Category: ASA Masters & Seniors Slow Pitch

1994 held on August 26-28 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Champion – Capital X-Ray, Fairfax, Virginia
Runner Up – New Mech, Bloomington, Minnesota

Capital X-Ray of Fairfax, Virginia defeated New Mech of Bloomington 19-17 on Sunday in the finals of the ASA Over-40 slow pitch softball national tournament in Las Vegas.

“We were given up for dead a couple of times,” said Bubba Crismond, an outfielder for Capital X-Ray. “The first time was when we got thrown into the losers’ bracket.”

Capital X-Ray won two games before losing to New Mech.

“It came down to us having to play six games in one day on Sunday,” said Crismond, who hit .778 in 10 games. “We started at 7:30 in the morning winning seven inning games and played until 5:30 in the afternoon. I was exhausted toward the end, but playing on adrenaline. We won all six games we played”

En route to the title, Capital X-Ray beat the tournament’s five top rated teams. It defeated defending champion Nothdurft (Warren, Mich.) and New Mech twice.

“And in the final, we were down 10-1 to them in the third inning,” Crismond said. “We looked finished. But we had a seven run inning. Later, I hit a three run homer to put us ahead 11-10.”

“What a time to hit it. And we just kept rolling from there and won 18-13. And it was a big thrill catching a fly ball for the game’s final out. I was playing right center and had to move on the ball. It wasn’t that easy of a catch.”

“We were the last unbeaten,” New Mech manager and designated hitter Ron Ploog said. “We lost twice in the finals to Capital X-Ray from Virginia. The last game was 19-17 and we had two on and two out in the seventh inning and their right-center fielder made a nice catch on a line drive to end the game.”

• MVP – Dale Chenault, Capital X-Ray
• HR Leader – Tom Malvich, Capital X-Ray
• Batting Leader – Cranston Edwards, Miller Beer
• Batting Leader – Dale Yates, Lindsey Funeral Home

FIRST TEAM ALL AMERICANS

P – Wesley “Bubba” Crostic, Capital X-Ray
P – George Murray, Bob’s Transmission
1B – Conrad Pressley, Bunn Communication
2B – David Swain, Winchell Chiropractic
3B – Gary Morris, New Mech
SS – Mike McDowell, Nothdurft
OF – James Crissmond, Capital X-Ray
OF – Terry Nutter, New Mech
OF – Tom Malvich, Capital X-Ray
OF – Phil Wolak, Nothdurft
UTIL – Keith Bressman, Magoo’s
UTIL – Cranston Edwards, Miller Beer
UTIL – Bill Cameron, Capital X-Ray
UTIL – Phil Gladhill, New Mech
UTIL – Ron Ploog, New Mech

SECOND TEAM ALL AMERICANS

P – Rich Thobord, Nothdurft
P – Dale Gulley, Bunn Communication
1B – Tom Rashi, Lindsey Funeral Home
2B – Sherwood Driver, Bunn Communication
3B – Mike Hanlin, Bankers Life
SS – Doug Turman, Miller Beer
OF – Ray Dickson, New Mech
OF – Keith McFarland, Randy’s Restaurant
OF – Dale Yates, Lindsey Funeral Home
OF – Dave Marks, Bunn Communication
UTIL – John VonWagoner, Winchell Chiropractic
UTIL – Jim Goodwin, Winchell Chiropractic
UTIL – Rich Smith, Randy’s Restaurant
UTIL – Marvin Allison, Winchell Chiropractic
DH – Mike Taylor, Nothdurft

FINAL STANDINGS

1. Capital X-Ray, Fairfax, VA (9-1)
2. New Mech, Bloomington, MN (6-2)
3. Nothdurft, Warren, MI (4-2)
4. Winchell Chiropractic, Evansville, IN (7-2)
5t. Electrical Installation, Mount Vernon, WA (4-2)
5t. Miller Beer, Akron, OH (4-2)
7t. Bunn Communication, Raleigh, NC (6-2)
7t. Motown Stars, Lathrup, MI (3-2)
9t. Centex Bombers, Austin, TX (3-2)
9t. Lindsey Funeral Home, Paducah, KY (4-2)
9t. Randy’s Restaurant, Troy, IL (5-2)
9t. Solano Roofing, Fairfield, CA (2-2)
13t. Bob’s Transmission, Orlando, FL (4-2)
13t. Bankers Life, Eau Claire, WI (3-2)
13t. Magoo’s, Salem, OR (4-2)
13t. Spokane Masters, Spokane, WA (4-2)
17t. Stewart’s Lounge, Pittsburgh, PA (3-2)
17t. Pepsi Cola, Corbin, KY (2-2)
17t. Texas Merchants, Arlington, TX (3-2)
17t. McArdle Ins./Ingersoll Rand, Olney, MD (2-2)
17t. W.E. Ruth Realty, Kent, WA (2-2)
17t. Kazu Electric/Hansen Sports, Honolulu, HI (3-2)
17t. G-Men, Enid, OK (2-2)
17t. The Fossils, San Diego, CA (2-2)
25t. Four Star Travel, Warren, OH (2-2)
25t. Skipper’s Restaurant, Mobile, AL (2-2)
25t. All State/Sox Softball, Evansville, IN (1-2)
25t. Animals, Manteca, CA (1-2)
25t. Bonanza Produce, Reno, NV (1-2)
25t. All Star Trophies, Collingswood, NJ (2-2)
25t. Villa Café, Stamford, CT (2-2)
25t. Dan Smith Plastering, San Jose, CA (1-2)
33t. Sportsman Of Auburn/Volk, Auburn, CA (1-2)
33t. Frank-N-Stein, Pittsburgh, PA (0-2)
33t. Brite-Way, Wausau, WI (1-2)
33t. Jo’s Saloon Geezers, Portland, OR (1-2)
33t. Sun Devils, Orange, CA (0-2)
33t. G&A Coasters, Santa Barbara, CA (1-2)
33t. Liberty Motors, Grass Valley, CA (1-2)
33t. FB/QL, Elk City, OK (1-2)
33t. Broosters, Cedar Falls, IA (0-2)
33t. Skinny Dugans, Las Vegas, NV (0-2)
33t. Home Plate Cocoa Beach, Merritt Island, FL (1-2)
33t. Team America, Little Rock, AR (1-2)
33t. Balder/L&P, Fort Smith, AR (1-2)
33t. California Burgers, Citrus Heights, CA (1-2)
33t. Fox’s Sports Center, Bartonville, IL (0-2)
33t. Casey Jones/Boston Communication, Terre Haute, IN (0-2)
49t. PC’s Of Naperville, Naperville, IL (0-2)
49t. Cross Country Courier, Bismarck, ND (0-2)
49t. Portland Rain, Portland, OR (0-2)
49t. Harmony Farms, Paso Robles, CA (0-2)
49t. High Street Sids, Baltimore, MD (0-2)
49t. Villa Old Timers, Lewiston, ID (0-2)
49t. P&P Appliance, Elkworth, ME (0-2)
49t. Utah Players, Provo, UT (0-2)
49t. Buccaneer, Hastings, MN (0-2)

1994 held at Clem Kelly Park in Bismarck, North Dakota on September 2-5.

Champion – Vector Security, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Runner Up – Tharaldson Insurance, Fargo, North Dakota

Sailing into uncharted waters suited the Harrisburg Vector Security slow-pitch softball team just fine.

The Pennsylvania club didn’t venture almost 1,200 miles to Bismarck to jump in over its head or to tread water in the ASA Men’s Masters 35-and-Over tournament

They came to North Dakota to win. And win they did, capturing the national title with a 6-1 record. Previously undefeated Vector Security closed the books on the championship Monday by splitting two games with Fargo Tharaldson Insurance at the Clem Kelley Complex.

Tharaldson Insurance, the losers bracket survivor, trimmed Vector Security 18-15 in the first game but fell 13-11 in the decisive game.

A 19-7 win over TJ’s Bud (Great Falls, Mont.) put Tharaldson’s in the finals. Earlier in the day, TJ’s eliminated St. Joseph, Minn., Anderson Plumbing in a 19-9 nine-inning thriller.

Vector Security handed Tharaldson’s its first loss of the tourney, 18-16, on Sunday.

“We thought we had a good shot, or we wouldn’t have come out here,” said Vector Security pitcher and tournament MVP Don King.

Third baseman Randy Beckley, who popped two homers and drove in four runs for Vector Security in the second championship game, reiterated King’s viewpoint. “We believe in ourselves, and we thought we had a chance, seeing how well we did at state,” Beckley said.

In the Pennsylvania Masters-35 tourney, Vector Security went 5-0 for the state title. That was the first five games of Masters competition for the club this season. As a Class B team, Vector Security was 75-7.

Tharaldson’s seemed to be in the driver’s seat early in the finale of the 31-team, double-elimination tourney. After winning the first championship game, the Fargoans jumped ahead 2-0 on Ken Terfehr’s homer and opened a 7-0 gap in the first inning of the final.

That was clearly the most damaging frame of the tournament against Vector Security , which was adept at avoiding killer innings. Beckley said Vector took it philosophically. “We just don’t give up,” he said.

“When you’re up against great teams like that, they’re going to have a big inning and get up. You’ve got to have a big inning and come back.”

Vector Security failed to match Tharaldson’s seven-run burst, but chipped away bit-by-bit while holding the Fargo team to four runs the rest of the way.

Beckley’s two-run homer was the key to a three-run home first inning for Vector Security. Five singles and a double produced four more in the second to tie the game.

Tharaldson’s took its last lead, 10-9, on Terry Stargardt’s inside-the-park homer and Mike Jastram’s RBI single in the top of the fourth. Vector Security answered with three runs on a four-single flurry and sacrifice flies by Carl Miller and Jim Smith. That made it 12-10 and the Pennsylvania club was in charge for good.

Bob Piatz, a pickup player from Jamestown who played brilliant defensive ball in right field, could hardly believe Tharaldson’s produced just one fence-clearing shot in the final. “If you’d told me before the game, we wouldn’t use all three homers (a three-homer limit was in effect) I’d never have believed you,” he said. “… But I’d never have guessed we’d only score four runs in the last six innings, either.”

Piatz said he really felt Tharaldson’s had Vector Security on the run after the seven-run first inning.

“But we didn’t keep the pressure on them. Our bats went dead.”

King believes some of that may have been due to the pride his team takes in defense. “We play good defense,” he said. “We had some timely hitting, but basically we play good defense.”

Championships are nothing new for Vector Security. This is their seventh of the season. But King has never enjoyed that national championship feeling before. “We’ve won a lot of tournaments this year,” he said, “but this is by far the best feeling I’ve ever had.”

And all it took was six victories — and 1,200 miles.

• MVP – Don King, Vector Security
• HR Leader – Karl Upton, TJ’s/Bud – 6
• Batting Leader – Tim Henecke, Buccaneers – .792

FIRST TEAM ALL AMERICANS

P — Don King, Vector Security
C — Dan Waldorf, Anderson Plumbing
1B — Ed Catelli, Catamero Ltd.
2B — Rick Walberg, Purcell’s Plumbery
3B — Ken Olthoff, Tharaldson Insurance
SS — Terry Stargardt, Tharaldson Insurance
OF — Tim Henecke, Buccaneers
OF — Jerry Coates, Houge’s Bar
OF — Wayne Johnson, Purcell’s Plumbery
OF — Bob Miller, TJ’s Bud
DH — Jerry Chapman, Al T’s Tackle Twill Lettering
UTIL — Ron Ploog, New Mech Companies
UTIL — Bo Gantz, Vector Security
UTIL — Roger Bzdok, Anderson
UTIL — Tom Long, Vector Security

SECOND TEAM ALL AMERICANS

P — Mike Jastram, Tharaldson Insurance
C — Chris Makos, Minneapolis Merchants
1B — Tom Klein, Buccaneers
2B — Rick Goodsel, Minneapolis Merchants
3B — Robert Dulka, Barnum PGT
SS — Tim Michelsen, Advanced Fluid Controls
OF — Tim Krahler, Advanced Fluid Controls
OF — Mike Dzivra, Al T’s Tackle
OF — Dennis Holt, KFC
DH — Dave Rowe, Minneapolis Merchants
UTIL — Mike Beahan, Hague’s
UTIL — Dave Mayer, Tharaldson Insurance
UTIL — Bill Kinshier, Anderson Fluid Controls
UTIL — Gordy Smith, Advanced Fluid Controls

THIRD TEAM ALL AMERICANS

P — Bret Hagel, TJ’s/Bud
C — Roy Simmons, Tharaldson Insurance
1B — Nuie Gregory, TJ’s/Bud
2B — John Rygg, Tharaldson Insurance
3B — Glenn Vadney, Catamero Ltd.
SS — Kyle Kanuckel, KFC
OF — Phil Gladhill, New Mech Companies
OF — Bruce Isaacson, Purcell’s
OF — Fred Williams, KFC
OF — Ken Fullerton, Catamero Ltd.
DH — Randy Pribek, Hogue’s
UTIL — Bob Montague, New Mech Companies
UTIL — Bob Roth, Al T’s Tackle
UTIL — Roger Weigel, Advanced Fluid Controls
UTIL — Don Groth, Buccaneers

FINAL STANDINGS

1. Vector Security, Harrisburg, PA (6-1)
2. Tharaldson Insurance, Fargo, ND (6-2)
3. TJ’s Bud, Great Falls, MT (5-2)
4. Anderson Plumbing, St. Joseph, MN (4-2)
5t. Buccaneers, Hastings, MN (4-2)
5t. KFC, Coshocton, OH (3-2)
7t. Advanced Fluid Controls, Bismarck, ND (4-2)
7t. Purcell’s Plumbery, Annandale, MN (3-2)
9t. New Mech Companies, Bloomington, MN (3-2)
9t. Catamero Ltd., Johnston, RI (3-2)
9t. Minneapolis Merchants, 3-2
9t. Eagle Tire, Annapolis, MD (2-2)
13t. Universal Media, Enola, PA (2-2)
13t. Barnum PGT, Fairfield, CT (2-2)
13t. Hogue’s Bar, Oshkosh, WI (2-2)
13t. Al T’s Tackle-Twill Lettering, Utica, NY (2-2)
17t. Hogan’s-Bagby’s, Altoona, IA (1-2)
17t. Frontier Directory-Whiskey Point Saloon, Bismarck, ND (1-2)
17t. Shangri-La, Grand Forks, ND (1-2)
17t. Suds Hut, Helena, MT (1-2)
17t. Ice Draft Budweiser, Moorhead, MN (1-2)
17t. VFW-Leyks, Sauk Rapids, MN (1-2)
17t. Simons Insurance, Selby, SD (1-2)
17t. A&G Auto-Dakota Imaging, Bismarck, ND (0-2)
25t. Pro Image-Lonesome Dove, Bismarck, ND (0-2)
25t. Rooters Bar, Fargo, ND (0-2)
25t. Executive Radiator, Glen Burnie, MD (0-2)
25t. Garden Bar, Great Bend, ND (0-2)
25t. It’ll Do Budweiser, Great Falls, MT (0-2)
25t. Gentle Touch, Norfolk, NE (0-2)
25t. Tioga LDH, Inc., Pineville, LA (0-2)