Report it stated that one of the major difficulties experienced by NSW was that the first match was their first on a regulation sized diamond with standard pitching distances.

At Jack Winston’s prompting an association was formed in NSW in May 1947, to play a winter competition. Mrs Young was invited to be the President and she wrote the constitution and the rules, using a baseball rule book as a guide. Joyce King was Treasurer. Three or possibly four teams met on a Saturday morning on a disused portion of Moore Park. Softball had to be played in the morning since most girls were already committed to sports like hockey, cricket or basketball in the afternoons. A year later Joyce King represented Australia at the London Olympics winning a silver medal in the 4 x 100 relay team.

Buoyed by the success of their visit to Sydney, Queensland issued invitations to a tournament to be played in Brisbane in late 1947. 4 teams partcipated Queensland, New South Wales and 2 teams from Victoria. Victoria won the first interstate carnival.

Off the diamond the administrators held several meetings in Brisbane. Irene Burrowes, Mack Gilley and Mrs Young were given the task of drafting a consitution in preparation for formally establishing a national body when they next met in Melbourne in 1949

70 Years of Blue BloodsMr Gordon Young introduced Softball to Primary School Teachers in January 1939 at a teachers camp at Brookvale where 90 men and 50 women followed a strict routine for 16 hours a day learning the skills of Softball. Mr Young considered it most suitable for “the limited playing space available in schools and the need for a competitive game which can be played with safety and at a minimum expense.

Despite the best intentions of Gordon Young and the presence of troops, Softball had not flourished in Sydney as it had in Victoria and Queensland.

Softball was put on hold during the war years

in 1947 Queensland’s invitation to play a test series against NSW possibly passed through Young’s office to the University of Sydney from where it was apparently forwarded to Jack Winston of the Public Schools Amateur Athletic Association. Winston had met physical education teacher and star track athlete, Joyce King, several times at various sporting functions and knew that she was teaching at Willoughby Girl’s High School. He wondered if she could raise a team to play against Queensland. King recalled that she: had never played Softball except as an exaggerated form of rounders at the Hawkesbuery River National Fitness Camp where Gordon Young played with some of the men Phys Ed teachers, and some of the women as well, used to play as relaxation from work on the camp. That camp was first built by volunteer workers. The game was a pleasant change from mixing cement and putting up really good tents.

Undetered by her lack of experience King recruited some fellow physical education teachers and students she had met at athletics and basketball. The Public School Amateur Athletic Association supplied the equipment and uniforms of white tunics and blouses.

The players provided their own sandshoes. After three practice sessions at University Square ten players managed to get time off work to play in mid-April, 1947. At this stage a Softball team consisted of ten players nine of whom were the same as today. The tenth player was a “short fielder” which was a coverted position between shortstop and second base and between the infield and outfield. King recalled: Of course we lost the three matches to Queensland but we learnt that Softball is a thinking game and not a game of rounders. The scores in those historic first interstate matches were 25-5, 24-7 and 7-6. In Esther Goughs Managers

Has played for NSW since 1947

An outstanding NSW Softballers, Dulcie Isted is playing in the Australian Women’s Softball Carnival in Adelaide.

Dulcie, the most experienced player at the carnival has represented her state since 1947.

She can adapt herself to any position on the field. During the carnival she has played outfield, second base, catcher and first base.Her main aim now is to pass on the knowledge of the game to promising NSW juniors.

She predicts a bright future for the 15 year old Jeanette Kirkpatrick, the youngest member of the 1956 NSW Team

NSW v Ballarat, Brisbane 1947

N.S.W Softball Team - 1947Mrs Gordon Young, Manager, is the wife of the Director of Physical Education in NSW, has been interested in women’s Softball teams in Canada and the United States for many years and is President of N.S.W.S.A

Mr Allan Merrett is Coach

Joyce King, Captain, 1st Base, active participant in Softball, Basketball, and Athletics, member of the NSW Basketball Team and former 100, 200 and 440 yards runner, captained the Softball team competing with Queensland in Sydney last April

Iris Watson, Vice Captain, 3rd Base, inter-state Cricketer, represented both NSW and Queensland

Beryl Hayter, Secretary, Shortstop, played against Queensland. Country Diving and Swimming champion, obtained Diploma of Physical education.Amy Floyd, PitcherDoris Barker, CatcherShirley Thompson, Second BasePeggy Clifton, Left FieldJoan Taylor, Centre FieldDulcie Russell, Right FieldEdith Richards, Second BasePeg Tacon, Short FielderThelma Raynor, Right FieldPearl Cottle, Short Fielder

FORTIES & FIFTIES

Mack Gilley in 1947.

Australia wins 1st Women’s World Championship. Melbourne

1965Australia and the USA met in the final of the World Championship. Australia had the opportunity to score in the second and third innings and the USA had the more favourable statistics with the bat. Elinor McKenzie was the lead off batter in the bottom of the sixth and hit a double to centrefield. The next batter flied out to right field. Gladys Phillips was next up to bat and USA Pitcher Lo Piano let one go and the wild pitch sailed over the catchers head. McKenzie flew home from second base and Australia took the lead 1 - 0.

Throughout the series there was controversy over the open-style of the Australian Diamond which did not have fences to which the Americans were accustomed. With an enclosed diamond it would not have been possible for a runner to score from seconsd base

The first 2 Americans flied out and on the last play of the Series the final American batter drove one along the ground to Phillips at third who in characteristic style made the routine out at first. Australia were World Champions !!

NSW did not have a player in the team Shirley Fogarty was a Reserve

sixties

From thisTo this

NSW win first Gilleys

Shield in 1969

1970 U16 Australian Women’s

Championship

Following the 1965 World Series there was a growing realisation that Australian Softball needed to foster junior competition. The U16 competition began in Perth in January 1970, competing for the most appropriately named Esther Deason Shield donated by Western Australia. Victoria won the championship

Dawn Young (NSW) was selected as the umpire for the 1970 World Championship in Japan.

Dawn travelled with the team but was independent of it in the sense that during the World Championship she was accommodated with the other umpires rather than the Australian Team. In no way could the umpires be seen to have any hint of bias towards the defending World Champions

Dawn Young becomes the first NSW Umpire to umpire at a World Championship

Judy Phelps becomes first NSW player to be selected for a World ChampionshipJudy Phelps became the first NSW player to be selected in an Australlian Team to play in a World Championship in 1970 in Japan. Judy also went on to play in the 1974 World championship in the USA. Judy represented NSW for thirteen years from 1966 – 78. Judy Captained the Open Women’s side for eight years from 1971 – 78 and was Assistant Coach in 1986. Judy was a catcher and has been inducted into the Softball Australia and Softball NSW Hall of Fame.

seventies

NSW win Gilleys Shield 1973

NSW win the Inaugural U18 Australian Women’s

Championship 1974

The ever improving NSW took out the title at the first U18 Australian Championship.

Edna Nash, NSW, donated a trophy in honour of Elinor MacKenzie who died from cancer on the eve of the first presentation. The age group of the championship officially became U19 in 1976

Steering Committee for Men’s Competition in NSW was formed in 1978

NSW Players selected for the

1974 World Championship

USA Chris Bennett Judy Phelps Sybil Turner

NSW Players selected for the 1978 World Championship El Salvador Chris Roughley (Bennett)Carol Selem

In 1971 John Reid took a job in Sydney and offered his services to NSW Softball. He joined the North Shore Association. In 1978 the NSW Softball Association asked Reid to head the committee fostering men’s Softball. The committee took over the “ailing night promotional series: which Reid later described as not a “goer” because it was played on “unsuitable ground for which an unsympathetic council charged exhorbtant rentals”. Even more frustrating to the players was the three to four week breaks between matches. To establish themselves as credible Softball players the men sought their own ground in the Sydney metropolitan area but this was not possible and they took up the offer of some spare grounds at the Bankstown Association. Eleven teams from across Sydney participated in the 1978-79 summer season. For the next season the Bankstown Association made a separate ground available on Sundays. As well as neighbouring Cambelltown Association launched their own competition.

The NSW Men’s Committee remained within the jurisdiction of the NSW Softball Association with representation on the NSW Management Committee. The role of the Men’s Committee was to promote men’s Softball throughout NSW but local play was left to local associations to organise. The Men’s Committee looked forward to future state and interstate championships and therefore campaigned for all mens players to be registered with and affiliate of the NSW Association. By 1982 Reid was able to report that six Sydney metropolitan associations had some form of mens

Roughley named Captain of Australian Team for World Championship

NSW players Heather McCann, Sybil Turner, Christine Roughley, Carol Selem and Pat Rawlings selectted for Australia 1982 World Championship in Taiwan.Sydney Softball Association representative Chris Roughley has been named Captain.

competition although East Hills was “informal”. Most encouraging was the growth of Softball in the country, Illawarra, Leeton, Wagga Wagga and Port Macquarie. The next step was to conduct a Men’s State Championship. The first was held in March 1981. The March timeslot proved somewhat difficult. December was tried but the Men eventually settled on the Australia Day long weekend in January. In 1983 the championship was held in Leeton. Equally was the initiative of Campbelltown in November 1981 which inaugurated and invitational carnival for junior boys.

The Men’s Committee continued its pioneering work and with the approval of the ASF in 1982 undertook an Australian wide survey which confirmed the rapid growth of Men’s Softball.

The first interstate competition was held under the ASF banner from February 9 to 12, 1984 in Sydney at Oriole Baseball Stadium at Auburn. WA defeated NSW 9-0 in the Grand Final.

NSW were able to announce that as from 1984 Softball would officially recognised as a recognised sport for boys in NSW primary schools. Physical Education teacher, Ken Bond, was instrumental in securing a place in the schools sports agenda. NSW maintained its drive and conducted the first junior boys state championship in November, 1984 with 19 teams from 8 associations.

MEN’S SOFTBALLeighties

23 innings !!!!! Still no result

23 innings NSW tie with Victoria in Gilleys Shield 0-0 1981. Elsternwick Oval was the place of the longest Softball game in the World at the time. Joanne Paez (Vic) and Heather McCann (NSW) pitched the entire game for their states.Not long after this the Tie-Breaker was initiated world wide

3 NSW players selected for 1986 WorldsGaye Ledingham, Kylie Rustin, Cathy Watts, Carole Peel - Assistant Coach, Pat Rawlings - Manager and Lyn Hannah - Statistician were the NSW members selected. Australia finished a disappointing 9th at the championship which was cut short due to wet weather.

U19 Australian Team participates in first Youth World Championship

NSW Coach Carole Peel was appointed to lead the team as Head Coach to the Youth World Championship in Edmonton Canada. NSW Players selected were Sue O’Neill (VC), Joanne O’Donnell, Judy Bottomley and Pat Rawlings was the Manager. Australiaq finished 5th

1986 NSW win Treble

The Open Women’s Team called on some experienced players (who had retired) for this championship as the players selected to represent Australia at the 1986 World Championship were ineligible.NSW won the Open, U19 and U16 Women’s Championships

4 NSW players selected in the 1st Australian Men’s Team to participate at Worlds

1988 was the first time Australia sent a team to a Men’s World Championship 4 NSW Players were selected Robbie Richardson, Steve Vivian , Phil Savage and Alan Shingleton. Ken Bond - Coach and Don Trounce Manager were officials of the team. Australia finishes 7th

1989 NSW win

Inaugural U19 Men’s Australian

Championship

1993 Sybil Turner inducted into the ISF Hall of Fame

1992 1st U16 Men’s Australian Championship - NSW win

1994 NSW Men win trebleNSW Open Men win first Title

1991 Umpire Andrew Rindfleish appointed to Women’s Youth World Championship. First NSW umpire since Dawn Young in 1970 to be appointed to a World Championship

1991 Chris Roughley inducted into the ISF Hall of Fame

nineties

1990 Women’s World Championship USA - 5 NSW Players and 1 Official selected Julie Cassel, Gaye Ledingham, Melanie Roche, Kylie Rustin, Belinda Turner, Ken Arthur (Assistant Coach)

1992 Men’s World Championship - Philippines Simon Bremner, Warren Ingram, Robbie Richardson, Brian Stevens, Gary Johnston (Assistant Coach), Ken Bond (Manager), Shirley Fogarty (Statistician)

1991 U19 Women’s World Championship - Australia Bronze Medallists Michelle Bruce, Suzanne Fairhurst, Kelly Lindsay, Malina Milson, Brooke Wilkins, John Leggo (Head Coach)

1993 U19 Men’s World Championship - New Zealand Matthew Baddock, Patrick Brady, Shane Carter, Brendan Copeland, Joshua Davison, Bradley Hocking, Brien Hodges, Ken Arthur (Assistant Coach), Brian Cooper (Assistant Coach), Wilma McDonald (Manager)

Girls Uniform in their pitch

The NSW Women’s Softball Team will run on to the field against arch rivals Queensland at the national titles next week with a spring in their step.

Wearing a zippy new lycra uniform and boasting a stronger batting prowess, the NSW Team are determined to win the 1996 Australian Championship in Brisbane. Marking the start of the 50th anniversary celebrations the championships are the last chance for players to shine before the Australian Women’s Olympic Squad is chosen for Atlanta where Softball will be making its debut.

Captain Melanie Roche said the new uniforms had boosted the team’s morale.

“They are great; we weren’t expecting them to be so comfortable and we feel much sharper in them” she said

3 NSW Players selected for the 1996 Olympic

GamesMelanie Roche, Natalie Ward and Brooke Wilkins selected to represent Australia at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. Accompanying the team as officials from NSW are Ken Arthur (Assistant Coach), Carole Peel (Assistant Coach), David (Charlie)Whetu (Assistant Coach) and Gail Wykes (Team Manager)

1994 Women’s World Championship Canada Melanie Roche, Natalie Ward, Brooke Wilkins, Carol Selem (Assistant Coach), Tony Mackie (Assistant Coach), Billie Rustin (Manager)

1998 Women’s World Championship Japan Fiona Hanes Melanie Roche, Natalie Titcume, Natalie Ward

1996 Men’s World Championship - USA Troy Baverstock, Peter Clout, Josh Davison, Barry Blanchard (Head Coach), Darryl Clout (Manager), Andrew Rindfleish (Umpire)

1995 World Championship - USA Bronze Medallists Rebecca Farrant, Brooke Frauenfelder, Fiona Hanes, Melanie Thomas, Natalie Wood, Melinda Wright, Ken Arthur (Assistant Coach)Don Ledingham (Assistant Coach)

1999 U19 Women’s World Championship - Taipei Holly Cogle, Tanya Holdonow, Zara Mee, Stacey Porter, Michelle Summerville,Nikki Watson, Amanda Wheeler, Felicity Witt, Belinda Wright

1997 U19 Men’s World Championship - Canada - World Champions Shaun Beckley Michael Gibson David Ingram Mark LongAdam RindfleishPaul Sheehan Zelman Tan Kathy Horton (AC) Wilma McDonald (Manager) Matt Gowty (Umpire)

2000 NSW win all Women’s NationalsAs part of the leadup to the 2000 Olympice Games all venues were required to host a Test Event and the Australian Open Women’s Championship was chosen to be that event. NSW went in to the event as one of the favourites and didn’t disappoint the local crowd by taking out the title. The U16 and U19 teams also won their respective championships.

6 NSW players selected for the 2000 Olympic Games at Blacktown

Fiona Hanes (Crawford), Sue Fairhurst, Simmone Morrow, Melanie Roche, Natalie Titcume, Natalie Ward, Barry Blanchard (Assistant Coach) were all selected to participate in the 2000 Olympc Games where Australia won Bronze

Australia win Silver Medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens5 NSW players were selected in the 2004 Australian Team: Fiona Crawford (Hanes), Stacey Porter, Melanie Roche, Natalie Ward, Kerry Wyborn, Lloyd Howlett (Assistant Coach)

5 NSW Men selected for the World ChampionshipTroy Baverstock, Peter Clout, Josh Davison, Michael Gibson, Mark Long, Head Coach Renato Petrillo, Manager Barry Blanchard and Umpire Andrew Rindfleish were all selected to represent Australia at the 2000 Men’s World Championship in South Africa

new millenium

Australian U19 Men win 2001 World Championship in Sydney

Ward and Roche selected for 4th OlympicsMelanie Roche and Natalie Ward were selected in their 4th Olympic Team with Ward as Captain, joining them were Simmone Morrow, Stacey Porter, Belinda Wright (Barnes) and Kerry Wyborn. The team won Bronze in Beijing 2008.

Australia win 2009 Men’s World Championship

NSW had one representative in the team Nick Shailes and 2 officials, Barry Blanchard and Tony Mackie were Video Analysts

2008 Australian U19 Men win World

Championship

2005 Australia U19 Men win World Championship

2007 Out with the old

2007 In with the new

Softball NSW Hall of FameThe Softball NSW Hall of Fame was initiated in 2012 with the first inductees being Shirley Fogarty and Melanie Roche. Since that time Heather McCann, Gaye Ledingham, Dulcie Isted, Dawn Young, Gary Johnston, Robbie Richardson, Ilma Burke, Joan Fitton, Judy Phelps, Christine Roughley, Troy Baverstock, Peter Rainer, Carole Peel, Sybil Turner and Carol, Deegan (Selem) have all been added.

this decade

2016 NSW Men win John Reid Shield

2017 NSW Win all Women’s Nationals

2016 NSW Win all Men’s

Nationals

NSW plays host to the 70th Gilleys Shield Softball NSW was given the honour of hosting the 70th Gilleys Shield combined with U17 Women’s Australian Championship in January 2017 at Blacktown International Sportspark. Record crowds at-tended the event which was made even sweeter when the hosts NSW won both the Gilleys Shield along with the Esther Deason Shield.

2017 Australlia Win Silver at Men’s World Championship

2017 Carolyn Buttsworth retires after 30 years of

scoring for NSW

What a great 70 years of Softball in NSW and the best bit is you all have been part of it in some way.

Thank you

Pillars of Recognition

8 Pillars of Recognition were installed at the NSW Softball Centre to recognised members of Softball NSW highest achievements. Olympians, Hall of Fame, Australian Representatives, Life Members and Presidents will be permanently on

display for all to see.