITAGE PARK besting BRIAN PATTEN LAW 21-16 in the title game.

Along the way they also downed SUNCOAST ADIDAS 19-9.

BRIAN PATTEN reached the finals with a 44-18 triumph over ESCOBAR BODY.

KELLEHER FIRM/USA rounded out the four team field.

FENCE BROKERS' MANAGER MICHAEL WILSON took home the SPA 2019 50 MAJOR PLUS MANAGER-OF-THE-YEAR.

REYNALDO GUTIERREZ was the 2019 SPA 50 MAJOR WORLDS MVP.

Recognized as ALL AMERICANS were MICHEL DILL, ALBERT DAVIS, BOB O'BRIEN, ALAN TANNER and CHRIS WALKER.

Other members of the champion FENCE BROKERS team are: GERALD DONALDSON, PAUL HARDIN, STEPHEN HELLER, JASON KENDRICK, GEOFFREY ORR, RICHARD SILLS and BRADLEY STILLWELL.

DALTON,GA - GOOD TIMES/CLEAN PLANET ran the table in the SPA 50 MAJOR WORLDS BRACKET at DALTON, GEORGIA HERITAGE POINT PARK JULY 19-21 to take home the 2019 title.

GOOD TIMES went 4-0 in bracket play downing WALKER BROTHERS 17-1 in the TITLE GAME. Leading up to the finale GOOD TIMES defeated TEAM ARKANSAS 18-2, TENNESSEE COMETS 23-9 and BEST WAY 17-5.

WALKER BROTHERS reached the finals with wins over BOB JOHNSON (17-10), GEORGIA CLASSICS (13-8) and LSDB (19-15)

Others in the 15-team bracket were SIX ONE FIVE SR SOFTBALL, ATLANTA MONARCHS, COVELLO SANITATION, DOC'S SOFTBALL, SOUTHEAST WATER/SWARM and LIGHTHOUSE LOOKOUTS.

GOOD TIMES manager GENE MYERS received the 2019 SPA 50 MAJOR MANAGER-OF-THE-YEAR AWARD.

NED JOHNSON took home the MVP AWARD.

ALPHONSE BICHETTE, KEITH FELDON, JOHN HEFFLEFINGER, DAVID JOHNSON and JOSEPH ROBINSON all received ALL-AMERICAN recognition.

The CHAMPS roster in addition to the players already mentioned include; JACK BUTLER, CARL CASTELLO, JOSEPH FUHRMAN, TIMOTHT GRUNDMANN, JEFFREY JACOBY, JEFFREY KIGHTLINGER, THEODORE LEHR, BRENT MCGARY, EUGENE MYERS, ARBER PARHAM, KEVIN PEET and ABDREW SIMPSON.

COLUMBUS LXV went into the 2018 SPA 65 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP at DALTON, GEORGIA Sept 6-9 with one thing in mind...win it for HENRY!!

HENRY SOLIC had been the manager and third basemen for COLUMBUS LXV and unfortunately passed away earlier this year.

“HENRY meant a lot to our team and we all miss him greatly,” COLUMBUS LXV Manager-of-The-Year PHIL DUNLAP said. “We remember HENRY before every tournament game and spread his ashes at third base after the tournament.”

“I know he was watching and rooting for us at DALTON,” DUNLAP said. “I know he is just as excited at winning the WORLD TITLE as we are.”

If SOLIC was watching from above, he had some anxious moments as his teammates won nine games in the tournament but five were by one run in the bottom of the seventh.

“We were lucky and won the toss in all five games, so I took last bats,” DUNLAP said.

They also had to come out of the loser’s bracket to win it.

In the only breather in the tournament COLUMBUS won the first bracket game 17-2 over THE FIRM. That was followed by a 25-24 win over SIDELINE BULL MOOSE before losing 14-17 to the DAYTON LEGENDS.

The CHAMPS started their journey out of the loser’s bracket with an 18-17 over RPR and forced the “IF” game beating DAYTON 15-14. The finale was more of the same with COLUMBUS rallying in the bottom of the seventh for the 18-17 tournament title.

“We were kind of lucky winning both the coin flip and then the game,” DUNLAP said.” We just played really, really well. We are not a soon-to-be MAJOR team, we didn’t win a lot of games this year. We just got really lucky in this one.”

COLUMBUS’S pool wins were over INDY FOG (20-14) and SIDELINE BULL MOOSE (10-8), They lost to SCRAP IRON MILE HIGH (10-11). Counting pool games DAYTON LEGENDS had won five in a row before losing the final two to COLUMBUS.

Teams in the nine-team bracket were: 1, COLUMBUS LXV, 2. DAYTON LEGENDS, 3. RPR, 4. BOYD METALS, 5. SIDELINE BULL MOOSE, 5. THE FIRM, 7. MIDSTATE STARS, 7. SCRAP IRON MILE HIGH and 9. HOOKS.

Members of the 65 AAA WORLD CHAMPION COLUMBUS LXV; NATE DOWDELL, DODGER FOWLER, ANDY HARBIN JR, RON INGRAM, ELMO MOSER, RONNIE SPANN, DINO SULLINS, DANNY WILSON, DOC YATES, RANDY LUNSFORD, DOUG DODSON, DANNY BAKER, VAL VALENTINI, PHIL DUNLAP JR, WALTER BROOKS, RODGER ALLEN, JIM THOMPSON, NICO NICOMETO, JEFF GOLLOTTE and LARRY MAFFIT.

JACK isn’t the only GIANT SLAYER, you can add CAROLINA FIVE-O to the list. CAROLINA earned the recognition by not only winning the 2018 SPA 50 WORLDS at DALTON, GEORGIA’S HERITAGE PARK but knocking off the TENNESSEE COMETS to do it.

The COMETS came into the tournament already having won SPA TOURNAMENTS at PLAYERS/AWARDS EXPRESS; PEACH STATE, SOUTHERN SPRING NATIONALS and the MID SOUTH NIT and won their first two pool games and three bracket games at DALTON.

CAROLINA FIVE O slowed down the COMETS with a 19-10 victory in the tournament’s winner’s bracket finals. CAROLINA reached the finals with wins over BLACKBURN TRUCKING (23-7), WDMS (22-21) and BRICKYARD SOFTBALL (20-17).

TENNESSEE fell into the loser’s bracket and promptly downed CANADA’S LAKESHORE CONTRACTING 21-15 to earn another shot at CAROLINA.

This time the COMETS came out on top 12-11 to set up the “IF” game. CAROLINA FIVE-O came out charging winning 20-15 for the 2018 SPA 50 AAA WORLD TITLE.

CAROLINA finished 7-1 having won two games ( DIVERSIFIED MACHINE 17-11 and MAJOR LEAGUE SRS 19-14) in pool play.

Teams in the 16-team 50 AAA bracket were: 1. CAROLINA FIVE-O, 2. TENNESSEE COMETS, 3. LAKESHORE CONTRACTING, 4 TEXAS BULLETTS,5. BRICKYARD SOFTBALL, GEORGIA RENEGADES, 7. DAYTON LEGENDS, 7. BOMANI/OHIO REAL ESTATE, 9. MAJOR LEAGUE SENIORS 9. WDMS, 13. CINCY 50’S QUALITY SOFTBALL, 13. BLACKBURN TRUCKING, MJ LOWE PLUS, 13 and ETX 50’S.

Team members of the champion CAROLINA FIVE-O team: JIM PEARSON, ANTHONY HOLMES, RICHARD KIRK, SCOTT CARTER, MIKE RIPBERGER, JEFF LESTER, GREG WATKIN, DAVE POOLE, EVERETT GRAHAM, HOWARD BOYD, JAY SHOTWELL, CLEO SUMMERS, GLEN ROSS, GREG BONNER, TROY BOWLING and JAMIE SANDERS..

ELITE SOFTBALL roared through the 2018 SPA 60 AAA WORLDS Sept 13-16 at DALTON, GEORGIA’S HERITAGE PARK COMPLEX going 6-0 in combined pool and bracket play..

The champs were at the top of their game averaging 17.5 runs per game while holding their opponents average to single digits (8.6) in their six tournament games.

ELITE was 3-0 in bracket play beating CARRIAGE HOMES (18-3), SEASONED VETS (14-6) and KC THUNDER 23-18 in the title game.

In pool play they disposed of KC THUNDER 12-8, CHATTANOOGA RAZORS 21-9 and CARRIAGE HOMES 17-8.

Runner-up KC THUNDER had a rough start losing all three pool games and their bracket opener to CARRIAGE HOMES 6-7 which put them into loser’s bracket after only one game..

They responded by beating CINCINNATI 60’s 24-23, CARRIAGE HOMES 21-13 and SEASONED VETS 13-12 before losing to ELITE SOFTBALL in the title game of the six-team division.

For ELITE SOFTBALL it was their first 2018 SPA tournament title after finishing second at the PENSACOLA SOUTHERN NIT and the MID-SOUTH TOURNAMENTS.

Members of the SPA 60 AAA WORLDS champs are: STEVE SOUTHERN, DAVID TAYLOR, DAVID MASHBURN, JIMMIE YOUNG, ALLEN MICKLER, JACK MELSON, ED BLACKMAN, JOHN SMILEY, RON BRUMMETT, RICHARD BRUMMETT and MARK HUGHES.

No other tournament bracket at the 2018 SPA WORLDS in DALTON, GA was as loaded with as many  2018 Regional tournament champs and runner-ups then the 70 AAA WORLDS group.

SPA 2018 70 AAA champs and runner-ups  participating were TRAVELERS (TOM WILLIAMS, MIDSOUTH, RUNNER-UP PEACH STATE), TIME BANDITS (PEACH STATE,RUNNER-UP MIDSOUTH), DAYTON LEGENDS (HEART OF OHIO, FIRST FLIGHT), LOUISIANA LEGENDS (LAYLA BRYAN, LONE STAR, RUNNER-UP SOUTHERN NIT), US PALLET (MID-AMERICA), LIFEGUARD FINANCIAL (RUNNER-UP THEE BUCKEYE CLASSIC) and CHICAGO STRIKERS (RUNNER-UP MOSQUITO LAND, RUNNER-UP HOOSIER CLASSIC).

But when the dust cleared there was only one 2018 SPA 70 WORLD CHAMP among the 13 teams entered… the TRAVELERS from GEORGIA.

The TRAVELERS moved through the 70 AAA field going undefeated in both pool (3-0) and bracket (4-0).

In Pool play the TRAVELERS beat the TEXAS GREYHOUNDS 20-4, CHICAGO GREY SOX 11-1 and LIFEGUARD FINANCIAL 9-8.

First to fall in bracket play was CHICAGO STRIKERS 16-6 followed by TIME BANDITS 19-12,, DAYTON LEGENDS 15-14 and in the CHAMPIONSHIP GAME US PALLET fell 24-9.

US PALLET came out of the loser’s bracket winning three-in-a-row including a 15-12 win over DAYTON LEGENDS to put them in the finals.

Teams in the 70 AAA bracket were TRAVELERS, US PALLET, DAYTON LEGENDS, TIME BANDITS, CHICAGO STRIKERS, LOUISIANA LEGENDS, LIFEGUARD FINANCIAL, AVENGER, FOR FREEDOM, OKIES, NORTHERN VIRGINIA FORCE and DOWN SOUTH.

Team members of the champion TRAVELERS: HARLON BAKER, THOMAS BALLARD, RAY BRYANT, JOHN DAVIS, JERRY DUPREE, LLOYD FERGUSON, HARRY MANSELL, MICHAEL MCFARLAND, RICH MEST, JIM MYERS, RON PETRE, KEN SPANN, JOHNNY STANFORD, LOREN VEACH, DONALD WILLOUGHBY, KEN REESE and KEN SMITH.

ONE UNDER CRAFT BEERS AND EATS ran the table Sept 7-9 at DALTON, GEORGIA’S HERITAGE PARK to win the 2018 SPA 55 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.

The CHAMPS went 2-0 in pool and 3-0 in bracket for a perfect 5-0 record.

It wasn’t a total cake walk because ONE UNDER had to edge CPOA 27-26 in the finals to wrap up the crown. They started bracket play beating CPOA 20 -12 and MARYLAND COUGARS 21-10 to set up the title game with CPOA.

In pool play they beat DARRELL HARRIS & ASSOCIATES (30-17) and JAMES R.SMITH (14-12).

CPOA gave it a good try opening with a 20-14 over DARRELL HARRIS but lost to ONE UNDER 12-20 in their

next game. They earned their way to the title game with loser bracket wins over DARRELL HARRIS 20-14 and 21-16 over MARYLAND COUGARS.

The sixth team in the bracket was TENNESSEE CONNECTION.

Members of the ONE UNDER CRAFT BEERS AND EATS champs are MANAGER JEFF SHEEHAN, RUPERT ZUBKOFF, BRUCE ANTIOCH, DAVE W. JASKA, MIKE MCLELLAN, BRUCE WOOD, JEFF MILBRATH, PAUL LABARA, ROGER BREEDING, ROBERT MILLER, LARRY MERCER, FRANK NICKOWSKI, GREG KANCLEIZ, JIM CATES, FRANK DELUCA, RICHARD WAYNE, BILL REARDON and MICHAEL FORDE.

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.