• Thursday, January 27th, 2011
BIO:
Reenie Fitzgerald played with several legendary Greater Cincinnati teams during her early career, including Dairy Cottage (1964-1968), Escue Pontiac (1969), Tri-State Auction (1970) and Cincinnati Cardinals (1973-1975). In 1974, she helped lead the Cardinals to an Amateur Softball Association Cincinnati Metro Championship and a berth to the National Tournament in Jacksonville, Florida. But it wasn’t until Reenie began to play in the Masters and Senior program that she really hit her stride. In 1993, she joined Northern Cincinnati Sports Medicine, which captured the USSSA Women’s 35-Over World Tournament in Columbia, SC. Reenie had finally won a World Tournament and was named to her first All-World team. Northern Cincinnati Sports Medicine went on to win two more 35-Over Worlds with Northern Cincinnati Sports Medicine in 1998 and 1999, then joined the Ohio Cardinals in 1999. Over the next twelve years, the Cardinals won eight world titles, and Reenie has been named to ten All-World teams, and earned four World Tournament MVP awards. Primarily a pitcher, her lifetime won-loss record is an incredible 345-92, and she is 56-9 in world tournament play. Reenie boasts a career batting average of .620, and while she has been primarily a singles and doubles hitter throughout her career, she does hit with occasional power. In 2007, Reenie was honored with the USSSA DeBeer-Richard Pollak Sportswoman of the Year award at the organization’s National Meeting in Daytona Beach, Fl.
• Thursday, January 27th, 2011
BIO:
Tom Kasee was only 23 when he led Abrams Texaco to a 34-1 record, an ASA Metro title, and an 8th place finish in the ASA Nationals in 1967. Three years later, Tom was anchoring the defense for what is considered to have been one of the top teams in Greater Cincinnati softball history: Century Tire. Century dominated area softball from 1970-1973, winning numerous area major league titles and national invitationals in 1970 and ‘71. Their 4th place finish in the ASA Major Nationals in 1971 has never been equalled by any area team. Tom went on to star for Dase’s Place in 1974, when he led the Ohio Valley Classic in home runs. Considered to be the first of a new breed of shortstops, Tom broke the mold of the smaller, singles hitting shortstops of the fifties and sixties with his 6-2, 225 pound frame. He won several Most Valuable Player and Home Run Leader awards during his career, and was named to numerous all-tournament teams. A life-time .500 hitter, Tom is believed to have hit approximately 1,500 home runs during his career. He was picked to the Greater Cincinnati All-Decade team of the seventies, and in 2000 was selected to the All-Century team.
• Thursday, January 27th, 2011
BIO:
After capturing runner-up finishes in the ASA “A” Metro with Taliano’s Pizza in 1993, then in the “Major” Metro with Copas/Lauer in 1995, Brian May’s career skyrocketed when he joined Watanabe/TPS in 1997 at the age of 26. During the next seven years, he helped lead Watanabe to four “Major” Metro titles. Brian was named first-team All-City six times for Watanabe, and in 2003 and 2005 he was selected “Player of the Year,” becoming one of six players to achieve that honor twice during his career. Brian also spent four years competing at the USSSA “Major” level, including 2002 when his Reece/Roosters/Easton team captured the Major World Series. A solid outfielder who has won several home run titles and been named to many All-Tournament teams, Brian was a lifetime .700 hitter. He was named to the Greater Cincinnati All-Decade first team in 2010.
• Thursday, January 27th, 2011
Bio:
Bob Owens has been the manager of Expressway Park in Milford since the park opened in 1982. Under his direction, Expressway has been a showcase facility, distinguishing itself for is superior cleanliness, field conditions, field lighting, concessions, staff and umpiring. It is recognized and respected nationwide for its singularly professional operation and tournament management. Expressway has hosted approximately 400 league teams a year since 1982. And as the flagship facility for Ohio USSSA, it has hosted over 1,300 state and national qualifiers, 180 State Championships, 280 National Invitationals, 30 National Tournaments and five World Series. Expressway was honored with the USSSA National Award of Merit in 1987, and the Ohio State Award of Merit in 1993, and was named Complex of the Year by the Softball Operators and Directors of America in both 1987, 1991 and 1995. Bob received the Ohio USSSA State Director’s Award in 1995, and is a past President and Vice-President of the Premier Softball Association.
• Thursday, January 27th, 2011
BIO:
When Pat Shanks led a USSSA “B” team, J. R. Express, to a stunning ASA Major Metro Crown in 1992 at the age of 32 and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, no one could have predicted that that bulk of his career accomplishments were yet to come. Two years later he joined Watanabe Optical, and, for the next seven years, helped power them to a pair of Major Metro titles, and earn a top ten finish in the ASA Major Nationals three consecutive seasons. During the 1999 season, Pat was the inaugural recipient of the John Earls Memorial Award as a tribute to his exemplary sportsmanship and character. In 2001 at the age of 41, he joined Perkins Roofing, and led them to two Metro titles and a coveted trip to the USSSA World Series in 2002. Yet a sixth Metro title came with EMR in 2004. Pat was known as the complete package, possessing great speed, a great arm and extraordinary defensive skills in the outfield to compliment his lifetime batting average of .625 and 1500 career home runs. He was named to the Men’s Major All-City team fifteen consecutive seasons and was named to the All-Decade team in both 2000 and 2010.
• Thursday, January 27th, 2011
BIO:
Jim Wessel was the legendary centerfielder for Wilsman Trucking of Hamilton for 14 years. He played in his first ASA Open Major National Tournament at the age of 18 in 1955. Over the next 14 seasons, Wilsman won 10 Ohio State championships, and was State runner-up 3 times. Jim was named to 9 All-State teams and was State Tournament Most Valuable Player 3 times. He possessed blazing speed and was a pioneer in the use of the three-man outfield. Jim’s success in the Open Major program earned him inductions into four local and state Halls of Fame. After a 16-year hiatus from the game, he came out of retirement in 1992 to spend 13 years leading 7 different teams to a dozen Senior Softball National titles, including several Greater Cincinnati teams. Along the way, Jim was named to 14 All-American teams, won two national home run titles, and a national tournament Most Valuable Player award. Sandwiched between first place national titles with Joseph Chevrolet in 1992 and 2004, he captured championships with Miami Valley Merchants, Nothdurft, Wopac, Papa John’s and Florida Investment Properties. For these accomplishments, Jim became a charter member of the Senior Softball National Hall of Fame in 1996.
