SUMMER 2020 EDITION Volume 33 • Number 2 Seniorwww.seniorsoftball.com SoftballMORE THAN JUST A GAMENEWSAMERICA’S LARGEST CIRCULATED SENIOR SOFTBALL PUBLICATION Major Updates Announced for Remainder of 2020 Senior Softball Season All Qualifier, 2020 TOC Winners Earn 2021 TOC Berth Softball News Report ACRAMENTO – The surging COVID-19 pandemic continues to force changes in the senior Ssoftball season. After tournaments and leagues were cancelled in March, April and May, the sport has started – sporadically in June and July. As of the middle of July, a few tournaments throughout the nation have been played and several have been cancelled. n Western National Championships “We are planning to hold several Move to St. George/Mesquite tournaments in August and throughout n All Winners of Qualifiers in 2020 the rest of 2020,” said Terry Hen- Earn 2021 TOC Berth nessy, Senior Softball USA’s chief n 2020 International Co-Ed Division executive officer. “However, we are Cancelled at the mercy of state and local health officials – who are making decisions Photos by Jack Eberhard based on the spread of the pandemic Action shots from the 2019 Eastern National Championships. Winners of the Eastern and Western National Champions take the first step towards the Triple Grand Slam. Please See Page 4 NSSHOF Inducts 24 in 2019-2020 Class Dave Dowell Inducted in Director Category Softball News Report 11 players and one director. 2020 USTANG, Okla. One of the managers is WOMEN’S – Following a from Canada, another had a WORLD .700 winning percentage, the CUP hiatus last year, SERIES M24 members of the Senior pioneer players had more Softball community re- than 160 years of superb cently received the call of a experience and the players Women's World Cup Series lifetime, enshrinement into inducted have won scores of Update the National Senior Softball All World, All American and Page 4 Hall of Fame (NSSHOF). All-Tournament honors. Play in Two or More Qualifiers - Photo by Jack Eberhard The joint 2019-2020 The lone director is no $200 Off Entry Fee Dave Dowell at the 2019 NSSHOF Class includes two stranger to Senior Softball- Tournament of Champions pioneer managers, two man- Play in Three or More Qualifiers - Please See Page 16 Free Entry agers, eight pioneer players, TIODIZE® HIGHEST QUALITY Hand Sanitizer DECREASES BACTERIA ON THE SKIN. RECOMMENDED FOR REPEATED USE. 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Ruth Continued on................Pg 4 Adidas - Official Shoe of SSUSA Editor ............................................Pg. 19 Terry Hennessy Women's World Cup Elite Sports USA - Official Series Update Uniform of SSUSA.................Pg. 13 Managing Editor Continued on...............Pg. 4 Anthony Ramos Contributing Writers National Senior Softball Bat Sponsors: Art Eversole, Carl Gustafson, Donna Hall of Fame (NSSHOF) McGuire, Stan Reents, Jack Sirard, Continued on.............Pg. 16 Pg. 7 Dave Weinman Internet Director Scott Flodin News Index: Art Director Pg. 11 Sue Ballenger Covering the Bases....Pg. 5 Pg. 17 Photographer Mike Christy Obit.....Pg. 8 Jack Eberhard JacksActionShots.com So Cal State Marketing Manager Champs.......................Pg. 8 Pg. 21 Fran Dowell Nothing in this publication shall be deemed Umpire's Corner........Pg. 9 to constitute in any fashion whatsoever an endorsement by Senior Softball USA, LLC. (SSUSA), of any information in this publication. Hitting Column........Pg. 10 SSUSA, LLC., disclaims any and all liability with respect to any use of, or reliance on, such Pg. 25 information. No information in this publication shall be construed in any manner whatsoever as Editorial...................Pg. 12 a recommendation of any industry standard, or as a recommendation of any kind to be adopted by, or binding on, any person or entity. Nor shall information contained in this publication Senior Moments.......Pg. 14 be deemed to constitute in any fashion what- Pg. 27 soever an endorsement by SSUSA, LLC., of any product or service advertised herein. The Fitness Column........Pg. 15 material set forth in this publication is provided on an informational basis only. SSUSA, Inc., is not engaged in the practice of any profession, including but not limited to law, medicine and Carl's Corner...........Pg. 26 Pg. 28 accounting, and nothing in this publication should be relied upon in lieu of appropriate competent professional advice. 4 Senior Softball News Summer 2020 Edition Updates: Hardship Requests for World Masters Continued from page 1 Teams that have difficulty ter the 2020 WMC are quali- Champions. in their areas. qualifying all of their play- fiers for the 2021 season and The Eastern National “The situation is fast- ers for their World Masters teams are allowed to add play- Championships remain as changing and fluid, but we Championships roster – or ers of age for 2021 season. scheduled in Loudoun County, believe that the measures have significant difficulties The 2021 Tournament of Virginia, on the original dates: we have instituted – and the playing in a Qualifier – may Champions was moved from July 28 – Aug. 2. nature of our sport – will help be granted exemptions, ac- its traditional February dates Winners of the Eastern or get teams back on the field in cording to SSUSA. to Jan. 20-24 because the Western Championships, the the safest possible way.” The exemptions will be Super Bowl will be played US National Championship Hennessy said that the granted on an individual basis in Tampa, Fla., in February Game and the World Masters dates for divisions competing depending on the hardship. 2021. Championships (WMC) win in the World Masters Cham- The exemptions must be re- Westerns Move to the Triple Grand Slam. pionships (WMC) will remain quested in writing and include St. George The US National games the same. the entire roster of players The Western National will be played during the Among the major changes expected to attend the WMC. Championships, originally World Masters Champion- are: For a list of expanded scheduled to be played in Sac- ships in Las Vegas from Sept. Moving the Western roster exemptions during the ramento and Placer counties 17- Oct. 4, 2020. National Championships to pandemic, see Covering the in California from July 28- International St. George, Utah, Aug. 11-16; Bases on next page. Aug. 2 is being moved to St. Co-Ed Division inviting winners of all 2020 All Qualifier Winners George, Utah on Aug. 11-16. Cancelled SSUSA qualifiers and 2020 Invited to TOC The move comes after The International Co-Ed TOC winners to the 2021 Because of the loss of so California experienced a Division of the World Masters Tournament of Champions many TOC Qualifiers, winners spike in COVID-19 cases and Championships has been can- in Florida; providing hard- of all SSUSA Qualifiers will pulled back opening several celled because of international ship exemptions for teams be invited to the Tournament sports. travel restrictions. that cannot get to a qualifier of Champions in Florida from St. George was the site of The Third Annual Inter- for the World Masters Cham- Jan. 20-24, 2021, according to the Spring Worlds, which was national Co-Ed Division was pionships in Las Vegas, and SSUSA officials. moved from March to August scheduled to be played Oct. adjusting the requirements for Winners will be notified after the initial COVID-19 3-4, 2020 at the World Mas- the Women’s World Cup in and invited after the World shutdown. The winners of di- ters Championships. Valdosta, Georgia in October Masters Championships visions in the August tourna- “We plan to add the (See story below). (WMC) in Las Vegas, which ment will represent the West International Co-Ed Division Hardship marks the official end of the in the US National Champion- back to the WMC schedule in Requests for WMC 2020 season. Tournaments af- ship games against the Eastern 2021,” said Hennessy. 2020 Women's World Cup Series Update Softball News Report tive still applies, according to is scheduled over Halloween, Women’s teams enter- SSUSA, and the tournament is Oct. 31-Nov. 1, 2020 – and ing the Women’s World Cup open to all women’s teams in all the teams are invited to a Championships in Valdosta, the 40-75 age divisions. Halloween Party and Costume Ga., will receive $200 off “Women’s teams now Contest on Saturday evening their entry if they play in any have an additional incentive to sponsored by the Valdosta- two Senior Softball USA celebrate Halloween and play Lowndes County Parks and Freedom Park, the 2018 Qualifiers this season, SSUSA in Valdosta,” said Fran Dow- Recreation Authority. SSUSA Complex of the Year, announced this week. ell, SSUSA’s executive direc- Women’s teams playing in Valdosta, GA, is set to It was announced earlier tor. “We made this adjustment in fewer than two SSUSA host the inagural Women's that women’s teams would re- because several qualifiers Qualifiers can still compete by World Cup Championship, ceive free entry if they played have been cancelled this year paying the $500 entry fee. Oct. 31 - Nov. 1, 2020. in three or more SSUSA quali- because of the pandemic.” CLICK HERE for more fiers. The free-entry incen- The Women’s World Cup information. Summer 2020 Edition Senior Softball News 5 Roster Exemptions in Place to Help Teams This year teams are strug- single tournament without a the opportunity to play in a gling to find a place to play Covering the player release.