Friday December 29th

Games are on. Two fields available. American League will be playing on Field B. National League will be playing on Field E again.

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Tuesday December 26th

1 Field available for the National League. American League game is cancelled. The National League will play on Field E again. This is the small field. 

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Friday December 22

Games are on. See yesterday's post for details.

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 GAMES ARE ON FOR FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22nd AND TUESDAY, DECEMBER 26th.

Weather permitting, we will be playing softball tomorrow and on the Tuesday after Christmas. However, the City of Winter Haven is supposed to be working on three fields tomorrow. Therefore, there are only two fields available tomorrow and possibly Tuesday. We will adjust our playing fields as listed below:

The American League will hold batting practice on Field A. If enough players show up to play ball in the American League, they will play their game on Field A around 9:30 AM 

The National League will play their game on Field E around 9:30 AM. Depending on the number of players that sign up to play ball, we will have a two team or three-team game on Field E. If the American League does not have enough players to field two teams, the National League may use Field A at 9:30 AM.

Things may change between now and tomorrow morning. Make sure that you look at the website before coming to the ballpark tomorrow. 

Thanks,

Don Witmer, Commissioner

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 HALL OF FAME TICKETS ON SALE

It is time to buy tickets to the Polk County Senior Softball Hall of Fame dinner that is to be held on Wednesday, March 13, 2024. This year we have the privilege to honor Chris Constantine and Loren Fabian from Winter Haven Senior Softball and Mike Cobb and Gerry DeRidder from Lakeland Senior Softball as they become members of the Hall of Fame. 

The Hall of Fame dinner will be in Winter Haven this year. This event will be held at the Frierson Nicholas American Legion Post 8 ballroom. The address is: 300 Avenue M Northeast, Winter Haven 33881. The Social will begin at 5:30 PM with a cash bar at the Legion where you can order and pay for your favorite drinks and help support the Legion. The Dinner will begin at 6:00 PM. After the dinner, the ceremony to induct the new members into the Hall of Fame will commence. The ceremonies should be over by 8:00 PM.

Ticket prices this year have increased to $25.00 per person. This is the first price increase in 15 years. Last year we kept the ticket prices at $20.00 and the Hall of Fame Committee agreed to pay the $3.50 additional cost of each ticket out of the general fund. The price of your ticket includes your meal and paying for the inductee's meal, HOF shirt, HOF hat and plaques. The Legion has graciously agreed to provide the venue at no cost. The Hall of Fame Committee expects this to be a break-even year due to all of the price increases that we have seen of the past year.

You can purchase your tickets from Don Witmer, Joe D'Herin, Ron Thompson, Tommy Hamilton or Steve Hill in Winter Haven. In Lakeland, you can purchase your tickets from JD Davis, Ron Lloyd, Larry Sweet, Regis Finnegan and Marty Martinez. Tickets should be purchased no later than the end of February so we can let the Caterer know how many people will attend.

Please show your support for the Hall of Fame program and for this year's inductees into the Polk County Senior Softball Hall of Fame by coming to the HOF Dinner on March 13, 2024.

Don Witmer, Treasurer

Polk County Senior Softball Hall of Fame  

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Tuesday December 19th

Games are on. It's cold and windy today. Dress warm. 

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Friday December 15th

Games are on. Windy today. 

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Tuesday, December 12th

What a contrast between last Friday's 3 team game and this Tuesday's game. Friday the 3 teams scored 66 runs and there were only 2 goose eggs, both in the open inning. This Tuesday only 23 runs were scored and there was 14 goose eggs and no team reached double figures till the 7th and final inning when the Spitaleri team scored 3 to make the final Spitaleri 12, Ouding/Hill 8 and Zelazny 3.  This IS SENIOR SOFTBALL where anything is possible.  Welcome back Northern friends. We missed y'all. 

The hitters which weren't too many.

3 hits. Gonzalez, Lopez, Knox, Vanderhyde, Nunez,

            Castilleja, Andrews, Spitaleri 

2 hits. Miller, Hill, Muniz, Rivero, B.J., Fleming. 

Al Miller hit a home run to account for 2 of that teams 3 runs and B.J. Kallister struck out the side 1, 2, 3 in the 4th inning. The first 2 looking, the 3rd on a foul 3rd strike. What a game. Welcome to Senior Softball. 

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Write up by Loren Fabian 

American League Update  

On Thursday, December 14, 2023, the Winter Haven Senior Softball League joined forces with the Winter Haven Blue Knights for an epic showdown against the Solivita 60s team at the magnificent Solivita grounds.

Right from the get-go, the Winter Haven team burst onto the scene with a vengeance, smacking three jaw-dropping home runs in the first three innings. Meanwhile, Solivita could only muster a measly run. It was a one-sided affair, my friends. The game was cut short to just five innings because, let's face it, Solivita only managed to scrape together two runs compared to the whopping twenty-two runs by Winter Haven. Talk about domination!

With our deceptive victory in the bag, we headed into game two with a comfortable five-run shot in the first inning. The battle was fierce, with both teams trading blows back and forth. But when the fifth inning rolled around, Winter Haven turned up the heat and started piling on the pressure, scoring runs left and right. The score now stood at Solivita twelve and Winter Haven twenty-one. It was only a matter of time, leaving Solivita with a respectable sixteen runs, but Winter Haven soaring high with a triumphant twenty-four.

Today, my friends, we proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that we were the superior team. As we bid Solivita farewell, we couldn't help but wish them a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, knowing full well that we would face them again in the first week of January 2024. Brace yourselves, Solivita, for we shall return!

Let's not forget to mention the incredible hits that left the crowd in awe. Don Fee, Rocco Morris and Rob Aponte, blasted two home runs, while Lou Guzman added one more for good measure. These guys were on fire!

So, my fellow softball enthusiasts, let's raise our glasses to Winter Haven as we were victorious today. 

1. Lonnie Netzel 6/7
2. Lou Guzman 4/6
3. Eddie Hurn 6/8
4. Don Fee 6/8
5. Rob Aponte 3/5
6. Manny Rios 5/6 
7. Rocco Morris 6/6
8. Dana Ferrande 4/6
9. J-Rod Rodriguez 4/5
10. Rad Pcholinski 5/6
11. Al Guzzo 3/5
12. Mike Vaccaro 4/5 

Write up by Lou Guzman

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Tuesday December 12th

Games are on. It's cold. Wear something warm. I have 2 coats that were left at the ballpark last Friday.  If you left your coat come see me. 

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