Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013, September 01, 2000, Page 21, Image 21

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. .
BY
O riana
G reen
eather permitting, when
hatters step up to the plate
in Delta Park during the
2002 Gay Softball World
Series, they’ll see postcard
views of Mount Hood and Mount St. Helens
in the distance. That picturesque image was a
key idea that envoys from the Rose City Soft-
hall Association conveyed last month in Tor­
onto to delegates of the North American Gay
Amateur Athletic Alliance, which
voted to hold its annual event in
Portland from Aug. 19 to 25,
Sounding like a true transplant, Melani says
he wanted to bring the event to Oregon to
“showcase Portland. When you’re a member of
N A G A A A , it’s not required that you host the
games, but when you have the facilities, it’s
nice to take your turn.”
And boy oh girl do we have the brand­
spanking-new facilities. Two of them, in fact,
were completed in the past few years. One
venue will be at Delta Park in North Portland,
and the other will be the Hillsboro Stadium
complex, for a total of 11 softball diamonds.
Another reason this is a big deal is that
Portland is considerably smaller than cities that
2002 .
typically
play host to this event, such as
Toni Carr, womens division
commissioner, was on hand
Atlanta and Kansas City, Mo. “It will enhance
our stature as a city,” Melani believes. He also
for the announcement and
thinks the gay community has an opportunity
describes the emotional
“to make a major impression on the city.”
scene. “We just jumped up on
Which begs the question: Do thousands of
top of each other; it was so
exciting— we really wanted it.” beer-guzzling, hard-partying,
out-of-towns queer ath­
Someone not involved
letes spending a
with amateur softball leagues
week mingling
might not he able to appreciate
with the locals
how big a deal this is— for the RCSA
create a recipe
and for Portland. It was such a big deal that a
for trouble? For
diligent committee labored for months to pre­
pare a polished, hourlong presentation touting
protests? For
spring break-style
the merits of Portland and its environs as an
confrontations
ideal locale for this prestigious event.
with police?
It was such a big deal that a delegation of 17
people flew to Toronto to make the bid presen­
Not at all, Melani
tation. And it was such a big deal that the group
insists. During the six
Portland Police
even included Todd Wells, Portland Hilton
years he’s attended the
Bureau Chief Mark
Hotel sales manager, and Cathy Kretz of the
event, he never has seen Kroeker will play ball
Portland Oregon Visitors Association.
a problem. In fact, the
So why all the fuss to bring some gay
bid presentation included a letter from
and lesbian softball teams to Port­
Chief Mark Kroeker stating “the Port­
land? Money, honey.
land Police Bureau will work very
Between 2,500 and 3,000 visi­
hard to ensure a safe, positive and
tors will stay for a week in the
friendly event.”
Rose City, leaving behind $2 mil­
Toni Carr also has been to many
lion to $3 million in cash regis­
of these series, and she agrees
ters. And if all goes accord­
behavior is not an issue.
ing to plan, the RCSA will
“Sure, it’s fun to party, but
present checks for at least
it’s ball— that’s what it is,”
$10,000 each to three Port­
she says emphatically.
land charities: Esther’s
Melani goes on to say
Pantry, Our House and the
^
umpires love to work the
Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer
N A G A A A games because good
Foundation. Oh yeah, and it’s one hell
sportsmanship is the norm. “We don’t
of a party, too!
*^ + ^ 0
hassle the umpires over their calls. To me,
it’s one of the best gay sporting events in the
Hj he visionary behind it all is
world,” he explains, adding that he’s formed
Roy Melani, who has
many lasting friendships through the years.
segued from chairman of the bid
Pride also figures in the equation. “When
committee to chairman of the
you are one of the best in the nation, represent­
event. Back in Pittsburgh, he
ing your team in the world series”— he pauses to
played on a championship soft-
laugh at his own admission—“and when you’re
ball team that made it to the gay
as competitive as I am, it’s a goal to do well.”
world series several times. So
In fact, Melani promises that the Portland
when he and his partner moved
Storm, which finished tied for 17th out of 24
to Portland in the mid-’90s, one
teams in the B division at the gay world series
of the first things he did was
this year, already is planning to crank up its
establish the Portland Storm.
effort during the next two seasons in preparation
Since its inception, it has
for the big event. “We’re going to work really
placed first every year in the
hard to play especially well in 2002,” he pledges.
open B division, and this season
it even managed a record of 20
o how did representatives from a city
wins and no losses— the first
known mostly for rain— whose most
time an RCSA team ever has
famous athlete just might be Tonya Harding—
gone undefeated. The Storm also
convince hundreds of delegates who never
has participated in the gay world
even had been to Oregon to pick us? It wasn’t
series three times, trips that
so simple!
fueled a desire to play host to the
event.
Continued on Page 23
Between 2,500
and 3,000 visitors
will stay for a week
in the Rose City,
leaving behind
$2million to million
in cash registers.
;X:r
■Hi
P H O TO S BY MARTY DAVIS
Roy Melani hit it out of the park in Toronto
S
Roy Melani (left)
and Tim Bias
(right) signed the
contract with Todd
Wells of the Hilton
.
llliiiliii
EV ER YB O D Y
WINS WHEN
THE RCSA SCORES