NO GAMES ON FRIDAY OCTOBER 30TH


The Diamondplex is being used this weekend starting Friday morning for a girls tournament and we will not be able to play ball. See you Tuesday, November 3rd.


Don Witmer

Tuesday Oct 27, 7:45 AM

No rain in winter haven. Games are on.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE DROID

Tuesday Oct. 27

Its raining in winter haven. Games are still on. Update at 7:30.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE DROID

October 13, 2015 Board Meeting


A WHSS board meeting was held on Tuesday, October 13th. We currently have over 110 paid registrations for 2016 and need everyone to submit their application as soon as possible. The makeup of the league is dependent on the number of players who sign up to be full time players. The registration fee is $40.00 with a $10.00 late fee after October 14, 2015.


The Polk County Senior Softball Hall of Fame is an important part of our softball history. Every year, we try to nominate deserving members of Winter Haven Senior Softball to become members of the Hall of Fame. The expenses to maintain the Hall of Fame continue to rise. Since the Hall of Fame is self funded by members and has no outside source of funding, the Board of Directors has decided to help fund the Hall of Fame with a donation of $200.00.  

During the summer, the league generally has 2 to 4 teams. On those extremely hot days in July and August, it is nearly impossible to have a team made up of nine players. However, our current rules require nine player teams when a certain amount of players have signed up.The Board of Directors has decided to eliminate Rule V-#2 that requires nine player teams and have opted to allow the board members making up the teams to use their judgement to make up teams. Based on the survey results, the league will still try to eliminate three team games when possible. 


One of the biggest issues the Board of Directors face each year is the makeup of teams for league play. For many years now, we have had two leagues based on age with some exceptions granted by the Board. This year we will continue with two leagues but with a little different flare than previous years. The American League will be made up of four teams and the managers will select their teams from the entire pool of full time players. The remaining full time players will become the National League. There will continue to be a pool for players who are not able to play both days. Final details on the league will be based on the number of players signed up by the middle of November.


There were three positions on the Board of Director that were open this year. We had six members who vied for those three positions. I want to express my gratitude to those six members who were willing to take the time and volunteer to serve of the Board of Directors. The three openings were filled by Larry Powell, Freddie Gonzalez and Richard Moots. Thanks again to the three members who were willing to serve but did not get elected.


Don Witmer, Commissioner 


  


 

OK shortstops ... this is how you do it.

Video Here

Carla Bowley

I am sorry to inform the club that Bill Bowley's wife, Carla, passed away suddenly recently. Please keep Bill and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Oktoberfest?

Ahhh, October is here, there are many words and occasions associated with the month. Here are some of the most common images associated with October; baseball’s post season, Octoberfest, cooler weather, breast cancer awareness month, fall foliage and Halloween. There are many other lesser known and somewhat wacky occasions associated with the month. Two obscure days include the Do Something Nice day, (October 5^th), when you are supposed to do a kind deed for someone and the It’s My Party Day, (October 11^th), when you have a party just to have fun.

 On October 6, In the American league at WHSS, we played a fall classic. We had an Octoberbest game.

The Visiting team, was the It’s My Party team included the following players: Dampier, Rad, Reagen, Keller, Zelazny, DeRidder, Giordano, Farinas, Capozzi, Hite, Ocetta, Ociollahano, Lopiccilo and Matta.

The Home team, was the Do Something Nice team, this team was made up of Coffman, Constantine, Hicks, Laffoon, Pepin, D’Hern, Crowell, Shierer, Alumbaugh, Davis, Poke, Kallister Boswell and Wells.

 The Visiting team got the party started in the first inning scoring five runs. Dampier, Rad, Reagen, Keller, Zelazny and DeRidder all had hits. No outs were recorded and the first five players that batted crossed the plate.

The Home team, did something nice for their opponents, they went down, almost in order. In fact the nice guys were too nice; they were nice to a fault. They were shut out for the first three innings and only managed a single run in the fourth inning. The pitching of NJ Pat Lopiccilo and the defense of Nick Matta helped to neutralize the nice guys. You might say Pat put up a Jersey wall to stop the Home team. After 4 innings of play the score was Visitors 9- Home 1.

In the 5^th inning the Home team was tired of walking to homeplate and then walking back to the dugout. They decided to get in on the party by scoring 6 runs. Hicks, Laffoon, Pepin, D’Hern, Crowell and Shirer all rocked the house. Davis added a hit latter in the inning to complete the inning. After 5 innings the score was Visitors: 9-Home 7.

Both teams bats cooled off in the sixth inning, neither team scored. In the 7^th inning the Visitors took out their party bats for their last big inning. They score 5 more runs off of hits by Reagen, Keller and Zelazny, then the next three batters, (DeRidder, Giordano and Farinas),  all doubled to tear the roof off the party. The Home team answered back in the bottom of the 7^th with three runs. Pepin, Crowell, Shirer and Alumbaugh were responsible for the rally. Alumbaugh’s hit was the key hit of the inning; Brent came up with two outs and knocked in 2 runs, with a sharp line drive to right. After 7 innings the score was Visitors 14- Home team 10.

Both teams traded goose eggs in the 8^th inning. In the 9^th inning Fred Dampier delivered a key insurance run when he hit a deep fly ball into right field that rolled to the fence. Fred turned that into a homerun. In the bottom of the 9^th the Nice guys turned up the heat. They rallied to push 3 runs across the dish. It wasn’t enough. The Visiting team partied, as they celebrated the win, 15-13.

Leading Hitters:

Visitors:

Dampier: 3 / 4 with a HR.

Reagen: 3/4.

Keller: 2/ 3.

Zelazny: 2/ 3.

DeRidder: 3/ 3 with two doubles.

Giordano 2/ 3.

Farinas: 3/ 3 with a double.

Capozzi: 3/ 3.

Home team:

Hicks: 3/4.

D’Hern: 2/3.

Pepin: 3/ 4 with a triple.

GOOD NEWS FOR WHSS PLAYERS

 

Members of Winter Haven Sr. Softball are now eligible for the following benefits if you will join the American Legion Post 8 in Winter Haven. Ron Thompson has negotiated a heck of a deal for us and everyone that is eligible should take advantage of this great offer.

Join the American Legion Post 8  and pay your dues of $40.00 and a $40.00 credit will be applied to your softball renewal or if already paid , the payment will prepay your next year  softball fees. 

If you are not eligible to join the Legion, you can join  the Sons of the American Legion and pay an annual fee of $25.00  If you do this the $25.00 you pay will be deposited in your dues for this year or next year if already paid.

If you are a member of another Legion post, transfer your membership to post 8, pay your dues and the $40.00 fee will be applied to your softball renewal or if already paid, the payment will prepay your next year softball dues. 

If you are now a member of Post 8 and renew between now and Jan l5, 2016,  $20.00 will be applied to your softball renewal this year, or if already paid, applied to your next year renewal.   

Any questions, see Ron Thompson for details. 

 

Don Witmer