Eight people honored at ASA/USA National Softball Hall of Fame Banquet

November 9, 2014

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November 8, 2014

 

Eight people honored at ASA/USA National Softball Hall of Fame Banquet

 

RENO — Eight individuals received softball’s highest honor on Saturday evening as the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America and USA Softball inducted seven members to the National Softball Hall of Fame and one individual into the International Softball (ISF) Hall of Fame. 

 

"Congratulations to all of the inductees and to current ASA/USA Softball Hall of Fame Member RB Thomas for his induction into the ISF Hall of Fame," said ASA/USA Executive Director Craig Cress.  "This is such a great event for all current, past and future inductees and we’re very proud to honor these individuals for their accomplishments."

 

Held in Reno, Nev., the 34th Annual celebration honored the National Softball Hall of Fame Class of 2014, which consisted of Fast Pitch player Darryl Day (Hilton Head, S.C), Slow Pitch player Craig Elliott (Wadley, Ala.), Umpire Ted Germain (Mayville, Mich.), Fast Pitch player Stacey Nuveman (La Verne, Calif.), Manager Tommy Orndorff (Vienna, Va.), Meritorious Service Ron Radigonda (Edmond, Okla.) and Sponsor Bruce Tanski (Clifton Park, N.Y.).  Also inducted during the Saturday evening ceremony was RB Thomas (Manassas, Va.), who was inducted into the ISF Hall of Fame.

 

Watch the 2014 Hall of Fame Induction here

Read more about the 2014 ASA Hall of Fame Class:

 

Darryl Day (Hilton Head, S.C.) – Fast Pitch Player

 

If attitude is a key to winning, there was little doubt that Darryl Day would be anything but a winner.  Darryl started his softball career with a local Aurora, Ill. softball league before word of his talent reached the notable men’s fast pitch team Aurora Home Savings.  Throughout his 15 years of play in ASA/USA Men’s Major Fast Pitch, Day collected four first team All-American titles, three second team All-American accolades and earned one National Championship and six runner-up finishes.  Starting in 1973, Darryl was a mainstay for the Home Savings for eight years, during which time he led the team to the Men’s Major Fast Pitch National Championship every year.  Day’s strong glove at first base helped lead the Home Savings to four-consecutive runner-up finishes before ending his career with the team in 1980 with a career average of .370.  The following year, Day joined the Decatur ADM, where he would earn his first ASA/USA National Championship that same year.  During his four years with Decatur ADM, Day led the team to a 409-77 record and finished with a career average of .358 with 173 RBI and 26 home runs.  It’s no wonder why many of the best pitchers in the world regarded Day as one of the most difficult batters to retire.  Day also made a name for himself on the international scene, playing for the USA Men’s Fast Pitch Team in 1979 at the Pan American Games where the team earned silver.  He also played three years for the Men’s East Team at the U.S. Olympic Festival.

 

Craig Elliott (Wadley, Ala.) – Slow Pitch Player

 

For years, Craig Elliot was considered as the top slow pitch player by a lot of people, a title which he earned by dominating men’s slow pitch softball at the highest level.  A menace at the plate, Elliott became one of the most feared hitters in the men’s slow pitch world and could change the game with one swing of the bat.  Beginning in 1977, Elliott collected 11-consecutive ASA All-American titles and earned tournament MVP accolades three times.  He also earned the home run leader title in 1983, ’85 and ’86.  His best performance, however, came during the 1983 season when he hit 390 home runs for a HR-to-at bat ratio of 1.93.  With the legendary Steele’s team, Elliott collected three ASA Men’s Super Slow Pitch National Championship titles and finished runner-up once.  Elliott was also one of very few players to be selected MVP of the ASA Smoky Mountain Classic.   His close friend a teammate once claimed: “You could put a quarter in him, and he would hit home runs all day long.”  

 

Ted Germain (Mayville, Mich.) – Umpire

 

You’d be hard pressed to find an umpire who’s worked an ASA/USA Softball National Championship as often as Michigan native Ted Germain.  Ted first registered as an umpire with the Michigan ASA in 1976, establishing a long and storied career as one of the most respected fast pitch and modified pitch umpires.  Germain umpired in nine Men’s Major Modified National Championships, one Men’s 40-Over Fast Pitch National Championship, one Men’s Class A Fast Pitch National Championship and three Men’s Major Fast Pitch National Championships for a total of 14 National Tournament assignments.  He also umpired in 36 State Championships and eight National Qualifying Tournaments.  Germain also served as an Umpire-in-Chief (UIC) in 42 State Championships, 11 National Qualifying Tournaments and three Great Lakes Regional Tournaments.  Ted became a member of the National Indicator Fraternity in 1995, became ISF certified in 1998 and is a member of the ASA Medals Program at the Elite level.  Germain also appeared on the international scene, umpiring at the 2007 World Cup of Softball.  Germain served as a member of the Michigan ASA State Umpire staff from 1991-2007 and was inducted into the Michigan ASA Hall of Fame in 1991. Sadly, Ted passed away earlier this year, but his legacy will live on.

 

Stacey Nuveman (La Verne, Calif.) – Fast Pitch Player

 

A two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, Stacey Nuveman will go down in history as one of the best catchers in the history of fast pitch softball.  Nuveman competed in three Olympic Games, capturing the Gold at the 2000 and 2004 Games while claiming the silver at the 2008 games. Nuveman first wore the Red, White and Blue in 1995 when she earned Gold at the ISF Junior Women’s World Championship in Normal, Ill. where she set a tournament record with 18 RBI.  Her impressive power at the plate and strong performance behind it landed her a spot on the Women’s National Team, where she would earn two Pan American Gold Medals and two ISF World Championships.  On the national level, Nuveman won two ASA/USA National Championships with the Gordon’s Panthers, coached by fellow Hall of Fame member Larry Mays.  She also earned a second-team ASA All-American honor with the California Jazz.  Nuveman retired following the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, leaving behind an Olympic Legacy with 10 RBI and three home runs. In 2012, Nuveman, along with the 2004 U.S. Olympic Softball Team, was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.

 

Tommy Orndorff (Vienna, Va.) – Manager

 

At the Junior Olympic (JO) level, the Shamrocks, led by coach Tommy Orndorff, have established a tradition in fast pitch softball that’s hard to match.  Since their first national appearance in 1977, the Shamrocks have been a force in the JO world, qualifying for 25 ASA/USA National Championships and finishing in the top 10 on nine occassions.  In the early years of the Shamrock organization, not many East coast teams competed competitively, but once Coach Orndorff organized the Shamrock organization that completely changed.  In their 25 appearances at the ASA/USA National Championships, the Shamrocks earned a total of eight top-five finishes, including a runner-up at the 2003 18U GOLD.  In 2005, they earned the ultimate title in JO Championship Play as the 18U GOLD National Champions.

 

Ron Radigonda (Edmond, Okla.) – Meritorious Service

 

Under his 15 years of leadership as Executive Director, the face of ASA/USA Softball evolved dramatically.  Prior to accepting the Executive Director position, Radigonda worked with the City of Sacramento in the Parks and Recreation Department for 28 years and also served as Executive Director of the Sacramento Sports Commission and the Sacramento Sports Foundation. In 1982, he became the Commissioner of the Sacramento ASA, where he served as Chair of numerous committees and served on the Board of Directors and as the Chair of the Association’s Insurance and Finance Committees.  During his tenure as Executive Director, the ASA Hall of Fame Complex has undergone major renovations and has continued its hosting duties for the NCAA Women’s College World Series (WCWS), and the World Cup of Softball, an international softball event.  He also helped foster a continuing relationship with the City of Oklahoma City.  At the International Level, Radigonda has served as a delegate and committee chair for the International Softball Federation (ISF), the governing body of softball internationally.

 

Bruce Tanski (Clifton Park, N.Y.) – Sponsor

 

The New York Gremlins have made a name for himself on the softball field thanks to Bruce Tanski, who has sponsored the team for over 40 years. Tanski’s commitment led to a long and storied career with ASA for the Gremlins, including a recent runner-up finish at the Men’s Major Fast Pitch National Championship in 2013 and a Championship in 2012.  Since 1987, Tanski’s teams appeared in 14 National Championships, earning four third-place finishes and two runner-up titles.

The 35th induction ceremony will take place at the 84th Annual ASA/USA Softball Meeting, which will be held October 31 - November 6 in Louisville, Ky.  Rules and guidelines to nominate potential Hall of Fame candidates for 2016 are available at USASoftball.com.  There is a deadline submission of September 1, 2015.

 

About ASA
The Amateur Softball Association, founded in 1933, is the National Governing Body of softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. The ASA has become one of the nation’s largest sports organizations and now sanctions competition in every state through a network of 76 local associations. The ASA has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 165,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than 2.5 million. For more information on the ASA, visit http://www.asasoftball.com/.

About USA Softball 
USA Softball is the brand created, operated and owned by the ASA that links the USA Men’s, Women’s, Junior Boys’ and Junior Girls’ National Team programs together. USA Softball is responsible for training, equipping and promoting these four National Teams to compete in international and domestic competitions. The USA Softball Women’s National Team is one of the only two women’s sports involved in the Olympic movement to capture three consecutive gold medals at the Olympic Games since 1996. The U.S. women have also won nine World Championship titles as well as claimed seven World Cup of Softball titles. For more information about USA Softball, please visit http://www.usasoftball.com.

 

 

Codi Warren

 

Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications

Amateur Softball Association of America/USA Softball

Office 405.425.3431 | Cell 405. 420. 2817