THE GAME, Saginaw, MI 1981
May 28, 2010
Saginaw, MI
(With the ISC WT in Michigan this year, thought it a good time to re print this golden oldie - AD)
Note: This article appeared in the 1989 ISC Guide. Written by Roger May.
Past Innings. 1981 ISC World Tournament
1981. I'm certain it was a great year in sports; but unless I was to review
the sports highlights for that year, none of the events are clear in my
mind-but one; Saginaw, Michigan- the International Softball Congress World
Fastpitch Tournament. That tournament of fastball not only gets my vote as
the greatest tournament I have even seen, but I believe the records
established in that tournament rate it as one of, if not the greatest
tournament ever played.
Michigan has a history of quality fastball teams and with Saginaw and
Midland being close to home (300 miles), I've always enjoyed going there
for various tournaments. The pitching rivalries in those two cities from
1979 through 1981 consisted of Owen Walford, Kevin Herlihy, Michael White,
and Peter Finn. Art Gillis, sponsor of the Saginaw Bolters, played a large
part in bringing each of those players into the area. In addition the
quality of teams coming into both Midland and Saginaw were first-rate.
Part of the enjoyment of going to a tournament is making new friends and
renewing acquaintances whether they are fans, coaches, players or
officials. Being a part of the excitement on opening day and anticipating
the match-ups after seeing the tournament draw, these are all part of the
ritual that helps build the excitement.
As Saginaw was to be my first ISC World Tournament, I didn't know what to
expect. Would I see a handful of teams dominating the rest? I had been
told by fastball friends the ISC was the greatest tournament in fastball.
Boy, were they right!
After researching for this article, I decided to highlight the dominance of
the pitching. Some critics (there were some) thought the pitching dominance
was due to the gray ball with the high seams that was used and others
attributed it to the lack of color contrast between the ball and the
infield. Although these may have played a minor part in the record-setting
performances, I believe the only significant reason was the talent of the
pitchers.
The 1981 ISC helped establish pitchers Mark Smith and Paul Magan,
youngsters Peter Finn and Peter Meredith, introduced Steve Schultz, Chris
Nicholas and Brad Underwood, and affirmed the talents of Kevin Herlihy. Cal
Oxford and Peter Brown. In addition, the fans were witness to some of the
legends of the game winding down their careers. All of these pitchers had
many different skills, but three things they had in common were intensity,
determination, and confidence.
Was the pitching dominant? Flip through a current issue of the ISC Guide
and look at all the pitching and fielding records recorded at the '81 event.
Then examine some of the stats that don't appear in the book: total games
played-80; total shutouts: 23 of 41 winner's bracket games, 22 of 39 losers
bracket games. Only 5 games could be considered one-sided (more than a 4
run differential). Extra inning games-12: 4 at 8 innings, 1 at 9, 2 at 10,
and 1 each at 11,12,13,28, and 34 innings. One run games-39 and only ten
teams batted .200 or better and the team batting average for all 41 teams -
.166 !
Three teams, Tulsa, Midland and Madison had 21% of the total putouts and
played 20% of the total innings.
But it wasn't only the pitching that made this tournament so memorable. In
a winners' bracket game, Aurora Home Savings & Loan and Larry Miller Toyota
of Salt Lake City hooked up in a rematch from the 1980 ISC. The previous
year in a winners semi-final game in Tempe, AZ, Aurora had shut out Miller
Toyota and was intimidating in doing so. So the 1981 game looked to be a
repeat as defending champions, Aurora were leading 2-0 in the 3rd, when
suddenly the roof fell in. Bunts, chops, seeing-eye singles, (no ball left
the infield) and before the inning was over, the Toyota gang had finished
off the champs getting a 9-2 victory in 5 innings.
In Saginaw, seating down both lines was not protected from the playing
field above box level (about 42 inches). Therefore fans had to be ever
alert, especially those bringing back trays of beer in 24 oz cups. It
became quite common (and comical) to see spectators drenched in beer- as
the beer carrier was successful in avoiding a line drive but not so lucky
in saving the beer. The fans loved it and cheered each occasion.
Art Gillis, host of the event, remembered spending 60 consecutive hours at
the park due to extra innings. One ball game ran into the next, and for him
there was never a break or a chance to relax. From August 18, a Tuesday
starting at 8 a.m. until Friday, August 21st, 12:15 a.m. there was
continuous action. Art Cashion, then ISC statistician who was scoring game
2,3, and 4 after the 34 inning game, recalls: "We finally finished up our
paperwork at 7:50 a.m. and the next day's session was to start 10 minutes
later!".
What is the definition of a cinderella team? Certainly any team that plays
the equivalent of 16 games over nine days (10 in the losers' bracket), has
to be the ultimate cinderella team. The Tulsa Firebirds played the
equivalent of 6 games in less that 24 hours, starting their first game at
5:54 a.m. (a.m. not p.m.) and defeating Seattle Westside Federal 4-0 in a
game that ended at 7:50 a.m. the next morning. They then took the diamond
immediately after for an 8 a.m. game against Newmarket Rays from Ontario.
That same night they started a 28-inning game against Ashland Faultless at
11:20 p.m. That one ended at 4:50 a.m. when they used a suicide squeeze to
nab a 1-0 victory. Three games, three victories, 42 innings, in 22 hours,
56 minutes!
During the tournament, Tulsa played three extra inning games totaling 49
innings, the equivalent of seven, 7 inning games.
Manager Carl Wilson, reminiscing, stated: "It was an incredible performance
by the whole team. We played for a run and always seemed to scratch one out
when we needed it. We had a lot of team players. Cal Oxford (pitcher) was
the ultimate team player and never got down on anyone or blamed anyone if
an error was made. Cal had a back injury the following year and never fully
recovered. But what a performance he gave! Catcher, Tom Presley suffered
from poor leg circulation and was never the same after 1981.".
Mark Smith pitching in his first ISC World tournament, would go undefeated
in ISC World play until 1988 in Decatur when he lost to Midland's Peter
Finn in extra innings. However, Mark almost lost his first game against
St. Louis.(note: this team was managed by the late Russ Boice). The
Camarillo Kings were losing 1-0 when Floyd LaVergne saved the day with a
two-run single. Remembering the game, Mark stated: "I was nervous and
definitely felt the pressure. It was one of the worst games I had pitched
all season, and I was upset and disappointed. My next start I had something
to prove and was ready." Mark credited his pitching coach and mentor,
Jackie Newman for developing his talent and building his confidence.(note:
his next start was a perfect game). Umpire Bob Walsh, who worked the plate
in Smith's perfect game, remembers: "His rise ball was exploding and he had
good location. Possibly due to wildness in his first game against St. Louis
(seven walks and near defeat), he might have intimidated some of the
batters.". Smith fanned 13 and allowed only four ground balls in recording
his perfect game against Las Vegas.
Kevin Herlihy of the Saginaw Bolters also pitched a perfect game for 9-1/3
innings- and lost in the 10! Herlihy, who struck out 16 consecutive
batters in that game, was the hard luck story of the tournament, finishing
with a record of 5-2 although fashioning a ERA of 0.15 ! He struck out 21
of 28 batters and rarely had more than one ball on any of them.
Many fans now refer to it as THE GAME. Midland vs Madison. Finn vs
Meredith. 34 innings, seven hours, 26 minutes, 106 strikeouts. What an
incredible performance by two superb pitchers. THE GAME started Tuesday at
5:58 p.m. and ended at 1:24 a.m. Finn, the 2-1 victor, threw 12
consecutive perfect innings, striking out 26 of 36. He faced 118 batters
and fanned 64 of them. He allowed one hit from the fourth through the 23
inning and struck out the side 7 times.
Meredith, facing a tougher lineup, had 19 perfect innings and struck out 42
of the 121 he faced. He allowed just one hit from the 20th through the 32nd
and fanned the side twice.
In a recent conversation (1989), Finn related: "I became more confident as
the game progressed. I felt that every pitch I threw was where I wanted it.
It was just an incredible feeling and tough to describe. I just couldn't
throw a bad pitch. I remember Meredith throwing so well during the last
half of the game.".
Ex-Midland player Gerry Hoffman remembered THE GAME in his own unique way:
"I got bored. I fell asleep. I signed autographs on behalf of Peter Finn. I
cheered until I was hoarse, and I saw a game that I'll remember for the
rest of my life. Other than that, it was just another game!".
Ex-ISC Commissioner, Tim O'Hara from Washington recalled it in this way: "I
had arrived at the park around 6 p.m. and watched the first few innings of
THE GAME. As the Westside Federal team wouldn't be playing until 10:30, I
decided to go back to my room and take a nap. My nap turned into a sleep
and I woke up about 10:45. I was in a panic. I was going to miss most of
the Westside game. I rushed to the park to find THE GAME in the 23rd
inning! I still had 11 innings plus two more 7 inning games to sit through
before I got to see my team play.".
Since the 1981 ISC World Tournament, I have been to many other tournaments
in Canada, the U.S. and New Zealand. Some of these, including the 1986 and
1987 ISC tournaments in Sioux City and Saskatoon, were tremendous
tournaments both statistically and as entertainment. But I doubt whether
any tournament will be able to match 1981.
What a tournament! ISC-Saginaw, Michigan-1981.
Acknowledgements: Art Cashion, (ex)ISC Statistician, Judy Hoffman of
Midland, MI., Players, Coaches, Officials and Fans for their recollections.
Milt Stark for his encouragement and support.
Roger May
