ISF Hall of Fame inductees announced - Softball Australia

October 22, 2015

---

 

ORIGINAL STORY

ISF Hall of Fame inductees announced

21 October 2015

The 27th WBSC Softball Congress concluded on Friday 16 October, with 10 new ISF Hall of Fame inductees, including three Australians:

 

 

 

 

Softball Australia congratulates Mike, Marissa and Neville and takes great pride in the recognition of these worthy recipients.

Mike Harrow

Mike Harrow has had a long and distinguished international softball career. Mike’s retirement came after captaining the Aussie Steelers to their first ever World Championship win in 2009. 

Mike represented Australia from 1990 until 2009. Captaining the Aussie Steelers from 2001 until 2009. He played at 5 Open Men’s World Championships (1992, 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2009). Allocated player number 21, Mike is the most capped men’s player with 160 international games.

Mike was inducted into the Softball Australia Hall of Fame in 2013.

Mike represented Softball ACT at 22 consecutive Open Men’s national championships from 1988 until 2009. During this time the ACT men won 9 national titles. Mike has received three awards at national championships, Most Valuable Player 1995 and 2008 and Best Batter in 2004.

Marissa Warburton (nee Carpadios)

Marissa debuted for Australia in 1997 at the Qantas Challenge in Brisbane. She was the 185th player to represent Australia and played a total of 175 games in an international career that spanned 10 years. Marissa represented Australia at the 2002 and 2006 World Championships and won a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Marissa was Australia’s number one catcher for a number of years. She consistently controlled the games from behind the plate ensuring the pitchers were secure in pitching to their full capabilities and provided a steadying influence on the team during tight situations. Marissa become a strong leader and key driver of the 2004 silver medal winning team in Athens.

Marissa represented the Queensland Open Women’s team from 1997 until 2007, during this period the team won five national titles. She was also a great contributor with the bat, winning Best Batter in 2001 at the Open Women’s National Championship and Best Batter at the Australia Cup in 2002.

During her career, Marissa caught to three of the Australia’s world class pitchers Melanie Roche, Tanya Harding and Brooke Wilkins, finishing her career with a lifetime fielding average of 0.980, a testament of her ability behind the plate.

Marissa announced her retirement in 2006 following the XI Women’s World Championship in Beijing. At that tournament, she helped Australia secure a place in the 2008 Olympic Games, winning a bronze medal and hitting a grand slam homerun.

Marissa was inducted into the Softball Australia Hall of Fame in 2010.

 

Neville Lawrance

Neville has an international umpiring career spanning more than 15 years. He was umpire number #772 to achieve his ISF certification. In 1997, Neville attended 14 international events, including the 1998 Women’s World Championship in Fujinomiya, Japan and the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. At a number of these events, Neville was either a Tournament Chief Umpire (TCU), Deputy TCU or Clinician. Since 2005, Neville has been a member of the National Championship and Masters Championship Organising Committees for events hosted by Softball South Australia.

At the national level, Neville attended 32 junior national championships, seven as the TCU and seven as an Assessor and Examiner. At the open level, Neville attended 22 open national championships, two as a TCU and six as an Assessor and Examiner.

Neville was inducted into the Softball Australia Hall of Fame in 2013.

A dedicated contributor to our sport. Neville has been a long serving member of the National Umpiring Committee and is currently the Softball South Australia State Representative to the National Umpiring Committee.