1996 ASA Men’s Super Slow Pitch Nationals

1996 held at Winged Deer Park in Johnson City, Tennessee on August 16-18.


Champion – Ritch’s-Superior/Tri-Gems/Beloli/TPS, Windsor Locks, Connecticut (65-14)
Runner Up – Shen Valley/Superior/Taylor Brothers/TPS, Bridgewater, Virginia (70-17)


Once again, Ritch’s was superior.

Ritch’s Superior smashed Shen Valley 39-15 in the championship game of the Coca-Cola ASA Super National tournament at Winged Deer Park Sunday. The game was called after four innings because of the 20-run rule.

Ritch’s also won the ASA title in 1993, which was the last time the ASA’s version of the national championship was played in Johnson City.

The Windsor Locks, Conn., team has been regarded as having the best collection of men’s slow-pitch softball players in the world since its Grand Slam title run in 1993. It showed this weekend that it also knows how to bounce back, winning the ASA title one week after it lowest tournament finish of the season, a fifth-place showing in the ISA Major World Series.

Shen Valley’s Grand Slam dreams were ended with the loss. The Bridgewater, Va., team had captured the ISA Major World Series last weekend in Salem, Ore. The other two organizations who hold national championship tournaments are the NSA and USSSA.

As expected, Winged Deer Park wasn’t big enough to hold down the powerful sluggers who invaded the cozy confines. David Carmichael, who is the Johnson City Parks and Recreation Department Assistant Athletic Director, said the tournament home run total was 947 entering the title game and Ritch’s and Shen Valley combined for 30 big flies in that contest.

Ritch’s set the tone right away. Its first seven hitters reached out and dialed long distance. “I really think that was the experience and the veteran players on the team,” said Ritch’s third baseman Darrell Beeler. “We tried to throw a big number at them, and when we did they got flat. That was just about the game.”

The big number that Beeler talked about was 22, which was how many times Ritch’s scored in the top of the first inning. Ritch’s cranked out 15 homers, including three each from Beeler and Britt Hightower.

Shen Valley answered with seven in the bottom of the first inning. But when it could only post two in the second and then got shutout in the third inning, its fate was pretty much sealed.

Ritch’s was able to restore some of the luster it lost last weekend.

“We worked hard for this and that made it sweeter,” said Beeler. “For some of the new guys, this was their first national championship.

“I think some people thought we were on the downside, but I don’t believe that. I think we’re on the upside. These guys are just reaching their peak.”

Beeler, who was named the tournament’s most valuable player, had a standout day at the plate. He batted five times and hit a home run each time, driving in nine runs.

Hightower was 5 for 6 with seven RBI and four homers while Mike McColman went 4 for 4 with seven RBI and three homers. Dirk Androff and Doug Roberson each ripped three homers.

Al Davis was the only Shen Valley player with a multi-homer game, collecting two.

Beeler, Tot Powers of Shen Valley and Carl Rose of third-place Lighthouse tied for the tournament home run title with 19 apiece. Jeff Wallace of Steele’s Hitmen, won the batting crown with a .909 average.


  • MVP – Darrell Beeler, Ritch’s-Superior/Tri-Gems/Beloli/TPS
  • HR Leader – Darrell Beeler, Ritch’s-Superior/Tri-Gems/Beloli/TPS – 19
  • HR Leader – Tot Powers, Shen Valley/Superior/Taylor Brothers/TPS – 19
  • HR Leader – Carl Rose, Lighthouse/Worth (27-38, .711, 29 RBI) – 19
  • Batting Leader – Jeff Wallace, Steele’s Silver Bullets (30-33, 17 HR, 28 RBI) – .909

FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICANS

P – Paul Drilling, Ritch’s-Superior/Tri-Gems/Beloli/TPS (16-27, .593, 8 HR, 17 RBI)
C – Larry Fredieu, Ritch’s-Superior/Tri-Gems/Beloli/TPS (23-31, .742, 15 HR, 27 RBI)
1B – Dirk Androff, Ritch’s-Superior/Tri-Gems/Beloli/TPS (26-29, .897, 14 HR, 23 RBI)
2B – Rusty Bumgardner, Shen Valley/Superior/Taylor Brothers/TPS (26-34, .765, 17 HR, 30 RBI)
3B – Darrell Beeler, Ritch’s-Superior/Tri-Gems/Beloli/TPS (25-30, .833, 19 HR, 32 RBI)
SS – Ron Parnell, Ritch’s-Superior/Tri-Gems/Beloli/TPS (19-29, .655, 15 HR, 27 RBI)
OF – Steve Craven, Lighthouse/Worth (29-32, .906, 11 HR, 24 RBI)
OF – Britt Hightower, Ritch’s-Superior/Tri-Gems/Beloli/TPS (27-31, .871, 17 HR, 31 RBI)
OF – Scott Elliott, Shen Valley/Superior/Taylor Brothers/TPS (24-28, .857, 13 HR, 28 RBI)
OF – Todd Martin, Shen Valley/Superior/Taylor Brothers/TPS (26-31, .839, 14 HR, 26 RBI)
EP – JC Phelps, Shen Valley/Superior/Taylor Brothers/TPS (23-29, .793, 7 HR, 13 RBI)
UTIL – Tot Powers, Shen Valley/Superior/Taylor Brothers/TPS (30-34, .882, 19 HR, 36 RBI)
UTIL – Jeff Wallace, Steele’s Silver Bullets (30-33, .909, 17 HR, 28 RBI)
UTIL – Todd Joerling, Sunbelt/Easton (18-21, .857, 12 HR, 18 RBI)
UTIL – Dewayne Frizzell, Shen Valley/Superior/Taylor Brothers/TPS (27-30, .900, 12 HR, 25 RBI)

SECOND TEAM ALL-AMERICANS

P – Ricky Huggins, Lighthouse/Worth (25-36, .694, 18 HR, 32 RBI)
C – Jimmy Powers, Shen Valley/Superior/Taylor Brothers/TPS (25-32, .781, 13 HR, 27 RBI)
1B – Dennis Pierce, Southland/Back Porch/Moulton Furniture (19-25, .760, 14 HR, 24 RBI)
2B – Mike Shenk, Lighthouse/Worth (25-31, .806, 11 HR, 32 RBI)
3B – Albert Davis, Shen Valley/Superior/Taylor Brothers/TPS (24-31, .774, 16 HR, 25 RBI)
SS – John Mello, Shen Valley/Superior/Taylor Brothers/TPS (22-33, .667, 12 HR, 29 RBI)
OF – Doug Kissane, Steele’s Silver Bullets (27-32, .844, 13 HR, 19 RBI)
OF – Jacques Millier, Steele’s Silver Bullets (24-28, .857, 16 HR, 24 RBI)
OF – Doug Roberson, Ritch’s-Superior/Tri-Gems/Beloli/TPS (26-32, .813, 14 HR, 22 RBI)
OF – Phil White, Sunbelt/Easton (17-21, 810, 9 HR, 14 RBI)
EP – Carl Rose, Lighthouse/Worth (27-38, .711, 19 HR, 29 RBI)
UTIL – Charles Wright, Sunbelt/Easton (15-20, .750, 8 HR, 18 RBI)
UTIL – Jon Meyers, Steele’s Silver Bullets (25-31, 806, 17 HR, 22 RBI)
UTIL – Brian Greer, Dan Smith/Easton (15-19, .789, 9 HR, 16 RBI)
UTIL – Randy Kortokrax, Steele’s Silver Bullets (22-34, .647, 16 HR, 25 RBI)

THIRD TEAM ALL-AMERICANS

P – Gary Adams, No Limit/TPS
C – Wendall Rickard, Lighthouse/Worth (21-33, .636, 15 HR, 25 RBI)
1B – Cecil Hicks, SportsWorld/Reece/Worth
2B – George Sampson, Steele’s Silver Bullets 921-29, .724, 9 HR, 16 RBI)
3B – Jose Santiago, Bell-II/Easton
SS – Dal Beggs, Southland/Back Porch/Moulton Furniture (18-28, .643, 10 HR, 18 RBI)
OF – Shane McCullough, Ranier/TPS
OF – Anthony Pittman, Chip’s/Easton
OF – John McCraw, Sunbelt/Easton (14-20, .700, 10 HR, 20 RBI)
OF – Larry Carter, Dan Smith/Easton (17-21, .810, 7 HR, 14 RBI)
EP – Tom White, SoJern/Specialty Tank/TPS (10-15, .667, 8 HR, 14 RBI)
UTIL – Andy Alvis, Dan Smith (15-22, .682, 10 HR, 23 RBI)
UTIL – Dewayne Nevitt, Ritch’s-Superior/Tri-Gems/Beloli/TPS (20-30, .667, 11 HR, 14 RBI)
UTIL – Dale Walters, Ritch’s-Superior/Tri-Gems/Beloli/TPS (20-27, .741, 7 HR, 10 RBI)
UTIL – Chris Butler, Southland/Back Porch/Moulton Furniture (17-23, .739, 9 HR, 17 RBI)


OTHERS

Dave Steffen, Sunbelt/Easton (14-19, .737, 12 HR, 19 RBI)
Derek Jones, Lighthouse/Worth (24-33, .727, 6 HR, 13 RBI)
Robbie Ergle, Lighthouse/Worth (22-32, .710, 12 HR, 24 RBI)
Monty Tucker, Steele’s Silver Bullets (20-30, .667, 12 HR, 20 RBI)
Jason Kendrick, Shen Valley (21-32, .656, 6 HR, 11 RBI)


FINAL STANDINGS

1. Ritch’s-Superior/Tri-Gems/Beloli/TPS, Windsor Locks, CT (5-0)
2. Shen Valley/Superior/Taylor/TPS, Bridgewater, VA (4-2)
3. Lighthouse/Worth, Stone Mountain, GA (4-2)
4. Steele’s Silver Bullets, Brook Park, OH (4-2)
5t. Sunbelt/Easton, Centerville, GA (2-2)
5t. Southland/Back Porch/Moulton Furniture, Gainesville, GA (2-2)
7t. Dan Smith/Easton, San Jose, CA (2-2)
7t. SoJern/Specialty Tank/TPS, Cedar Brook, NJ (2-2)
9t. Bell II/Easton, Orlando, FL (1-2)
9t. Rainier/TPS, Seattle, WA (1-2)
9t. No Limit/TPS, Concord, CA (1-2)
13t. Chip’s/Easton, Nashville, TN (1-2)
13t. Herrin/Dudley, Sabannah, GA (0-2)
13t. Sports World/Reece/Worth, Lebanon, TN (0-2)
13t. Planet Softball/H&W/TPS, Lexington, KY (0-2)
17. Martin Contracting, Evansville, IN (0-2)

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