Friday April 30th

Games are on. 


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Tuesday April 27th

Games are on. Lets have fun today. Get the vaccine shot to protect yourself and others. Don't forget about the time change. Be here at 8:30 and play at 9:00.


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Friday April 23

Games are on. Don't forget about the time change. Be here no later than 8:30AM games will begin at 9:00 AM. 


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Tuesday April 20th

No games today. Fields are under water. See you Friday. Don't forget about the time change.


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Friday April 16th

Games are on. Lets be safe today and every day. This crazy virus just won't go away. Wear a face mask, practice social distancing, wash your hands frequently and use hand sanitizer. If you are sick today, stay home.


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 BOARD NEWS

The Board of Directors met after the game on Tuesday. There are several rule changes that everyone needs to know about. 

1. The commitment line between third base and home plate has now been changed from 20 ft. to 30 ft. to comply with ISSA Senior Softball rules. 

2. In the National League, 12 defensive players are allowed on the field. This rule will be changed to specify that only five infielders shall be on the clay and five outfielders will be behind the red line in the outfield. There will only be one pitcher at a time and one catcher at a time. This rule does not apply to the American League.

3. The Game time will change beginning on Tuesday, April 20th. Please be at the ballpark no later than 8:30 AM and games will begin as soon after 9:00 AM as possible. 

    

 Tuesday, April 13th

It was another well played and close National League game won by the Constantine led team with 15 followed by Spitaleri team at 14 and Gonzalez team with 10. Unfortunately not much done with the score sheets again other than the runs. Lopiccolo was the winning pitcher. See y'all Friday. 

Write up by Loren Fabian. 

Tuesday April 13th

Games are on.


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Friday, April 9th

The first 3 team mixed, game of our wonderful summer league was a real doozie as Hazel the maid would say. Managers were Spitaleri, Witmer and Constantine. Spit and Wit teams came out strong in the 1st putting up 5 and 4 runs respectfully while Chris' team posted a goose egg. After 4 innings it was Spit 13, Wit 7 and Constantine 3 so not looking real good for Chris' team. But remember this is senior softball and anything can happen. Well the 3 team woke up in the 5th to score 6 and 5 in the 6th to climb back in it. After 6 it was Spit 14, Wit 11 and Chris 14. Chris had the hammer 🔨 in the 7th and pushed one across to win it with the bottom of the order when Fabian singled after 1 out followed by a Zakrowski single and the GWRBI single by Wayne Shearer. 

We did the 3 team flip flop in the 7th which Don really understood and worked it great. Please enlighten us on how that works Don. I think it was great. 

Write up by Loren Fabian. 

Friday April 9th

Games are on. Lets be safe today. The virus is still with us. Wear a face mask, practice social distancing, wash your hands frequently and use hand sanitizer. Get the vaccine when available to protect yourself and others. Stay home if you are sick.


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 Tuesday, April 6th

The first 3 team game of the summer season was won by the Robert Spitaleri managed team 16-14-8 who also managed the winning team of our 3 month long winter league. Way to go Robert. 

Score sheets weren't kept very thorough other than the runs so it is difficult to see how many hits the players each had. I do not recall any home runs. Please keep more accurate books for write up purposes.

Let's move on to Friday. See y'all then

Write up by Loren Fabian. 

 

Tuesday April 6th

Games are on. 


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Congratulations to the 2021 WHSS League Champions, the Fighting Coconuts. The Coconuts were managed by Robert Spitaleri. This is Robert's first time as a league manager and he did a great job. Looking forward for him to come back next year and defend his title. 

Now that the season is over, we will return to pickup ball. Everyone will need to sign in at the pavilion between Fields B and C. We will make up teams based on the number of players who sign up. Please be at the ballpark no later than 9:00 AM so we can get the games started by 9:30 AM. We will change to summer hours sometime in April after the Board meeting on the April 13th.

We will no longer due Temperature checks for all players. We had over 90% of our players over age 65 to get the vaccine shots. I want to encourage everyone to get the Vaccine shots to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. COVID-19 is still with us and people are still dying from the virus.

There was no need to hold elections this year. There were three vacancies on the Board and we had three players running for those positions. The returning board members are John Davis and Willie Morton. The new board member is Loren Fabian. Bob Zelazny opted not to run again for his position. Bob has served WHSS for twelve years with two of those years as Commissioner. Please thank Bob for all of his hard work and dedication the WHSS the next time you see him. 

Don Witmer, Commissioner

 Hopefully many are checking to see who won the championship yesterday so I will reach out to all players especially Veterans to inform and invite all players and Veterans to the first award ceremony of 7 Quilts of Valor (Google it) to 7 of our fellow ballplayers. It will be held Friday 4-16 after our ball game at the American Legion in Winter Haven at 12:30 

Anyone not a member can sign in as a guest. They also have a very good kitchen if you want lunch. The awardees are as follows. 

Robert Spitaleri

Willie Morton

Fred Dampier

Ray Levesque

Poke Rodriguez

Mike O'Callaghan

Pat Lopicollo

Hope to see many of you there and any other Veterans wishing to be awarded in the future just ask me for an application and we will start the process. If you're a snowbirds or don't play after league I will mail you one. Only two requirements are hold a DD214 and be a member of WHSS or a proud supporter of it. 

Loren Fabian (507-280-9117)  

Have a great day. 

 Friday, April 2, 2021

Championship playoff between Steve Hill's Dukes and the Fighting Coconuts

A fine game was played today and both teams enjoyed the good sportsman atmosphere.

Before the game we met at the mound for prayer and recognition of Good Friday. George Vanderhyde led us in this devotional.

We were fortunate to have as umpires Don Witmer, Chris Constantine and Kirk Coffman. We thank them for giving us their time and expertise.

The Coconuts had a good 1st inning with 3 runs and added 3 runs in the 2nd and had a rally in the 4th and 8th innings for more runs.

The Dukes had a rally in the 4th inning with 3 runs and the 8th with 5 runs.

Both teams had good defense with our usual number of errors because we are old people.

Final score:   Coconuts 21

                      Dukes 11

Write up by Robert Spitaleri

Friday, April 2nd

Games are on. Sign in at the pavilion this morning.


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Games are on for tomorrow. Steve Hill's Duke's will host Robert Spitaleri's Coconuts on Field C for the league championship game. The Dukes will wear Silver shirts and be in the Third base dugout and the Coconuts will wear Orange shirts and be in the First base dugout. These teams will report to their dugouts without signing in. Everyone else needs to sign in at the Pavilion between Field C and Field B so we can know how many players are available to make up the teams.

Thanks.

Don Witmer, Commissioner 

 

Mar 30, 2021

Dukes VS Legion

Another great day to play our final game of the season.  This game was

played with good defense by both teams.

Legion was able to hold the Dukes scoreless for 5 straight innings.  Legion

wins 15 to 11.  We were all glad to see Steve Hill was ok after a line drive to his forehead.  I was told after the game he has a hard head, and this was

not the first time for him.  Glad you are ok, Steve!

By Mike O’Callaghan

Tuesday, March 30th

Well the last game of league was sort of a laugher for the Flyers against the Coconuts who came out on top 24-7. In the bottom of the 1st inning Bob Hudson in right field took off after a line shot from lefty Ray Levesque towards the warning track and made a fantastic backhanded catch close to the track. I called that the play of the game until the next inning when back to back line shots were hit at Ralph Boswell at 3rd base which he literally picked both off the top of the grass. One to his right and one to his left. Jerry DeJongh at SS made several magical plays one of which took away a hit from Larry Strait, the only pool player in the game to keep him from hitting 1000 so Larry had to settle for 750 for the day. Going to the flip flop 8th it was 24-3 but the Flyers did squeeze out 4 more in in the 9th from the bottom of the order. 

See y'all Friday for the playoff between the Duke's and Coconuts. 

Write up by Loren Fabian.