WINTER 2018 EDITION Volume 31 • Number 4 Seniorwww.seniorsoftball.com SoftballMORE THAN JUST A GAMENEWSAMERICA’S LARGEST CIRCULATED SENIOR SOFTBALL PUBLICATION WMC Continues to Dazzle as Largest Senior Softball Tournament Sin City a Magnet for Senior Softball Teams By Anthony Ramos Softball News Report A S VE A S – The 2018 LV S A / S U S A World Masters LChampionships (WMC) set a record of 625 teams, eclipsing last year’s previous mark of 612 teams. LV S A and S U S A joined forces to create the World Masters Please See Page 20 n PAGE 25: WMC All-Tourney Teams n PAGE 29: 2018 Triple Grand Slam Winners n PAGE 31: 2018 U.S. National Champ Winners Major Plus Allowed Two Extra Out-Of-Region Players / 40s Division Given Courtesy Foul Softball News Report A S VE A S -- The enior oftball S A R ules Committee gave the 40 Masters Ldivision a courtesy foul, made the 1-1 count permanent for the men’s 50, 55 and 60 divisions and kept the 0-0 count for men’s 65 and older divisions and added two out-of- TRENDS region players for Major-plus teams. International Co-Ed Division Looks Those were among the 37 issues discussed at the annual ules Committee hearing here at Like a Winner in First Tourney PAGE 21 the annual S U S A / S A Convention Nov. 27- 30. The inagural International Co-Ed Division at the 2018 LVSSA/SSUSA World The ules Meetings are the centerpiece of Masters Championships featured teams from Germany and Panama, as well as the United States. Please See Convention on Page 4 Winter 2018 Edition Senior Softball News 3 Senior Softball News Index 9823 Old Winery Place, Suite 12 From the Cover: Sponsor Index: Sacramento, CA 95827 (916) 326-5303 OFFICE Convention - New Rules for 2019 BSN Sports - Official Supplier of (916) 326-5304 FAX Continued on............................................Pg. 4 SSUSA........................................Pg. 2 www.seniorsoftball.com 2018 LVSSA/SSUSA World Masters Adidas - Official Shoe of SSUSA Publisher Championships Wrap-Up ..............................................Pg. 28 W.E. Ruth Continued...............................................Pg. 20 Elite Sports USA - Official Editor Expansion of International Co-Ed Division Uniform of SSUSA.................Pg. 34 Terry Hennessy Continued on......................................... Pg. 21 Managing Editor Tournament Bat Anthony Ramos News Index: Sponsors: Contributing Writers Umpire's Corner.....................................Pg. 5 Pete Davignon, Dave Dowell, Jack Get to Know the Commitment Line Eberhard, Art Eversole, Carl Gus- Pg. SSUSA Hall of Fame Class of 2018 11 tafson, Stephanie Hopkins, Ross Class of 2019 Announced........................ Pg. 5 McCulligan, George Moreno, Tiffany Bat Sponsor of: Tidewater Classic, Southern California State Championships, SSUSA/CAN-Sirs Northern California State Peck, Stan Reents, Jack Sirard Opinions & Letters Championships, Midwest Championships, Northern Champion- Oasis of Senior Softball ..........................Pg. 8 ships. Internet Director Book Review Scott Flodin anas in the tfield Pg. 17 Bat Sponsor of: LVSSA/SSUSA Southwest Championships, Atlan- Art Director Carl's Corner........................................Pg. 10 tic Coast Championships, West- Sue Ballenger ern National Championships, Winter World Championships. Southeast Expansion........................... Pg. 10 Marketing Manager National Senior Softball Hall of Fran Dowell Fame Class of 2018......... Pg. 12 Nothing in this publication shall be deemed to constitute in any fashion whatsoever an endorsement by Senior Softball USA, LLC. 2018 Winter National Championships Pgs. 23 / 30 (2019 Roster Event)..............................Pg. 15 Bat Sponsors of: Spring National Championships, Jim Sherman (SSUSA), of any information in this publication. Memorial Northwest Championships, Southern Champion- SSUSA, LLC., disclaims any and all liability ships. with respect to any use of, or reliance on, such Fitness Column.....................................Pg. 18 information. No information in this publication shall be construed in any manner whatsoever as Pg. 36 a recommendation of any industry standard, or Hitting Column.....................................Pg. 19 Bat Sponsor of: Spring World as a recommendation of any kind to be adopted Championships, Rock 'N Reno Challenge Cup, Rocky Mountain by, or binding on, any person or entity. Nor 2018 Winter World Championships Recap Championships, Winter National shall information contained in this publication (2019 Roster Event)..............................Pg. 32 be deemed to constitute in any fashion what- Championships. soever an endorsement by SSUSA, LLC., of any product or service advertised herein. The Finance Column...................................Pg. 38 material set forth in this publication is provided on an informational basis only. SSUSA, Inc., is All-Tourney Teams: not engaged in the practice of any profession, Winter Nationals..................................Pg. 16 including but not limited to law, medicine and World Masters......................................Pg. 25 accounting, and nothing in this publication Pgs. 39 / 40 Winter Worlds......................................Pg. 35 Bat Sponsors of: Texas State Championships, Northeast should be relied upon in lieu of appropriate Championships, ISA Senior World Series, Eastern National competent professional advice. Championships, Tournament of Champions 4 Senior Softball News Winter 2018 Edition Convention: Roster Size Increased for Older Teams ing with no courtesy foul, complained that Major-Plus WMC. Continued from Page 1 to make all divisions using teams were able to pick up S everal other items business conducted dur- the 1-1 count consistent. too many players for the failed, including over-run- ing the convention and two Currently S U S A uses the World Masters Champion- ning second and third base, sessions are open for public 1-1 count for all 40 Mas- ships. eliminating or changing the comment. ters, men’s 50, 55 and 60 I n the end, the Commit- batter’s box, allowing play Delegates also elected divisions and women’s 50 tee decided to do away with to stop if the sun affected four people into the S U S A division. the Major-Plus eua li ers the first or third baseman I nternational all of Fame There was the annual (known as the Major-Plus- and adding a manda- for 201 a nd three others motion to extend the 1-1 Plus eua li ers), allow all tory eua li er for the next – including S U S A Execu- count to all divisions, but Major-plus teams to pick season for all Major-Plus tive Director Fran Dowell the committee voted to up two more out-of-region teams winning their divi- – were inducted into the retain the full 0-0 count for players (for a total of four sions at the WMC. S S U S A all of Fame this men’s 65 and older divi- players), and reui re Major- A nd a number passed, year ( ee stories on Pages 5 sions and women 55 and Plus teams to play in a including increasing the and 6). older divisions, citing the ua lifying tournament and numbers of players on a The issues addressed latest national player survey be restricted to the same roster for older teams. The ranged from double-elim- results that showed older roster additions as all other rule allows teams with 11 ination formats for the 75 divisions favored the 0-0 divisions. defensive players to have and 80 divisions, to penal- count. “ We didn’t reui re 22 players on the roster and ties for using illegal bats, S ome of the other major Major-Plus teams to play divisions with 12 defensive playing at night, eliminat- changes – and much of the in ualifiers or restrict players can have 24 players ing the batter’s box, foul discussionc oncerned the additions to their rosters on their rosters. tips, and overrunning Major-Plus division. because we felt it was un- I n other action, the second and third bases. A number of Major- necessary as they were at committee voted to adopt a Fewer than half passed. Plus players said they did the top level of play, said set of Co-Ed rules based on R ules Committee Chair not like the idea of stronger Terry ennessy, S U S A existing S A Co-Ed rules. Donna Mc uire, the Mid- Major-plus teams giving an chief eecutive officer and For a complete report, west mpire-in-Chief, eua li er at the top division a member of the ules please click the link below made clear at the beginning of play. ome said teams Committee. I t became for the fficial Minutes of of the meeting that the pur- from the East should be obvious this year that we the 2018 ules Committee pose was to improve, not able to pick up more out- needed to impose some meeting https //senior- simply change rules. of-region players because restrictions because a few softball.com/wc/wc2018/ The ules Committee is there were so many more teams picked up almost a S S U S A - ules-2018.pdf chaired by Mc uire and is players in the West. Others whole new team for the made up of 13 voting mem- bers and six alternates. The Committee meets every year at the annual S U S A Convention to discuss and vote on rules. Pitch count was on the top of the agenda, with sev- eral competing resolutions introduced. S ome wanted a 1-1 count for all divisions, others wanted no courtesy fouls. The committee decided to add a courtesy foul to the Bat representatives from Easton and Wilson present to the SSUSA Rules Committee on 40 Masters, who were play- new potential testing standards. Winter 2018 Edition Senior Softball News 5 Get to Know the Commitment Line Every once in a while, a Umpire's Corner return legally to third base catcher relatively new to the By Donna McGuire after crossing the commitment senior game will point to the line? commitment line between body part has touched the line Yes. home and third base and ask, or the ground past the line.) But only when the umpire “What is that?” So if a runner crosses the sends the runner back.