FALL 2017 EDITION Volume 30 • Number 3 Seniorwww.seniorsoftball.com SoftballMORE THAN JUST A GAME NEWSAMERICA’S LARGEST CIRCULATED SENIOR SOFTBALL PUBLICATION WORLD MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2017 PREVIEW: Our Coverage Includes the US National Games List and a Calendar of Events PAGES 14-18 INSIDE: BEST STATES TO RETIRE: PART 3 Tournament Recaps & All-Tournament Teams Pages 22-27 Arizona, Texas & Washington Among Top Tier SSUSA States Softball News Report Photo Wall Street Journal ith the dark At 86, Paul Tomanio is the days of win- Rick Siefman, Arizona oldest player in his senior “You can play eight softball league. ter rapidly months out of the year Softball Bends approaching, in the Phoenix metro area and the other Rules for Seniors scores of Senior Softball four in the north, as ©The Wall Street Journal W Flagstaff and Prescott players are only too happy By James R. Hagerty that they’ve made the move are just a two-hour SOUTH PARK, drive away.” Pa.—One Thursday from the chilly climates to states where they can play Angie Ayala, Arizona evening this month, “We get used to the Paul Tomanio was their favorite game year- heat living here, and growing impatient with round. play a lot of league games at night in the his slow-pitch-softball In fact, weather and with evenings.” teammates in this it great game conditions, has Pittsburgh suburb. A fly proved to be a key reason Bill Ruth, Washington "The growth has been in NSSHOF Class of 2017 ball had just plopped to for seniors moving to their the western part of the Page 3 the ground between two favorite retirement states. state, Seattle, Tacoma, outfielders, allowing a Olympia.” CAN-Sirs Corner In our on-going series, Page 6 run to score. “Best States to Retire,” Don Brooks, Texas “Somebody should “Rain outs are short Editorial we’ve found that while Page 6 have caught that, lived as we average nine right?” muttered Mr. Florida and California rank inches of rain a year.” Financial Column Tomanio, wearing at the very top in the num- Page 8 a blue T-shirt with Please See Page 12 Fitness Column matching bandanna Page 9 PART Florida Tops PART In-depth Look PART Remaining PART Series knotted around his List for at SSUSA's Top SSUSA Wrap Up Hitting Column neck. 1 Retirees 2 Top State, 3 States: AZ, 4 Page 10 Please See Page 13 California TX, WA PROUDPROUD TOTO BEBE WITHWITH SSUSA!SSUSA! BSNSPORTS.com/SENIORSOFTBALL Fall 2017 Edition Senior Softball News 3 News Briefing 12 To Be Inducted Into NSSHOF PROUD at World Masters Championships PROUD Softball News Report colades. always apparent to opponents, but LAS VEGAS – The National NSSHOF member, Audie is fully recognized and appreci- Senior Softball Hall of Fame Hollis, who Deaton also played ated by his teammates.” TOTO BEBE WITHWITH (NSSHOF) will add 12 mem- for on his 55 and 60 Major Plus On Sept. 25 at Big League bers at the 2017 LVSSA/SSUSA teams, stated, “Gary Deaton is the Dreams, during the opening World Masters Championships best softball player in the country ceremonies of the second session Shane Verley (WMC) here in September. who is NOT in the National Se- of the WMC, there will be four Of the 12 inductees, two nior Softball Hall of Fame.” players, four pioneer players, SSUSA players will be inducted during one manager and one director the first WMC session, and 8 enshrined into the NSSHOF. Mourns players, a manager and a direc- In the Player Category, Ed SSUSA!SSUSA! tor will be inducted during the Carey, Billy Mack Lough, Dale second session. This will be the McLaughlin and Bob Ross will Loss of single most inductions into the be honored. National Hall of Fame in 2017. Shane On Sept. 22, at Lorenzi Park Softball Complex, two players, Gary Deaton and Jon "Bully" Verley Kramer, will be enshrined into Softball News Report the NSSHOF during the opening Shane Verley, longtime Se- ceremonies of the first session of nior Softball-USA director, player the WMC. and Washington State umpire-in- Jon "Bully" Kramer charge, died June 21. Player Category A lifelong Washington State Kramer, who racked up 12 resident, Verley, 61, played for NSSHOF points in his 12 seasons some of the best-known teams of senior softball with numerous in the Northwest: Second Wind, All-Tournament, All-American Doerflinger, Wolfpack and the Y and All-World selections, began Ed Carey Bar & Grill. his senior softball career in 2005 Player Category As a tournament director, he with Seacrest Mavericks, a 50 founded the very popular “Rock Major Plus team. The team is Carey earned eight NSSHOF at the Rac” in Lacey, which now Sommerville Softball 55 points over his current 15-year mixed senior softball with classic Major Plus. career in senior softball. BSNSPORTS.com/SENIORSOFTBALL Rock N Roll, as well as several Don Newhard, manager of Beginning his senior softball other annual tournaments in the the Nighthawks, says of Jon, career in 2001, Carey played with Northwest. “probably more impressive than local teams in Northern Califor- As the Washington State Gary Deaton Jon’s skills, performance, and nia, competing in tournaments in UIC, Shane has been instru- Player Category achievements on the field is his the Northern California Senior mental in the successful running dedication to the teams he plays Softball Association (NCSSA). In of some of the sport’s premier Playing in his 17th season for and his enthusiastic support of 2009, Ed joined the Old A’s and tournaments, including the Reno of senior softball, Deaton tallied all of his teammates. He leads by then in 2010 began playing at the tournament, Northwest Champi- 20 points towards the NSSHOF, example as well as through en- national level with the Omen 60 onships and the World Masters in earning numerous First Team couragement of everyone on his Major Plus team, playing mostly Las Vegas. All-American and All-World ac- teams. This aspect of Jon is not Continued on Page 20 Continued on Next Page 4 Senior Softball News Fall 2017 Edition Hall of Fame: Lough, McLaughlin, Ross, Davis and Haltrich Elected to Class of 2017 Continued from Previous Page Scrap Iron Hall of Fame in 2009. third base. Ross has played for the Arizona Gary Tryhorn, NSSHOF Sidewinders, Master Collision member says of Carey, “Ed has and numerous Scrap Iron teams. become the quintessential third Additionally, he has traveled baseman delivering a massive internationally, playing softball ball stopping power and a great in Italy and Cuba as part of Team throwing arm to cut down run- USA in SSUSA’s international ners. His hitting has become so tours. precise that he now is one of the best hitters on our Major Plus 70 team.” Dale McLaughlin Player Category Bobby Davis McLaughlin began his senior Pioneer Player Category He began playing senior softball softball career in 1994, playing in 1992 and was sidelined for 10 with Robbi’s Pizza in Portland, years due to knee surgeries begin- Ore. In 1999, he began playing ning in 2000. Davis then returned on the W. E. Ruth teams in the to accomplish an amazing record, Major and Major Plus divisions, which has included helping lead and in 2007 with the Scrap Iron the Seals to the Triple Grand teams. Bob Ross Slam in 2015 and 2016, as well “Dale has played a very Player Category as earning All-Tournament selec- important role in the success of tions in the WMC in 2015 and my Ruth Real Estate teams, and NSSHOF member Ranier 2016. continues to be a key player on Martens, speaks highly of Ross, Billy Mack Lough “No one in the game at our his present team with his extraor- stating, “Bob is an outstanding Player Category age can turn a single into a dou- dinary skills,” said Bill Ruth. outfielder with excellent speed, a ble better than Bobby and if it’s Earning eight NSSHOF NSSHOF member Jack sure-handed glove, and a strong close, he surprises the fielder with points over his 19 years in senior Robinson on McLaughlin: “As throwing arm. He is clearly one a spectacular slide that excites softball, Lough began his career his many tournament wins and of the top five outfielders in the everyone,” said Roger Berryman, in 1998 at age 50. He began all tournament awards indicate, country. teammate and NSSHOF member. playing with Coasters, Capital Dale is a great hitter, especially Terry Hennessy, SSUSA Revisited, GSF, Full Circle and in the clutch. I played against chief executive officer, adds, Omen, as well as D&K, Paradise Dale for many years and he “Bob has competed at the top end Chevrolet, Palm Springs Heat and was always one of the players of the sport throughout the past B&B. we worried about the most. We two decades. He has played on Bob Woodroof, NSSHOF played together at the 70 Major some of the best teams to come member says of Lough, “In addi- Plus level for the last four years out of Colorado in the Scrap Iron tion to being a very good player, and my admiration for his ability organization, including the Leg- he was an excellent teammate. He and knowledge of the game just ends, Redux, Legacy and Phiten.” loves the game of softball and the gets greater.” In the Pioneer Player Cat- people who play it, whether they Playing in his 14th season egory, Robert Davis, Norman are teammates or opponents.” in senior softball, Ross earned Haltrich, Kenneth Lockman and Norman Haltrich McLaughlin is entering his 9.5 NSSHOF points.