Just out., July 16, 2004, Page 41, Image 41

jüiy- 16 .2004 '
SPORTS
That championship season
Ju st ou t4 ]
“This year we tried to put more
iphasis on having fun.”
One team fans can always
count on for a great game is
the Mad Dogs, who won the
women’s division alterna­
tive conference (as they
by L isa B radshaw and J odi H elmer • P hotos by M arty D avis
so often do). Mad Dogs
have decided to call it
urves, home runs and line drives are all
just want to participate in a sport and
quits, so winning this last
part of the game for the 350 softball play-*
enjoy the camaraderie.
season was especially
ers who spend their Sunday afternoons
Bella Boys finished the season in
meaningful.
chasing balls and circling bases as part of
third place, but Mitchell says win­
“They’ll be missed,”
the Rose City Softball Association.
ning the championship was not as
laments women’s divi­
The season for the queer league has
important as developing friendships
sion assistant commis­
been one of big victory and big loss: The
and team spirit. “We are playing and having
sioner Noelle Buckley. “Everybody aspires to
Redwings, a middle conference team,
fun,” she says. “We want to win, but it isn’t
beat them year after year, so they’ll be a big
won all 11 of their games, while the
quite as competitive.”
loss. They’re a really fun team to play.”
upper conference Yellow Pages
Bella Boys shortstop Autumn King pipes in:
As commissioner of the open division,
team failed to win a single game.
“It’s all about playing well, not about bringing
Drew Canulette says this year he has taken a
But the emphasis, as always, was
home the trophy.... Everyone is really good-
hands-off approach to managing the league.
on having a good time.
natured and supportive.”
“We are empowering people and placing the
“The league is a heck of a lot
Teams cheered each other on during several
impetus on the teams and managers to make
of fun, and 1 love it,”
things happen,” he
says Kat Mitchell, a
explains. “This sea­
first-year player. “I will
son, the team man­
definitely play again
agers have made a lot
next year.”
of decisions; the com­
Mitchell, a
missioners have just
catcher for the
administered those
lower confer­
decisions.”
ence Bella
One of those
Boys, says
decisions was a con­
playing softball has
sensus not to hold a
helped her gain confi­
championship series.
dence. “When I started
Instead, placements
1 really, really sucked,”
will be decided based
she admits. “I have
on the standings for
enjoyed seeing myself
the season. First-
get better—seeing our
place winners have
whole team get better.”
already been an­
The league, which
nounced; additional
includes both women’s
standings will
and open (mixed-
The Portland Gay Men’s Chorus celebrates its top place in the lower conference depend on final play
gender) divisions,
July 18.
encourages players of all skill
tournaments this season at the Gordon Faber
The league will be represented by two
levels to join. With the open
Recreational Complex in Hillsboro, where all
teams— Oregon Haze from the upper confer­
division split into upper, mid­
regular season games also take place. The Cas­
ence and Scandals from the middle— at the
dle and lower conferences
cade Cup, held during the Fourth of July week­
North American Gay Amateur Athletic
(from higher skill level to less)
end, found 24 teams from across the country
Alliance World Series next month in Dallas,
and the women’s division split
competing for the coveted title. The Redwings
Texas. Commissioners are also planning for the
into alternative (more com­
won the cup on their home turf, creating one
upcoming Fall Ball, an extended softball season
petitive) and recreational, the
of the most memorable moments of the season.
that runs every Sunday in September.
association can accommodate
The 2004 action-packed season has Rose
everyone from serious players
or Jay Heidenrich— pitcher for the Portland
City Softball Association players, board
Winner of the Ju st Out award for Best Team on the Planet
in teams with winning records
Gay Men’s Chorus, which won the lower
members and commissioners all excited about
to players like Mitchell who
conference— it was not the team’s win-loss
the future of gay softball in Oregon and in
record that made the season
increasing the participation of both players
memorable. “This year has
and fans.
been fantastic. The weather
“We want to get the league out in front of
has been incredible, and
people,” states Dale Clinton, a member at large
nobody has been hurt,” says
on the board of directors. “We want to bring peo­
Heidenrich, apparently
ple out and get more teams involved with the
unaware of the gigantic pur­
league," which, he notes, will also create “positive
public relations for the gay community.” JP !
ple bruise on his left knee
and ice pack clinging to his
shin— both softball injuries.
p f conference: Bike Gallery
icfSfcf conference: Redwings
There have been other
such injuries dunng the sea­
>wer conference: Portland Gay Men’s
son. In fact, just minutes after
Heidenrich’s injury-free com­
ments during the league’s
final games July 11, a team­
mate was taken to the hospi­
tal
for stitches after being hit
leats of Fire
in the head with a softball.
&> make no mistake, this
is serious softball league play.
But Heidenrich notes 2004
was definitely more low-key.
“Last year we won the cham­
pionship. It was a very com­
Visit www.portlandgaysoftball.com after July 18
petitive year. We really want­
for final season standings.
ed to win the games,” he says.
Two teams head to the World Series,
while Mad Dogs take a final how
ylivision