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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 16, 2002)
august 16, 200? W orld 2002 Portland promises to take the biggest queer sporting event in the nation “to the top” by M elissa S ayler P hotos by M arty D avis ou know it’s a big deal when the winning team members get rings— not cherry sucker rings or hot pink plastic ones from the novelty store but real live engraved, 100 percent silver, bejeweled rings. And there’s trophies, too.- Such will be the material rewards for the six champion soft- ball teams coming to Portland to play in the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance’s 26th annual Softball World Series (presented by Miller Light!). O f course, those rewards might not match up to the worth of the great stories and sense of pride any team earns for making it all the way to the top softball tournament. Jake Packer of Portland’s Gay Yellow Pages team says: “For us, it’s not about holding up a trophy, it’s about helping our selves be better players and better people. 1 learn something every time I step on the field with these guys. They are my idols, my teachers, but most of all, they are my friends. Holding up the World Series trophy would just be icing on the big ol’ cake!” The cake being a season that begins in April and runs through the end of July. Portland’s league is divided into an Open division— teams with both men and women playing on them— and a Women’s division. The Open division has teams categorized as A, B, C or D level (A being the most competi tive), and the Women’s division teams are categorized as either Competitive or Alternative. This year no local teams were signed up as A level in the Open division. Only two teams played in the B level, both of which are headed to the World Series (Boxxes Storm and Port land’s Gay Yellow Pages). Also headed to the tournament are two C level teams (JO Q ’s and Scandals), one D level team (Sil verado Titans), one Womens Competitive team (Mixed Fruit) and three Womens Alternative teams (Egyptian Club’s Mad Dogs, Unleash Yourself and Just Out/Sensory Perception’s Team Betty). The C and D Open divisions had the fiercest competition for winning one of Portland’s nine berths in the World Series. Six teams competed to represent Portland in the D division, and four teams competed for one of two spots on the C division. Portland is bringing the second-largest contingent of teams to this year’s event, with San Francisco bringing the most at 10. Although a schedule of games will not be available for the women’s division until Aug. 18 and for the open division until Aug. 19, you can check www.portlandgaysoftball.com through out the week to check the status as teams head toward those ultimate championship games. Confused yet.7 If you’re a fan rather than a player, don’t worry about the logistics. Just make your way to a field and watch hot- ties play ball. There’s no charge for any of the games, and you won’t be alone; word has it ESPN and Sports Illustrated will be in the crowd, too. Continued on Page S9 ple who don’t will be impressed.” When not tripping around a softball field, Aaron Homstein has been playing Homstein hikes, climbs mountains, plays the softball with the Embers Redwings piano and hangs exit at home in Southeast for four years now, but you can bet the talented little gay boy defected mighty Portland. He’s also training to be a group thera pist, which he says would help players during quick when the Silverado Titans asked him to softball matches except “they’re all really, really play on their team for the World Series. fucked up. They’re beyond group therapy.” “I am a softballaholic,” Homstein admits. Although Homstein doesn’t have a cool He’s also the sponsorship and fund-raising softball nickname like “Lefty" or “Bulldog,” he chairman for the World Series. is relatively well known for his oft-used phrase Homstein’s guess, though, is that the Titans “More of everything!” mostly employed while just wanted more pretty boys on their team jumping up and down and clapping his hands. rather than talent and connections. In any case, the second baseman and some But that doesn’t meanjie can’t bat. When times shortstop is looking forward to the series, asked his stats, he hedges, “1 would put 700.” as evidenced by punctuating any and all con Does that mean it's really 700? “I talked versations about it with “Yaaaaay!” to my coach, and he said.. .put 700 because | people who know you will laugh and peo — Lisa Bradshaw J
