Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Softball Napanee will mark the 40th anniversary of the town’s first national fast pitch title on Friday night, welcoming members of the 1982 Napanee Legionnaires Midgets to the Fairground diamonds.
A special ceremony will be held on the field at 6:30 p.m., just prior to the current Napanee Express’ U20 Canadian Fast Pitch Championships round robin game against Saskatchewan.
Eighteen of the 20 members of the ’82 team are expected to be in attendance and will be introduced one by one as they take the field for a special presentation. They include: Al Whitfield, Al Garrison, Dave Long, Bill Langridge, Kevin MacDonald, Mike Finn, Chris Brant, Jimmy Wagar, Bryce Rowe, Scott Thompson, Mike Parks, Doug Weese, Larry Gray, RJ Graham, Peter Wood, Angelo Lentini, Randy Thompson and John Ferguson. The late Terry Gray was also a member of that team and will be represented by his nephew Dexter Hughson.
That roster represented Napanee when the town hosted its first ever national fast pitch tournament in ‘82, then played at King Street Park, and shocked the softball world by winning gold in front of a packed crowd.
“Back when we won it there was no team east of Oshawa that anybody ever thought would win it,” recalled Whitfield, who coached the ’82 club.
That year’s tournament saw teams representing every province-plus the two territories and the host Legionnaires. Teams were evenly matched as well with games decided by one or two runs, save for the final, which Napanee won 7-1 over Hagersville. According to Whitfield however, the game didn’t start out great for the host team.
“Kevin MacDonald walked the first four batters,” recalled the coach. “He looked over at the bench and I said you never lost a championship for me. Stay in there, work it out.”
He found his groove and the bats went to work, leading Napanee to gold.
Doug Weese shows the ring that was handed out to all the members of the 1982 Canadian championship team. Photo by Adam Prudhomme.
According to a write up in the Beaver, it was estimated that more people were at King Street Park to watch that championship game than the entire population of Napanee at that time. Whitfield recalls fans sitting atop the roofs of houses over looking the park just to catch a glimpse of the game.
They may not have realized it at the time, but that team put Napanee on the softball map and ignited a winning tradition that has continued for four decades.
“It’s something that you feel like you started,” said Weese who played on the ’82 team and is helping to organize the reunion. “Broke the ice. It’s good for the community, it’s good for the sport….A lot has changed, but the quality of ball and the players in this area is second to none in my opinion.”
The current Express will hope history can repeat itself this weekend as they look to follow in the footsteps of the ’82 team-and 2018 team-and win a gold medal on Napanee turf.