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Nelson's Marty Grant to be inducted into Softball New Zealand Hall of Fame

September 3, 2015

Nelson, NZ

 

ORIGINAL STORY by Wayne Martin

Nelson's Marty Grant to be inducted into Softball New Zealand Hall of Fame

Softballer Marty Grant is going to be inducted into the New Zealand Softball Hall of Fame.
MARTIN DE RUYTER/FAIRFAX NZ

Softballer Marty Grant is going to be inducted into the New Zealand Softball Hall of Fame.

 

 

Former Black Sox pitcher Marty Grant's long and celebrated playing career is being recognised at the highest level with his induction into the Softball New Zealand Hall of Fame.

Nelson's ex-international hurler, former White Sox players Jackie Smith and Melisa Tupuivao and international umpire Wiremu Tamaki have been invited to attend a special ceremony at Softball New Zealand's annual meeting in Wellington on Saturday where they'll join an illustrious cast of 59 previous inductees, including Nelson's Ed Dolejs - the former New Zealand women's coach who was inducted in 1995. Dolejs is also a life member of Softball New Zealand.

There's no question about 49-year-old Grant's credentials in a career stretching back to 1979, having won three world titles, including a starring role on the pitching mound in the Black Sox' 2-1 win over Japan in the 2000 final in East London, South Africa. He also won world titles in Midland, Michigan in 1996 and in Christchurch in 2004.

Grant attended five world championships, also winning two silver medals, and was part of the New Zealand team that won the Commonwealth Championship title in 2006. He played 54 tests for New Zealand between 1990 and 2009, winning 53 of them. He holds the all-time Black Sox record for games pitched, innings pitched, strikeouts and wins.

Grant was named New Zealand Softball player of the year in 1991 and was pitcher of the year five times. He won eight provincial championships with Wellington, six of them consecutively, and also secured five national club titles with Poneke-Kilbirnie. He also spent several years playing in the North American leagues with a variety of teams.

Grant was notified of his induction last weekend.

"I guess over the past week I've had a bit of time to reflect on what I've done," he said.

"There's some milestones you create to get into the Hall of Fame that I'm pretty proud and I don't know if anyone knows about them. They certainly mean something to me because it's been a big part of my life.

"You don't do what you do with the intention of becoming a Hall of Famer, but I guess it's just an acknowledgement of an opportunity to reflect really. I've had the chance to do that over the last week and it's about making the memories and enjoying all the people that you've met.

"I don't see them around because they're all over the world and Nelson's a pretty small softball community. But all my mates I've known that have been important and have helped me through, I'm going to get an opportunity to thank them at the weekend - and my coaches and family."

Grant hasn't entirely hung up his glove and in October will be leading the Wakatu Rebels - a team of former national and international team-mates - at the New Zealand Masters Games in Nelson. He said the team will also include some of the mates he played with at Nayland College back in the "late 70s and early 80s".

His three world titles will always hold a special place in Grant's memory, although his association with the champion Poneke-Kilbirnie club team and six consecutive national provincial titles with Wellington are also high on his list.

"Through that time too, there was the start of a pretty strong legacy for the New Zealand men's softball team which started [with a world crown] back in '96." 

Grant is still involved in the game as a coach. He coaches his 11-year-old son Cooper's Nelson Eagles intermediate team and the Eagles Reserves B grade side and still holds various pitching clinics over the summer months.

His coaching isn't reserved solely for softball though, also calling the shots as the Nelson under-12 club rugby coach and with the Nelson Bays under-48kg representative side.

 - Stuff

 

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