Kevin Herlihy, master of the game
July 6, 2006
New Zealand
Kevin Herlihy, master of the game. A tribute from Trevor Rowse.
Kevin Herlihy changed the history of softball, much as BrianWareham (Auckland) had done in the 1950s and Bill Massey (Hutt Valley) inthe 1960s.
Kevin went even further, winning gold medals in the worldchampionships of 1976 and 1984 and US national titles, like his pitchingcolleagues Michael White and Owen "The Fog" Walford.
The big man was special. He could have won earlier worldtitles if New Zealand had developed the batting as it had the fielding.Leading the pitching statistics meant nothing with the teamscoreless.
National softball history was also changed when Kevinswitched from the champion Miramar and Wellington sides to Waikato. HuttValley and Railways had totally dominated the domestic game for eightyears when Massey was the champion.
Miramar and Wellington would have had an even longer reignand the game would have suffered. There were national titles forCambridge and Waikato, but neither side could match the brilliance oftheir pitcher. At some times there was not even a catcher who could copewith the speed and control.
If he had been in Wellington the domination would have lefteven Hutt Valley in the cold.
At one stage in the Waikato, a top player suffered injurieswhen catching to Kevin, even when he was told where the ball would bedelivered. It is not easy, or natural, to hold your glove by your kneeswhen the ball is moving right at your throat. It took the ever-reliableBarry Bone to keep his nerve and learn the job, but the years withoutsomeone like his Miramar catcher Peter Priddey were not soproductive.
Players would return from the nationals with tales of woe,but "I got a hit off Kevin Herlihy" was a common cry. It was abadge of honour, even if it was sometimes a matter of the ball hittingthe bat.
Kevin loved the gruff US catchers, capable of telling himwhat to do. Most of his career in New Zealand saw him making thecalls.
"If batters concentrated on the first and secondstrikes as much as they do the third, my life would be much harder,"Kevin said. "Only a few manage it, but the US players are alwaysdangerous."
He was a droll comedian, a slow mover going on the diamond,and coming off, but once there something transformed him. The batterbecame the adversary and he played his games of control, rising anddropping pitches, swerving the ball near the bat and out again, varyingpace and pitching action. It was all designed to un-nerve even the notedhitters.
But there was no derision, no boasting, no hint of"gotcha" in his play. He respected the game and those who wereplaying.
One of his complaints, and there were few, was that otherswere given credit for good works, hospital visiting and school talks, buthe did not. It was not his style to call the television station, or eventhe radio. He also knew that it he had done the same feats for the AllBlacks or the cricket team that he would have been a hero.
I was pleased when he told me that my articles about him hadgiven him the greatest pleasure, even though we hardly ever talked. Hepitched and I watched.
The credit and the applause came from softball people allover the world. They knew that they had seen a master craftsman inaction, someone who worked harder and harder to be perfect. And, if theywere batters, they mixed that with frustration.
Kevin Herlihy was a legend, a genius and a great competitorwho did more than most to take New Zealand to the top of the softballworld.
His name will live in New Zealand sporting annals as theBabe Ruth of our game.
Well done big fella.
http://www.softball.org.nz/
* Email:snz@softball.org.nz
Cheers Vance
Softball New Zealand web master.
* Email:vanf@ihug.co.nz
