A softball trip down memory lane
lewis
Contributed Photos – The 1972 KofC team included, in front Jake Hobbs, Shawn O’Leary, Ed Caleb, Bruce Foley, Danny Weingarten, Jim Baldwin and Bill Mirand. In back are Mike Crowley, Jim Kingsley, JC Hobbs, Bill Kingsley, Greg Lewis and Ken Snyder.
By Ken Snyder
In 1971 Slo-Pitch softball in Albion and Medina was just starting to develop.
There were some good teams like the Fireside Inn, Medina Bells and Albion St. Mary’s, but there were not any tournament teams.
Late in 1971, Louie Foreman and Doc Cotter threw together a team to play in a tournament at Packard Court in Niagara Falls. Jake and JC Hobbs, Eddie Caleb, Bruce Foley, Jim and Bill Kingsley from Medina, Bruce Good and Ken Snyder from Albion and Mike Callahan and Dennis Buckley from Batavia went undefeated in four games to win that tournament.
In 1972 that group, without Callahan and Buckley, but with the addition of Pete Villa, Danny Weingarten and Shawn O’Leary from Brockport and Mike Crowley, Greg Lewis and Bill Mirand from Medina formed the Medina KofC, which became one of the best travel teams in Western New York. This group stayed together from 1972 – 1975.
Local players Keith Holman, Jim Baldwin, Hector Colon, Al Sherman, Chico Mannella, Lynn Evans and Ron Whittleton played on a parttime basis.
In this time period the KofC won many tournaments including four in 1974.
They played in Arcade, Lancaster, Niagara Falls, Rochester, Buffalo, Batavia and Brockport. Intense rivalries against Honeys Pizza, Plant 6, Arcade Hotel, Howies Roadrunners, Chuck’s Sporting Goods, Lancaster Moose and Harbor Lights/Rocky’s Cafe were formed.
They played two national champions: Snyder’s from Detroit and Pace Electronics from Rochester.
The team broke up after 1975 when Jake and Eddie moved to Oregon.
The 1973 KofC team included, in front, Bill Mirand, Bruce Foley, JC Hobbs, Louie Foreman, Danny Weingarten, Hector Colon and Doc Cotter. In back are Ken Snyder, Jake Hobbs, Jim Kingsley, Eddie Caleb, Greg Lewis and Mike Crowley.
But in 1978 Greg Lewis and Bill Mirand found a sponsor, Square Richards from Holley, and brought back Crowley, Kingsley, Villa, Snyder and Good from the original KofC plus local players Bobby Allen, Pete Madafferi, Ron Mannella, Mark Keeler and Pat Botsford.
Local realtor Peter Snell often traveled to tournaments to watch them play. The next year he took over as sponsor and a long successful run by the Peter Snell Realtors Softball Club began.
Local players Russ Cree, Joe Rosenbeck, Dave Cotter, Steve Flipowicz and Ted Mager filled in when available.
The KofC team helped promote the surge in softball as more teams, tournament teams, women’s team and more leagues were available.
Over the next three decades there were 4 team tournaments on some Friday nights, a large tournament at Vets Park and all the school fields every year. A local team won one of those tourneys beating powerful Blair Siding from Rochester in the finals.
Albion had 4 leagues with 32 teams and there were huge leagues in Medina on Tuesdays and Wednesdays plus more women’s teams.
John Grillo in Albion and Sid Lovell in Medina deserve the most credit for the participation increase.
Diamonds were added at Sacred Heart Club, Jr. Wilson’s and Albion AFD.
What’s happened to softball now? No leagues! Is golf the reason?
The members of the 1972-1975 KofC team who are no longer with us are JC Hobbs, Mike Crowley, Jim Kingsley, Ed Caleb, Jim Baldwin, Hector Colon, Louie Forman, Doc Cotter and Bruce Good. From the early Peter Snell team Pat Botsford and Bobby Allen have passed.
Members of the original KofC 1972-1975 teams shown here at a recent get together included, in front, Bill Mirand, Danny Weingarten, Ken Snyder and Pete Villa. In back are Shawn O’Leary and Bruce Foley. Unable to attend were Jake Hobbs and Greg Lewis.
