1
SPORTS
............ ▼.............
omplete with sunshine and clear blue
skies, the 26th annual N orth American
Gay Amateur A thletic A lliances Gay
Softball World Series from Aug. 18 to 24
in Portland was like hitting a grand slam in the
bottom of the ninth with two outs and one to
go— it just doesn’t get any better than that.
“I heard from hundreds of people that it was
the best World Series ever,” exclaims Tim Bias,
activities director for the Rose City Softball
Association. “It made me proud because the com
mittee and everyone who helped put their hearts
and souls into this. I really can’t describe how
perfect it was. It was the highlight of my life.”
According to Roy Melani, RCSA and World
Series director, approximately 2,500 queer soft-
ball players and 1,000 queer-friendlies participat
ed in the weeklong string of events and activi
ties. In addition to rounds of grueling head-to-
head competition, the World Series played host
to a bunch of other stuff such as the Miss Gay
Softball World Series Pageant, Spirit Mountain
Casino Trip, Girls Night O ut and Twisted Tal
ent Show— all of which seemed to be a hit.
“Outside of the games themselves, which
went beautifully,” says Bias, "everything was a
success. I had high expectations, and every
thing far exceeded them .”
In fact, nothing seemed to be able to rain
on this big, gay parade. N ot even a visit from
the Village Idiot.
W hen the Bush administration asked Melani
to move the ballplayers and talent show from the
Hilton to another hotel, he says it wasn’t a big
deal when he declined to do so. “They asked me,
and I said ‘No.’ It didn’t seem to be a problem.”
According to Bias, not only were they treat
ed with the utmost respect from FBI agents loi
tering around the hotel, but he thinks the pres
ident’s witness of the most joyous of gay festivi
ties was advantageous.
Grand slam
Not even Dubya could rain on the World Series parade
by
C ourtney P erkins
Mixed Fruit wins the Women’s Competitive division. Was there ever any doubt?
“I think it was a big coup for the gay com
munity,” he says. “Here were a bunch of
homosexuals in the same hotel as the Bush
adm inistration, sleeping, eating, talking—
showing th at we’re just hum an, just the
same. I think it put the gay com m unity in a
better light. O utside there were a bunch of
protesters...fighting and causing trouble, and
here we w ere...just going about our own
business, just being hum an. It opened some
eyes; th a t’s my personal feeling.”
W hat’s more is
the fact that Mayor
Vera Katz, a staunch
supporter of the sexu
al minorities commu
nity, made it a point
to check in with the
softballers to see how
they were doing in
light of the Bush
protests.
“The mayor’s
office was glad to
learn that the series
was such a success,”
communications
director Sarah Bott
says, “and appreciates
the players’ patience
Some World Series committee members can be so hard to get in a picture with the traffic tie-
ups and extra security procedures at the hotel
during the president’s visit."
Despite what could have been potential dis
asters, the World Series ran as smoothly as an
Indy 500 race car and, according to Bias, could
be headed back to the Rose City next year.
“People were utterly amazed at what a great
city we have,” he beams.
n softball action at the World Series, the
strongest showing for Portland came from
Mixed Fruit, the only local Women’s Competi-
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tive team to
participate in
the tourney.
They cleaned
up over the
Atlanta
Blaze for the
champi
onship ring
in their divi
sion. The
other most
notable fin
ish for Port
Activities director Tim Bias:
land came
“It was the highlight of my life”
from the Sil
verado Titans, who took third in the D division.
In the O pen division, the Los Angeles Stray
Cats took the crown over the Los Angeles
Fever at the A level; the Fort Lauderdale (Fla.)
Alibi Demons dominated over the Seattle R
Place Monarchs in the B division; the Norfolk
(Va.) Cavaliers beat the Boston Fritz South-
enders in the C division; and in the D division
the Chicago M SA Little Dog Properties
hounded the San Francisco Comets.
The San Francisco Pilsner Panthers defeat
ed the San Diego Powerhouse Gym in the
W om ens Alternative division.
For softball buffs who just can’t get enough,
the RCSA has scheduled a fall season. For com
plete details, visit www.portlandgaysoftball.com.
In other softball news, the Lesbian Com m u
nity Projects tournam ent in Bush Prairie,
Wash., also went off without a hitch last
m onth as 32 teams competed for the title.
“T he campground was full to overflowing
with lesbians," says Kristan Aspen, LCP staff
organizer. “A good time was had by all, as far as
we could tell. - j n
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