Ok gang. Here we go for the 2019 league season. I'm going to write up one of the National League games of the last day we played one week before Christmas but first, everyone please try to show up Friday and for the rest of the pre-league games as early as possible so the team's can be paired as close as possible to play with the team that you were drafted on.

The game was Fabian's Flyers vs Capozzi and the Flyers came out swinging with a nickel in 3 of the first 4 innings to take a 16-0 lead then Capozzi 4 in the 4th and 5th but Fabes got 5 in the 6th and 7th. It was decided to only play 7 innings and the Caps got 6 in the 7th to make the final 26-15. 

Capozzi hitters.   Roy 4-4 w/HR. Spitileri 2-4. Reagan 2-4 /HR. Titan 33. Morton 2-4. Stan M 3-4. Castillega 24. Merritt 33. 

Fabian hitters. Hite 3-5. Fred G. 3-5. King 3-4. Zelazny 5-5 3HR w/3B. Lopez 5-5. Hartley 5-5 HR. Ridley 3-5. Fabian 4-5. Hill 3-5. Andrews 2-4. 

See you all Friday and please show early. 

Write up by L. Fabian. 

NATIONAL LEAGUE TEAMS

The draft is over and six competitive National League Teams have been selected. It looks like this years teams are loaded with good players. The season will start on Tuesday, January 8th and will end in March. The schedule will be published after the Board meeting this Friday. Below are the teams.

TEAM # 1 LOREN FABIAN - MANAGER Benson, Tom Boswell, Ralph Dudley, Eugene Fabian, Loren Fryzowicz,Travis Gilpin, Ken Grabb, Larry Hite, Bob Levesque, Ray Spitaleri,Robert Vorher, Wayne Webb, Mike Wells, Larry

TEAM # 2 LARRY STRAIT - MANAGER Andrews, Gerald Kriger, Leo LaMay, Don Learn, Norman Letournean, Joe LoPiccolo,Patrick McLellan, Bill Michasky,Stanley Newton, Richard Oesterreich,Herb Peskie, Joe Strait, Larry Torok, Don

TEAM # 3 TOM CAPOZZI - MANAGER Accetta Patrick Bowley, Bill Capozzi,Tom Castilleja,Bobby Chrest, Larry Dampier, Fred DeRidder, Jerry Kallister, B J Laffoon, Jim Minder, Jack Spegel, Ed Thompson, Ron Weber, Ken

TEAM # 4 STEVE HILL - MANAGER Gelinas, Ken Hartley, Dave Hill, Stevan Mears, Justin Merritt, Johnny Morton, Willie Remington,Jerry Roy, Ray Skidmore,Bobby Voyta, Ralph Witter, Jerome Wolfe, Bill Zelazny, Bob

TEAM # 5 LARRY POWELL - MANAGER Ayer, Bill Boito, John Gibson, John Gonzales,Freddy Goreth, Gary Hawbaker, Don Ridley, Hal Rutan, William Scarbrough, Don Scheirer, Brad Shearer, Wayne Vandenberg,Bob Wheeler,Michael Zakrowski, Art

TEAM # 6 RUSS KING - MANAGER Baker, Lee Black, Elmer` Hill, Duff King, Russ Knox, George Lopez, Sam MacDonald,Cathy McPartlan,Jimmy O'Callaghan,Mike Pinnick, Steve Reagen, Bobby Rodriguez, Poke Seguin, Gisele Walton, Dan

NOTICE    NOTICE     NOTICE     NOTICE

All games in Winter Haven have been canceled for Friday, December 21. The City of Winter Haven is closing the ball fields today due to the extreme weather and the forecast for tomorrow predicts the same weather.

There will be no games on Christmas Day.

See you on Friday, December 28th.

Have a Merry Christmas.

Don Witmer, Commissioner

Leagues Are Starting Tuesday, January 8th.

The WHSS season is getting close to starting. The Draft will be held next week. There will be six teams in the National League with a minimum of 13 players on each team. There will be a pool this year to help the National League. The American League could not muster enough committed young guys to have four teams so the American League will go with a Flex schedule. Everyone who shows up to play in the American League will be put on a team.

Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) will sponsor the luncheon on the first game of the season. KFC has been an outstanding sponsor for many years and I would like to remind everyone to support KFC and all of our sponsors. A list of our sponsors and their websites are on this blog. When you visit one of our sponsors and buy their product, make sure that you tell them you are from Winter Haven Senior Softball.

Thanks.

Don Witmer, Commissioner

Tuesday December 11

Games are on. Sun is up. Wind is blowing. Earmuff Day.

Sent from my iPhone

A message from Elmer Black

Congratulations WHSS Players, wives and friends. We have completed a
most successful Angel Tree for some of the less fortunate students at
Elbert Elementary School, 50 in all. I want to personally thank each
and every one for your donations and gift giving. I am overwhelmed
that we can put a smile on these kids' faces come Christmas morning.
Thank you all very much.

Regards,

Elmer Black

December 7, 2018    Field D

Hite at the helm for the Visitors.  Hill, Hawbaker Hite, Skidmore, Strait, Boswell, Joanna, Mears, LaMay, Lopiccolo, and Bowley batted in that order.  Fabian Flyers took the field with Hartley, Capozzi, Spitaleri, O’Callahan, Herb O., Fabian, Thompson, Dana, Witter, McPartlin, and Merritt.

First inning visitors pushed across a run while home team scored 3.  Second inning home guys added 2 more.  Third inning visitors woke up and scored 4 while home team added one.  It’s a ballgame again. Fourth inning had Hite’s guys adding 2 runs, Fabian rallied his team with LET’S SCORE SOME RUNS. So, they maxed out with 5 runs.  At this point score was Visitors 7 and Home team 11.  Then Fabian told his players if we win this game, I’m buying at the 711.  That rallied the visitors who score 5 in the next inning while limiting the home team one run to tie the game at 12 each.

Hite’s team managed 7 runs in the last four innings while holding the home team to 2 runs.  Final score was Visitors 19 Home 15. 

Leading hitters for Visitors Hill:  5 for 6, Hawbaker 4 for 6, Hite 6 for 6, Skidmore5 for 6, Boswell 3 for 5, Mears (new guy) 3 for 5 w/HR.

Home team hitters: Hartley 3 for 5, Capozzi 3 for 5, O’Callahan, 4 for 5, Herb O. 3 for 5, Fabian 3 for 5, Thompson 3 for 5, Dana 4 for 5.

Every player had at least one hit.

Write up by Don LaMay

Tuesday December 4th

Games are on. Two fields available. We may have to play three team games.

Sent from my iPhone

It’s a Hit! Angel Tree! Again!!

The men (and ladies) of Winter Haven Senior Softball have stepped up and provided gifts for 50 kids.  Kids who might have had nothing under their trees on Christmas morning. The kids are all students at Lake Elbert Elementary School in Winter Haven. Guys you need to give yourselves a pat on the back.  Great Job!!  While you at it please give Elmer Black a round of applause for of his time and effort to make 50 smiles appear on Christmas morning.  As Elmer told me, “It’s about the kids.”  He is absolutely right.  But, wait!! You just played Santa, how about doing it again.    How about signing up for Santa Calling this Thursday.  Please, we need your help again.  Just a couple of hours, I promise you'll be back year after year.

November 30, 2018

Field D  Two team game.  King and Fabian managers.

Fabian’s visiting team lined up like this: Spitaleri, S. Hill, Rutan, Pope, Levesque, Grabb, Thompson, Minder, Zakrowski, Fabian and LaMay.  King’s team took the field with Skidmore, Knox, Herb O., Straight, Boito, Castilleja, JoAnna, Witter, Bowley and Leggett. In the first inning after Spitaleri hit a long fly for an out, Hill and Rutan both hit doubles then Levesque singled them both home. Skidmore led off for the home team with a single, after an out King, Herb, Straight, Castilleja and JoAnna had base hits to tally 3 runs for the King’s Court.  Not much going in the second with both teams posting big O’s.

LaMay led off the third with a single, then after an out Hill drove the ball to the fence but on good relays was out at the plate.  Then singles from the next 5 hitters then Minder drove in the 5^th run of the inning.  Bottom of the inning King singles and Herb triples him home.  After 3 Visitors 7 Home 4.

In the fourth the Kings added another run.  The fifth had both teams swinging the bats.  Fabian’s team posted 5 runs and the King's men posted 6.  The rest of the game the hitters took over with the visitors posting 8 in the top of the inning to take a commanding lead.  The Kings men started the bottom of the inning with Bowley and Leggett base hits but the inning with 3 runs scored. Final score was Visitors 28 and Home 21.

Good hitting by everyone.  Top hitters for Visitors: Hill 4 for 6 HR, Rutan 5 for 6, Grabb 5 for 6, and LaMay 5 for 5.

Home team hitters: Skidmore 4 for 6 HR, Knox 3 for 6, King and Herb O. both 5 for 6.

Guys SANTA IS CALLING.  Sign up for this on Tuesday.  See other info on the WEB Page.  You will have a great time and help your softball league.

Don LaMay