The date and location of the 2010 Mens Masters 60 state tournament have been changed. The event will now be held in Mandan on Saturday, July 24th and Sunday, July 25th. It had formerly been scheduled for Fargo on July 17th & 18th. The 2010 Mens Rec II West state tournament has been moved from Williston to Mandan. The tourney will remain on its previously scheduled weekend of July 31st and August 1st. The complete list of state tournament sites and dates can be found here.
All Junior Olympic Fast Pitch teams who intend to participate in tournaments this season need to register as soon as possible with one of the following two individuals....
The 2010 Men’s Northern Class E/Rec Slow Pitch National Championship tournament will take place in Bismarck beginning Thursday, September 2nd. The information packet for the event is now available for download (Adobe Reader required). The packet includes the required forms that need to be submitted by teams interested in participating in the tournament as well as staff and logistics fact sheets, schedule of events and opening day field assignments. Also included registration information as well as a letter the NDASA Executive Secretary detailing additional requirements and deadlines.
Sadly, the advances in technology that have improved today's slowpitch softball bats and resulted in greater offense is not enough for some players, some of whom have turned to illegal means of altering those same bats. The phenomenon has become prevalent enough to warrant some associations purchasing bat testing equipment and the state association constantly examining the processes involved in removing those bats from the game. With that in mind, NDASA President Dick Gulmon is stressing to all players and associations the Amateur Softball Association's Championship Play Bat Confiscation Process. The oft overlooked risk of using such bats are to the safety of those in the field, but the risk to those using the bats is spelled out pretty clearly:
The document goes on to state that ASA may take possession of any bat suspected of being altered. If proven to be altered, the player shall surrender ownership of it permanently. Otherwise, the bat or one of equal or greater value will be returned. The confiscation process documentation also contains an Incident Report which much be completed by those who take possession of a suspect bat, then submitted to Dick Gulmon, 883 Chautauqua Blvd, Valley City ND 58072.
In addition to state, regional and national tournaments, his teams also captured tournament titles at the Minot International five times, the Fargo Holm’s Classic twice and the Grand Forks invitational on three different occasions. Along with his long time friend and teammate the late Jim Kapp, Chris is credited with keeping fast pitch softball alive in Bismarck for several years after the sport had declined. He actively recruited new players and then saw that they were scattered throughout the league so they played on a regular basis and kept the local league viable. He has also assisted in establishing the Junior Olympic fast pitch rebirth in Bismarck. Chris and his wife Karen have three children, a son Dustin and two daughters Elizabeth and Annie. - Provided by Walt Stack
Remarkably, Doug learned to pitch on his own and developed a great drop ball and change up. He was the only pitcher for his team at Southam and often was called upon to pitch four or five games in a one day tournament. One example of his value to his team is cited by one of his sponsors who states that in one game against the Winnipeg Black Knights he pitched a no hit shutout and hit a home run in the last inning to win the game. Two weeks later, this same Winnipeg team, representing Canada, won the World Tournament in the Phillipines. Everyone of the sponsors and endorsers of Doug mention the fact that he never complained, not to an umpire, a teammate or opponents. A competitor on the field and a true gentleman off the field is a common comment. Doug works on his family farm and enjoys spending time with his family including his wife Mary, his son Jason and his daughter Tricia. - Provided by Walt Stack
In 2008 he sponsored teams which captured three national championships in one day! One of his teams won the Men’s Class D Northern National tournament in Bismarck, and his other teams won the 50 and Over National title as well as the 55 and Over National title on the same day in Spokane, Washington. In addition to his success as manager and sponsor, Jack has been a leader in promoting softball in Mandan. He served as the City Softball Commissioner from 2001 through 2007. Presently serves on the NDASA Classification Committee and as a member of the Board of Directors for Mandan softball was instrumental in planning and promoting improvements to the Mandan Softball Complex making it one of the premier softball sites in the state. He also served on the committee to bid the successful Master’s 40 and Over tournament in 2009. Just to have something else to do with his summers, Jack is also Co-Director of the massive McQuade Charity tournament each June. - Provided by Walt Stack
She has played in 28 state tournaments including Old Pro and Co-Ed as well as three regionals and 9 nationals. Her team sponsored by Fiechtner ENT team has also won the McQuade tournament five times. She has been one of the most consistent players on each of the teams for which she played, batting in either the number three batting order or in the clean-up slot. She has a batting average of .500 and still is a very dangerous hitter with plenty of power. In the field she is known as a defensive stalwart in left field with a strong throwing arm. She is a fierce competitor who is rated as a reliable, productive player and an exceptional teammate. One of her endorsers states “she brings such an up-beat attitude to each game and encourages her team to do their best and keep their heads up”. Win or lose, Rose has always displayed outstanding sportsmanship. - Provided by Walt Stack
During his playing career, Mike had a .285 batting average while performing as a catcher in the fast pitch game. During this time, Mike was the catcher for some of the finest fast pitch pitchers in the surrounding area. Among others, he caught Hall of Fame members Ray Clark, Jim Baum, Pat Stockert and the late Jim Kapp. As a manager, his team record is approximately 700 wins against 400 losses while as a sponsor one of his teams, the Outlaws, won the Class C Regional and finished in the top 20 at the national tournament. As am umpire, Mike has been involved for at least 15 years, working 10 state tournaments and having the opportunity to umpire in the 1997 Women’s Class A National Championship tournament. Mike continues to stay active in fast pitch softball pushing strongly for an infusion of youth into the game. He sponsored younger teams into the Fargo-Moorhead league for ten years. Mike was not only a player but a manager, sponsor and board member of the West Fargo Association, Tri-River Association and the Fargo-Moorhead Fast Pitch Association. He has also worked as a volunteer for every tournament organizing committee in Fargo giving countless hours to contribute to the success of many National and International tournaments. - Provided by Walt Stack
He became one of the top true hitters in the game of fast pitch and is considered to be one of the best contact and clutch hitters playing today. He has played at the top level of fast pitch softball for the past ten years and has been a member of eight ASA National Teams. He played for teams which captured ASA National Championship, one at the Class A level and two at the Major Level. He has also competed in three ISF World games and one Pan-American event. He has been named to All American teams at the major level seven times and has been a member of the United States National team eight times. Kyle is proud of his North Dakota roots and North Dakota ASA is proud to recognize his national accomplishments with his induction into the NDASA Hall of Fame. - Provided by Walt Stack The North Dakota Amateur Softball Hall of Fame will be welcoming these newest inductees in a ceremony and banquet at the Gladstone Inn in downtown Jamestown at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 17th.
The ASA National Council has approved a number of rule changes and code changes for the 2010 season. Some of the matters addressed within the changes include eligibility for Junior Olympics as well as the JO pitching distance in some divisions, the expansion of national tournaments in adult slow pitch and changing the pitching arc in all division of slow pitch to 6-10 feet (previously 6-12 feet). Other issues which were stressed at the recent state meeting involve the use of tape and cone- or flare-shaped grips on bats, designating the tactic of "rolling" bats to be illegal and permitting the use of warming sleeves on bats.
The list of 2010 invitational tournaments is finally posted and can be found anytime by following the Invitational Tourneys link in the menu to the left. Once again, the mens and womens tournaments are broken down by classification. Links to the host association are posted as well where possible. If you are hosting a tournament this year, please review the tournament list to ensure the information is accurate. Also, feel free to e-mail a link to your association's web site and/or tournament web page. In other site news, the recently approved minutes to January's NDASA Winter Meeting have been added. A summary of highlights is available on the Meeting Minutes page, which also provides a link to the full copy in PDF format. Finally, a new page has been added to the site listing the players and teams on suspension or probation for the 2010 season.
Provided by Walt Stack - Bismarck received
not one but two National Tournaments, one in 2010 and another in
2011. The National Council normally selects tournament sites two
years in advance but in 2009 they initiated a new national
tournament designated as E-Rec which is intended for recreation
teams only. The first of these tournaments was awarded last year to
Topeka, Kansas but no tournament was awarded for 2010 until this
year's council meeting just concluded in Reno, Nevada. Bismarck was
bidding for the 2010 tournament along with Springfield, Missouri.
The first two votes were dead even but on the third vote, one
delegate switched his/her vote to Bismarck so Bismarck was awarded
the 2010 E Rec tournament. In addition, Bismarck bid on several
other adult slow pitch tournaments and were awarded the
2011 Men's Class
C Northern. Five cities were in competition for the bid. This
tournament has been attracting around 45 to 55 teams and Bismarck
hopes have teams registered in at least that range.
Additionally, Minot has been awarded the 2010 Women's Class D National scheduled for Labor Day weekend, which will be run simultaneously with the previously announced 2010 Women's Class C Northern National. Neighboring Minnesota will also be he site for a national tournament in the new year as North Mankato was awarded the 2010 Coed Class C & Class D Nationals.
More details will be published in the Spring
issue of Softball News.
The Mandan Parks & Recreation has received a national award from the Amateur Softball Association for the Men’s Masters 40 & Over National Championship. The Mandan Parks & Recreation received a 98% rating, which is one of the highest in the country. This was Mandan’s first National Softball Tournament that they have hosted. Mandan plans to bid for another National Softball tournament for 2012. |
Chris Assel played fast pitch softball for twenty two years with
five different teams in Bismarck establishing himself as an
excellent fielder while maintaining a .363 batting average along
with long ball capability. During his long career, Chris was
called upon to play shortstop, first base, third base and
outfield. His teams participated in 19 state tournaments, 10
regionals and six national tournaments. His only state
championship came while playing with Fronteer Directory in 1991
when he hit a three run, two out home run in the bottom half of
the 12th inning of the title game.
Doug Berg of Devils Lake played most of his 22 years of playing
time with Southam and Devils
Lake men’s fast pitch teams. His
primary position was pitcher but
he also played shortstop and first
base when necessary. His pitching
record was 477-143 with 27 no-hitters.
His batting average was a
gaudy .409. He played in 15 state
tournaments and 6 regional and
was on the winning team six times
in state tournaments and once in a
regional.
Since moving to Mandan in
1990, Jack Jones has been an indispensable
man in Bismarck-Mandan
softball and on the state level. He
has managed and sponsored both
women’s and men’s slow pitch
teams with success at all levels.
Rose Kreitinger has played slow
pitch softball for 29 years most of
them in Bismarck and all of them
on some of the top teams in their
divisions. During a ten year period
from 1990 through 1999 her
team won the state championship
each year!
Mike Lyman was nominated in
the Meritorious Service category
but he could just as well have been
nominated as player, coach, sponsor,
umpire and all around promoter
of softball in Fargo-Moorhead and
in the state.
Kyle Magnusson is a native of Minot and
began his fast pitch career in that
city 20 years ago before moving
on to Salt Lake City where he was
a member of one of the top five
teams in the nation, Larry Miller
Toyota.
