Before Fast Pitch Nationals started, Kittenball and Diamondball was played. And it originated in Minneapolis. These are the earliest known types of Fast Pitch Championships in the country.
Minneapolis City Kittenball Championships
Year Location Champion Runner-up Series Result
1919 Minneapolis Kozlaks, Minneapolis, MN Thorns, Minneapolis, MN (1-0); 6-4, 2-2*
NOTES- Danaher (WP) 9Ks, Greb Martonick (LP) 10K. The 2-2 game* stopped due to dispute.
1920 Minneapolis Oak Commercials, Minneapolis, MN Sinclair Oil, Minneapolis, MN (2-0); 6-2, 2-1
NOTES- Bill Addison (2-0, 20 Ks), Greb Martonik (0-2, 24 K)
1921 Minneapolis Sinclair Oil, Minneapolis, MN Bertch Furniture, Minneapolis, MN (2-0); 2-0, 2-0
NOTES- Game 1, Greb Martonick (WP) 2-0, 1-hitter with 14 K, also RBI double and scored a run on a hit.
NOTES- Game 2, Greb Martonick (WP) 1 hitter with 10 K, he was 2-3 hitting, RBI triple and a single.
1922 Minneapolis Red Crown, Minneapolis, MN Bertch Furniture, Minneapolis, MN (2-0); 6-5, 4-0
NOTES- Greb Martonick won both games for Red Crown, in the final game, he pitched a 2- hitter with 15 K
Twin City Kittenball Championships (Minneapolis, MN champ vs St. Paul, MN champ)
Year Location Champion Runner-up Series Result
1923 Minneapolis Bertch Furniture, Minneapolis, MN Parisian, Cleaners, St. Paul, MN (2-1); 5-2, 3-5, 11-0
NOTES- Pitcher Tubby Burns won both games for Bertch
1924 St. Paul – * Not played due to a delay in St. Paul’s playoffs over a protest, championship never played
Minneapolis Red Crowns, Minneapolis, MN St. Bonafice, Minneapolis, MN (2-0; 3-2, 4-2)
NOTES – Game 1, Greb Martonick threw a 3-hitter with 8 K, Hank Keller (3-3), and Eddie Flavin (2-3, 2 RBIs)
NOTES – Game 2, Greb Martonick threw a 4-hitter with 18 K, and 2-run double. Keller was 1-3 with an RBI
St. Paul Minnehaha Cleaners, St. Paul, MN St. Francis Casinos, St. Paul, MN (1-0); 4-2 (Semi-final)
NOTES – St. Francis filed a protest as it was called on account of darkness after only 3 1/2 innings
St. Paul Minnehaha Cleaners, St. Paul, MN Weequah Canoe Club, St. Paul, MN (1-0); 14-1 (Final)
NOTES- Even though Minnehaha won the city title, St. Francis still has the semi-file under protest.
1925 Minneapolis Bertch Furniture, Minneapolis, MN St. Francis Casinos, St. Paul, MN 7-2, 4-2
NOTES – Greb Martonick had 12 K and pitched a 4-hitter. Bertch had 12 hits total.
St. Francis Casinos defeated Northern District Champion, M. Cook & Sons of Duluth and in the other semifinal, Bertch Furniture of Minneapolis defeated Winona Milk Co. of Winona.
Minnesota State Kittenball Championships
Year Location Champion Runner-up Final Game Result
1926 Duluth M. Cook & Sons, Duluth, MN Watkins, Winona, MN 5-4
NOTES- Mainatl and DiMarco both went 2-3 in the game.
1927 Duluth Bubbles Cafe, St Paul, MN Dinty Moore, St Cloud, MN 7-0
NOTES- Flaherty struck out 15 batters and pitched a shutout
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St. Cloud Kittenball Association sanctioned by State Playground Association in 1928
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1928 St. Cloud St. Paul, MN Duluth, MN 5-2
NOTES- Polovny was 3-0 with a shutout in the tournament and went 2-3 at the plate in the final.
NOTES- Karsner, Duluth was 2-1 with a no-hitter in the tournament,
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National Diamondball Association recognized by the AAU Starting in 1928
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1928 Minneapolis Christian Lindsay, Minneapolis, MN Watkins, Winona, MN 7-2
NOTES- Arnie Simso was 3-0 with 2 shutouts in the tournament. He gave up only 2 runs.
NOTES- Keller led the offense as he went 4-6 in the final two games.
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Due to their being 2 State champs in 1928, both were invited to play for the overall state title, neither accepted.
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1929 St. Paul Bubbles Cafe, St. Paul, MN Clyde Iron Works, Duluth, MN ?-?
1930 Hibbling St. Paul Cleaners, St. Paul, MN St. Cloud, MN ?-?
1931 St. Paul Bubbles Cafe, St. Paul, MN Roberts Hotel, Winona, WI 6-2
Northwest Diamondball Association Championships
Year Location Champion Runner-up Final Game Result
1929 Minneapolis Christian Lindsay, Minneapolis, MN Olson’s, Sioux Falls, SD 10-0
NOTES- Boots Nelson (2-0, 2 shutouts one a 1 no-hitter. He had 22 strikes outs and gave up 3 hits total.
NOTES- Red Anderson won the other game for Olsens. Fredell and Keller (2 2Bs) had 3 hits each in the final.
1930 Minneapolis Fort Dodge Dodgers, Fort Dodge, IA Lion Signs, Minneapolis, MN 4-2
NOTES- Stan Nelson (3-0, 17 Ks, 3-8, .375 batting), RBI double gave team lead for good in the final.
1931 Minneapolis Stephen Buicks, Minneapolis, MN Quality Parks, St. Paul, MN 2-0
NOTES- Pitchers Arnie Simso (3-0, 17 IP, 24 Ks, 2 hitter in final) and Boots Nelson (2-0, 10 IP, 13 Ks)
NOTES- Hank Keller (9-11, .818, 2 2Bs), Dutch Scherer (8-13, .615, 2B, 3B). The Buicks had 9 2Bs and 4 HRs.
NOTES- Stan Nelson pitched for Fort Dodge and was 1-1 in the tournament
National Diamondball Association Championship
Year Location Champion Runner-up Final Game Result
1932 Wausau, WI Bodegas, La Crosse, WI Sathers, Minneapolis, MN 2-1 (see below)
NOTES – Frank Smith, La Crosse, Pitched the final 2-1 victory. Clarence Beranek also pitched.
NOTES – North Ends, Wausau, WI defeated Hammond, IN 15-5 in the 3rd place game.
NOTES – Standings BELOW
1933 – The National Diamondball Association suspended operations
1932 Wassau, WI – National Diamond Ball Championship Final Standings
- Bodegas, LaCrosse, WI (won 2-1) 4-0
- Sathers, Minneapolis, MN 2-1
- North Ends, Wausau, WI (won 15-5) 3-1
- Hammond, IN 1-2
- Escanaba Insurers, Escanaba, MI 1-1
- Litening Bugs, Sioux Falls, SD 0-1
- Brandt Cardinals, Wausau, WI 1-1
- Rothschild Papers, Rothschild, WI 1-1
- Ashland, WI 0-1
- Jaegers Bakery, Wausau, WI 0-1
- Antigo, WI 0-1
- Gladstone Outlaws, Escanaba, MI 0-1
- Ahdawagams Bear Cats, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 0-1
1932 National Diamondball Championship Scores
First Round
Rothschild – Gladstone Outlaws, Escanaba, MI 8-6
Escanaba Insurance, MI – Jaegers Bakery, Wausau 2-1
North Ends – Ashland
Quarter-Finals
LaCrosse, WI – Rothschild Papers 3-2
North Ends Wausau, WI – Escanaba Insurance, MI 29-7
Hammond, IN – Wausau Cardinals, WI 10-9
Minneapolis, MN – Sioux Falls, SD 4-0
Semi-Final
Minneapolis defeated Wassau 4-0
LaCrosse defeated Hammond 16-8
3rd Place Game
Hammond defeated Wassau 15-5
Championship
LaCrosse defeated Minneapolis 2-1
International Softball Association Championship
Year Location Champion Runner-up Final Result
1933 Milwaukee, WI Wemcos, Lake Mills, WI Miller High Life, Kenosha, WI 5-4 (10 Inn)
NOTES – Ben ‘Moonie’ Vondrashek doubled to center field scoring Norquist (who also doubled) with the winning run.
NOTES – Winning Pitcher Red Anderson was 5-0 with 2 Shutouts in the Tournament. He gave up only 10 runs.
NOTES – Clarence Beranek, Lake Mills was used as a relief pitcher for the Wemcos.
NOTES – Losing Pitcher Harry Kraft (HR in the Final) was 4-1 in the tournament with 35 Ks, and gave up 13 Runs.
NOTES – Bill Pecnik, Three Aces (3-1, 2 shutouts, no hitter – in the 4 games, he gave up 6 runs and had 49 Ks)
NOTES – Standings BELOW
1933 International Softball Championship Standings
- Wisc. Evap Milk Co. (Wemco), Lake Mills, WI 5-0
- Miller High Life, Kenosha, WI 5-1
- B. Peck & Sons, Milwaukee, WI 3-1
- Three Aces, Milwaukee, WI 3-1
- Clearwater All Stars, Clearwater, FL 2-1
- Bodegas, LaCrosse, WI 2-1
- Sathers, Minneapolis, MN 3-1
- Trail’s End, Alliance, OH 3-1
- Sunset AC, Cohoes, NY 1-1
- Flashes, Indianapolis, IN 1-1
- Western Printers, Racine, WI 1-1
- Plymouth Creameries, Milwaukee, WI 1-1
- Schlitz Brewery, Milwaukee, WI 1-1
- Jesch-Schaefer Sausages, Oshkosh, WI 1-1
- Transfer & Storage, Racine, WI 1-1
- Square Deal Food Shops, Milwaukee, WI 1-1
- Schoyers, Dayton, OH 1-1
- Hunkel Seeds, Milwaukee, WI 1-1
- Wauwatosa All Stars, Wauwatosa, WI 1-1
- St. Petersburg Stars, St. Petersburg, FL 1-1
- Blue Jays, Oconomowoc, WI 0-1
- Black Bear, Cudahy, WI 0-1
- Winter Clothiers, Milwaukee, WI 0-1
- Young Men’s Hebrew Assoc, New Orleans, LA 0-1
- Masers Grocery, Lincoln, NE 0-1
- Centralia, IL 0-1
- Menomonee Falls, Waukesha, WI 0-1
- Second Ward Democrats, St. Louis, MO 0-1
- Hamilton, Ontario, Canada 0-1
- Belleville, IL 0-1
- Jersey Bread, Paterson, NJ 0-1
- Modern Laundry, LaCrosse, WI 0-1
- Golden Drops, Two Rivers, WI 0-1
- Hootkin Grocers, Milwaukee, WI 0-1
- Curlee Taverns, Milwaukee, WI 0-1
- Westport All Stars, Westport, CT 0-1
- Cardinals, New Holstein 0-1
- Momence Buick, Kankakee, IL 0-1
- Jaeger Bakery, Wausau, WI 0-1
- Matuschka Lithia Beer, Milwaukee WI 0-1
1933 International Softball Championship Scores
1st Round
Trail’s End, Alliance, OH – Matuschka Lithia Beer, Milwaukee WI
St. Petersburg Stars, St, Petersburg, FL – Jaeger Bakeries, Wausau, WI 3-1
Schoyers, Dayton, OH – Golden Drops, Two Rivers, WI 2-0
Plymouth Creameries, Milwaukee, WI – Hootkin Grocers
Wemcoes Evaporated Milk Co., Lake Mills, WI – Centralia, IL 11-0 (Red Anderson WP)
Western Printers, Racine, WI – Maser Grocery, Lincoln, NE
Square Deal Food Shops, Milwaukee, WI – Modern Laundry, LaCrosse, WI
Three Aces, Milwaukee, WI – Belleville, IL 5-0
Flashes, Indianapolis, IN – YMHC, New Orleans, LA 14-10
Clearwater All Stars, Clearwater, FL – Winter Clothiers, Milwaukee, WI
Jesch-Schaefer Sausages, Oshkosh, WI – Hamilton, Ontario
Hunkel Seeds, Milwaukee, WI – Westport All Stars, Westport, Ct 7-0
Miller High Life, Kenosha, WI – Momence Buicks, Kankakee, IL 5-1
Wauwatosa All Stars, Wauwatosa, WI – New Holstein, WI 10-0
Sunset AC, Cohoes, NY – Black Bears, Cudahy, WI 2-1
- Peck & Sons, Milwaukee, WI – Blue Jays, Oconomowoc, WI
Sathers, Minneapolis, MN – Curlee Taverns, Milwaukee, WI 1-0
Sclitz Brewery, Milwaukee, WI – Democratic Club, St. Louis, MO
Transfer & Storage, Racine, WI – Jersey Breads, Paterson, NJ
Bodegas, LaCrosse, WI – Menomonee Falls, Waukesha, WI 20-0
2nd Round
Jesch-Schaefer Sausages, Oshkosh, WI – Hunkel Seeds, Milwaukee, WI
Trail’s End, Alliance, OH – St. Petersburg Stars, St, Petersburg, FL 9-0
Bodegas, LaCrosse, WI – Plymouth Creameries, Milwaukee, WI 10-5
Wemcoes Evaporated Milk Co., Lake Mills, WI – Western Printers, Racine, WI 11-5
Trail’s End, Alliance, OH – Square Deal Food Shops, Milwaukee, WI
Miller High Life, Kenosha, WI – Wauwatosa All Stars, Wauwatosa, WI 2-1
Sathers, Minneapolis, MN – Schlitz Brewery, Milwaukee, WI 1-0
Plymouth Creameries, Milwaukee, WI – Schoyers, Dayton, OH 5-3
Trail’s End, Alliance, OH – Square Deal Food Shops, Milwaukee, WI
Miller High Life, Kenosha, WI – Jesch-Schaefer Sausages, Oshkosh, WI 2-1
Sathers, Minneapolis, MN – Hunkel Seeds, Milwaukee, WI 9-2
Clearwater All Stars, Clearwater, FL – Flashes, Indianapolis, IN
- Peck & Sons, Milwaukee, WI – Sunset AC, Cohoes, NY
Wauwatosa All Stars, Wauwatosa, WI – Transfer & Storage, Racine, WI 1-0
Quarter-Finals
- Peck & Sons, Milwaukee, WI – Clearwater All Stars, Clearwater, FL 11-2
Wemcoes Evaporated Milk Co., Lake Mills, WI – Bodegas, LaCrosse, WI 3-1
Three Aces, Milwaukee, WI – Trail’s End, Alliance, OH 1-0 (Bill Pecknik 18 inn WP)
Miller High Life, Kenosha, WI – Sathers, Minneapolis, MN 5-2
Semi-Finals
Miller High Life, Kenosha, WI – Three Aces, Milwaukee, WI 4-3
Wemcoes Evaporated Milk Co., Lake Mills, WI – B. Peck & Sons, Milwaukee, WI 4-0
Final
Wemcoes Evaporated Milk Co., Lake Mills, WI – Miller High Life, Kenosha, WI 5-4 10 inn
This tournament was held a week before the first ASA Nationals in Chicago in 1933.
Many teams came up to Milwaukee to play in this tournament
And then stayed and played in the First ASA in Chicago.
